A diner in Penang allegedly pulled hair from his own chest and placed it in a plate of char kway teow before accusing a restaurant of serving contaminated food and refusing to pay a RM30 (about S$9.50) bill.
The alleged attempt to avoid paying for the meal was uncovered after the restaurant manager reviewed CCTV footage and said it appeared to show the man repeatedly reaching inside his clothes before putting what looked like chest hair into the noodles.
The incident reportedly happened at a restaurant along Persiaran Gurney in George Town at around 5pm on Sunday, Oct. 4, according to local media reports.
Diner Complains About Hair in His Food
The restaurant manager, identified only as Cheng, said the man had been dining with a companion.
The pair initially wanted to order fried chicken, but were told that it was unavailable. They then ordered char kway teow, an egg and a drink instead.
After the food was served, the man allegedly complained that he had discovered hair in his plate of noodles.
Cheng said he examined the food and immediately became suspicious.
“If the hair had really been in the char kway teow, it should have been oily,” he said, according to reports.
The manager also noticed that there were around six or seven strands of hair in the dish. They were reportedly short and did not appear to be eyelashes.
The difference in appearance and condition of the strands prompted Cheng to take a closer look at what had happened.
Couple Allegedly Tried to Leave Without Paying
While the restaurant staff were examining the food, the man and his companion allegedly got up and attempted to leave.
Staff reminded them that the bill had not yet been settled.
The man allegedly refused to pay, arguing that he should not have to pay for food that had been contaminated.
The restaurant manager said he became increasingly suspicious and decided to check the establishment’s CCTV footage.
What he reportedly saw raised further questions about the customer’s complaint.
CCTV Allegedly Shows Man Pulling Hair From His Clothes
According to Cheng, the CCTV recording appeared to show the man repeatedly putting his hand inside his clothing.
The footage allegedly showed him pulling out what appeared to be hair from his chest before placing the strands into the plate of char kway teow.
The restaurant manager said the footage led him to believe the hair had not accidentally ended up in the food but had allegedly been deliberately planted.
The claim has not been independently verified, and no police action or charge has been reported in connection with the incident.
The man has also not been publicly identified or given an opportunity to respond to the allegation in the reports.
Restaurant Shares CCTV With Other Businesses
The meal in question cost about RM30, a relatively small amount compared with the alleged effort involved in avoiding the bill.
After reviewing the footage, Cheng said the restaurant shared the CCTV recording with other restaurant operators in the area as a warning.
The aim was to alert other businesses about the alleged incident and encourage them to be vigilant if they encounter similar complaints.
The case has since attracted attention because of the unusual nature of the alleged tactic.
Rather than simply disputing the quality of the meal, the diner is accused of creating the appearance of contamination and then using that complaint as a reason not to pay.
Allegation Has Not Been Independently Established
The incident remains based on the restaurant manager’s account and his interpretation of the CCTV footage as reported by local media.
There has been no reported finding by authorities establishing that the man deliberately planted the hair, nor has any criminal charge been announced.
The reports also describe the man as believed to be a foreign national, but his identity and nationality have not been disclosed.
For now, the restaurant’s CCTV footage is the central basis for the manager’s allegation.
The episode nevertheless serves as a reminder for food businesses to retain surveillance footage and document unusual customer complaints, particularly when disputes involve allegations of food contamination.
In this case, what initially appeared to be a complaint about hair in a plate of char kway teow reportedly took a very different turn after the restaurant reviewed what happened on camera.
