KUALA LUMPUR: A tourist recently took to Reddit to ask Malaysians how is it eatery owners in Penang had coerced him to buy drinks if he wanted a table at which to sit.
"What's up with food places forcing me to buy drinks? Or else I have to pay a fee to sit and have my food?" the Reddit user named @Isuckatmathsbro said.
Given the user's unfamiliarity with the culture in the eater's paradise state, @globetrotter1000G decided to unveil how such practices are common in Penang.
"Penang has recently become notorious for having their shop owners forcing customers to buy drinks. They only earn from the drinks that you buy from them. If you don't buy, they don't earn.
"Other places don't have this practice," @globetrotter1000G said.
Others said foreign tourists were not the only ones targetted by Penang eatery owners.
As some explained, Penangites have a distinct accent and Malaysians from other states were easily recognisable when they speak, regardless of the language used.
As such, they too have been targetted.
Several other Reddit users also confirmed that the practice was set exclusively in Penang as they rarely faced similar circumstances in the Klang Valley or other parts of the country.
User @manymoreways said such practices had been going on for quite a while.
"I once went to Penang before the pandemic and I would see eateries and restaurants putting up signs saying 'If you sit down, you have to order a drink'."
Since @Isuckatmathsbro stated his or her reason for not wanting to buy a drink was because there were no sugar-free beverages, some helpful Reddit users said to order tea or coffee "kosong" or "C kosong".
