Kampong Glam Ramadan bazaar sign asking influencers to be kind intended to support new vendors: Cafe owner

A sign at the Kampung Glam Ramadan bazaar calling for food reviewers to “be human first, influence later” has drawn mixed reactions from the public.

The man behind the poster was revealed to be Ali, owner of Tarik cafe on Arab Street.

Known as Ali, he told Shin Min Daily News that his main aim was to support new vendors and prevent them from feeling discouraged by a single negative review from a food blogger.

The sign stated that while taste is subjective, reviewers were urged to “spare the public critique” and instead speak to vendors privately so they could rectify their mistakes.

Supporting new vendors

Ali said he put up the sign about a week ago after discussions with the bazaar organisers.

Nearly half of the vendors are new, and negative reviews could affect their business, he explained.

He added that he did not want them to feel disheartened by just one unfavourable review.

“Doing business at the market is not easy; they all have to pay rent of about S$16,000 to S$20,000,” he said.

The organiser of the bazaar, also told Shin Min that he immediately agreed with Ali’s suggestion.

“I have always been supportive of the vendors. Especially this year, 40 to 50 per cent of the 109 stalls are new vendors,” the organiser said.

He explained that new vendors join the bazaar every year, and those who do well are likely to return the following year.

The organisers also plan to put up more notices to convey the right values to diners.

The sign has left commenters divided: some praised its message, while others said reviews are part and parcel of running a business.

Commenters have also spoken up online, asking how should they as consumers navigate the bazaar with limited money to spend and the prospect of hundreds of choices, some of which are likely better than others.

Previous reviews

In previous years, negative reviews have led to clashes between reviewers and business owners.

In 2024, TikTok user Gunbutt (@gunbuttock), who has been providing "brutally honest" reviews of food he tried at different Ramadan bazaars, received a cease-and-desist letter from one of the food stall owners.

Gunbutt previously posted a review of Frank On Wheels' Cheeszy Crab Fries with Turkey Bacon, rating it one out of 10.

This prompted the owner of Frank On Wheels to comment on the review, where he defended his product and clashed with other TikTok users.

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Top photo from Shin Min Daily News