KUALA LUMPUR: A clip showing a restaurant manager 'gesturing' for a woman, believed to be foreign tourist, to leave the premises after sitting there without ordering any food or drinks— by removing the chair and table she was occupying — has gone viral on social media.
The clip has also elicited mixed reactions from social media users, with most supporting the restaurant manager's actions, as it is clearly stated that the table and chair at the premises were meant only for customers of the restaurant.
In the clip, the woman is seen using her laptop at a table meant exclusively for restaurant customers.
Out of goodwill and courtesy, the restaurant manager remained quiet for the first 30 minutes she sat without making any order.
The operator attempted to take her order, but she ignored him, appearing to have headphones on.
After several failed attempts, the restaurant manager was seen in the clip taking a different approach by placing the woman's bag on the floor.
Even then, the woman did not seem concerned about vacating the table, remaining absorbed in her laptop.
The manager then removed one of the chairs before 'helping' the woman with her belongings on the table. Subsequently, he moved the table to a nearby spot, leaving the woman standing with her laptop.
This incident, believed to have occurred at the Penang International Airport, was recorded and posted on the TikTok account of erwanyusoff44.
"She refused to order anything and simply sat in seats meant for customers only. We tried approaching her, but she ignored us.
"It is a designated seating area for customers only. We were very polite about this... All she had to do was order something, and she could use our facilities."
"We were nice at first and allowed her to sit for a while, but this went too far. She sat there for more than 30 minutes without even buying a glass of water," the description of the clip said.
Posted four days ago, the clip has been liked by over 32,000 users and has received more than 3,900 comments.
Some viewers agreed with the manager's actions, pointing out the cost of maintaining the space and keeping it Covid-19 free at an airport. Others, however, did not agree with the approach.