A Malaysian coffee shop chain issued an apology after a customer shared their dining experience at one of its outlets, which allegedly involved “rude” staff.
Zus Coffee on Tuesday, June 16 said that it was “aware” of an online post about a customer’s experience, which some perceived to refer to a diner who asked whether their pizza contained pork.
Although the coffee shop did not provide further details, some Filipinos believed the statement referred to a post by Facebook user Ifra Yousha.
Yousha called the staff at the Bonifacio Global City branch of the coffee chain “rude,” claiming they laughed when Yousha asked whether the pizza was pork-free.
“As a Muslim, [siyempre] kailangan namin mag-ingat sa foods, so nag-confirm ako if ‘yung pizza nila walang pork, tapos bigla nila akong tatawanan? Like, WTF? Sobrang bastos,” Yousha reportedly wrote.
It is against their belief to consume pork, which they consider spiritually harmful, as they believe it defiles the body and soul.
“Then after nun, umupo na ako, nakapag-order na kami, tapos ‘yung ibang numbers sa screen TV, tinatawag nila maliban sa’min??? Lahat ng numbers na ‘ready for collection’ tinatawag nila, tapos ‘yung sa’min, nabulok na doon, inaantay namin na tawagin, pero, hindi talaga? Sobrang bastos!!” Yousha added.
Zus Coffee, in its statement, said that a “fair and thorough review was conducted with both the customer and the Zurista involved to better understand and address what took place.”
“We understand how the interaction may have come across, and we sincerely apologise to our community for the distress it may have caused,” it said.
“Appropriate action has been taken, including retraining the entire team, to help ensure a similar experience does not happen again,” the coffee shop chain added.
“These conversations matter to us, as they help us learn, improve, and serve our communities with greater care. At ZUS, respect, kindness, and inclusivity remain values we are committed to upholding in every store, for everyone who walks through our doors,” it concluded.
Zus is a coffee shop chain known for offering high-quality caffeinated beverages at affordable prices.
It also serves pastries, desserts and pizza bread to its customers.
The brand was founded in Malaysia in 2019 and has since expanded to the Philippines.