West Coast kway chap stall refuses to sell 3rd bowl of kway to customer, but relents after confrontation

A customer at West Coast Market Square complained that a kway chap stall there refused to let him buy a third bowl of kway, also known as rice noodles, to supplement his meal.

This was so as the stall has a policy that each customer can only buy up to two bowls of kway or rice for each order of kway chap.

This was to avoid having leftover protein ingredients with no more kway to sell.

The stall owner apparently told the customer that if he could not accept this, he should patronise another business.

Not allowed to buy 3rd bowl of carbs

The 58-year-old customer, surnamed Huang (transliteration), told Shin Min Daily News he had patronised the braised duck and kway chap stall during lunch on Sep. 14.

He ordered a kway chap set that came with one plate of braised meat and offal, and a bowl of kway.

Thinking this might not be enough, he tried to order a bowl of rice and a second bowl of kway, but was turned down.

"The more I ate, the angrier I got. After finishing the bowl of rice and kway, I was still left with some ingredients. So I went back to the stall to ask for an explanation," Huang said.

Stall relented but customer disagreed with policy

Huang said the stall eventually agreed to sell him another bowl of kway, but told him it would not happen again.

"The owner said that if I continued to behave this way, I shouldn't patronise his stall again. But I felt his attitude was wrong," Huang said.

Huang elaborated that as he has a large appetite, there is nothing wrong with buying an extra bowl of kway.

Following the incident, Huang said he would not patronise the stall again.

We'll be left with protein ingredients only: Stall

When interviewed by Shin Min, the stall owner confirmed Huang's account of the incident.

He explained that this was because the amount of kway prepared by the stall daily roughly matches the amount of protein ingredients it prepares.

"If everyone orders one portion of kway chap, but orders many extra bowls of kway to go with it, we'll only be left with protein ingredients at the end of the day. Without the staple items to pair with, nobody will buy the remaining ingredients," said the owner.

The owner added that he has encountered many such diners before, and would make his stall policy clear to them at the outset.

However, the owner shared that he would make an exception for elderly customers or those in genuine need, and might even treat them to a meal.

For Huang's case, the owner said the customer was "very agitated" at the time, so he gave in to his request to avoid further disputes.

"I did tell him that if he wants three staples with his kway chap, he can go to other stalls for it. This is my stall's policy," the owner added.

He also said he believes that other kway chap stalls have similar policies.

Top image from Shin Min Daily News/Google