A small family-run eatery in Pahang was forced to throw away several dishes after customers allegedly smoked at the premises and used the plates to dispose of cigarette ash and butts.
The incident surfaced after Threads user @wfhanaa shared a photo showing cigarette butts and ash scattered across several dishes, alongside a simple plea: “Dear customer, please don’t do this.”
The photo showed multiple cigarette butts placed inside small sauce dishes, while ash was scattered across the dishes and a larger plate.
The eatery had reportedly displayed two “No Smoking” signs, but the customers allegedly smoked anyway.
In the comments, the poster said the incident happened when the eatery was preparing to close and the group were among its last customers of the day.
She said the staff were busy cleaning up and getting ready to shut the premises, so they did not confront the customers about the smoking.
However, they were later shocked to find cigarette ash and butts left inside dishes that had been used by the customers.
The poster told WeirdKaya that the incident happened at her family’s small eatery about a week ago and that her father owns the business.
She also confirmed that she personally threw away the affected dishes after they came into contact with cigarette ash.
“I threw away the plates because even after washing them, the smell wouldn’t go away. I felt bad for the next customer who would have to use them,” she told WeirdKaya.
According to her, other customers had previously smoked at the eatery despite the signs, but this was the first time someone had allegedly left cigarette ash and cigarette butts directly in the dishes.
She said her message to customers was simple: “Please don’t smoke. It doesn’t matter whether our shop is in a kampung (village) or a city. Please have some respect and common sense.”
The incident also sparked criticism from some netizens who questioned why the smokers were not stopped by staff.
One commenter argued that simply displaying “No Smoking” signs might not be enough and that staff should directly remind customers who ignore them.
The poster acknowledged the criticism, saying the eatery might also have been at fault for not asking the customers to leave.
Nevertheless, the sight of cigarette butts and ash left on eating dishes prompted concerns among other users over hygiene and the possibility of the plates being used by subsequent customers.
