For purposes of entertainment and critical discussion, we asked a handful of current and former cafe owners in Cambodia about annoying things customers say. Ignoring the common complaint “too expensive” that many businesses encounter, we took some time contemplating lesser known, minor but regular annoyances. Please consider: these annoyances were expressed in jest and without hostility by cafe owners, and may be specific to the city, culture, and types of visitors to the cafe.
If you currently or formerly owned a cafe in Cambodia and would like to contribute, please contact us. Many thanks in advance!
David (Australian), Co-Owner
The Little Red Fox Espresso, Siem Reap, Cambodia
“Your money is just way too confusing.”
Yea, well, yours would be as well if someone was visiting your country for the first time.
“Is this water safe to drink?”
Regarding complimentary water given to guests. Seriously… Do you think we would serve contaminated water? Do we look like a place that would go out of our way to make our customers sick with the want of receiving a one-star review for serving contaminated water.
Dieng (Khmer), Owner
The Muffin Man, Siem Reap, Cambodia
“Would you offer leftover cakes in exchange for a good review?”
Khmers never ask me this. We always care about our reputation.
It’s not fair because they’re travelling [from abroad]. Businesses need to cover the costs. We work 12 hours every day. We aren’t rich.
Jen (Canadian), former Co-Owner
Treehouse Café, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
“Do you have food?”
The customer comes in, stands at the counter, takes everyone’s time to look at the menu with clear categories and pictures of the food, and then asks the most obvious question, making me wonder what the heck they’ve been doing while staring at the menu, and then making ME feel rude when the only answer I can reply with is “yes.. right in front of you on the menu you’re looking at”.
“Can I use your bathroom?”
Why would we have a toilet, marked toilet, in a public cafe and not allow customers to use it
Zoe (American), former Co-Owner
Roots Café & Gallery, Siem Reap, Cambodia
“Is everything on the menu vegan?”
Yes. That’s why we advertised our cafe as 100% vegan.
“Can you make this dish without garlic and onions?”
We had a lot of specific food requests for hippie or spiritual reasons. One couple asked for food without garlic and onions. Many of our dishes had garlic and onions in them but not all. Like, our patties had garlic powder and it’s hard to prepare them without it. It’s better to look at the menu and choose dishes you can eat.
Zita (Khmer-Canadian), former Co-Owner
Bang Bang Bakery-Café, Siem Reap, Cambodia
“Why don’t you offer 50% discount like other bakeries?”
Some of those bakeries make a decent profit from 50% discount promotions. The way I see it, the 50% discount is their actual standard prices. The discount is just a marketing tool to get you to buy more stuff. If our bakery did that, we’d lose money.
Bunthoeun (Khmer), Co-Owner
Brother Bong Cafe, Siem Reap, Cambodia
“Why don’t you accept [old, ripped US dollar notes]?”
With foreigners they react, “Why don’t you accept?!” They say your country [Cambodia] give them that money.
“I don’t want to move.”
This problem is more on local. One or two Khmer [customers] take big table [instead of small tables]. We can’t say no to them. When big group come after, hard to change. Not good to ask [single customers] to move when they’re eating. They get upset and angry.
Adam (Australian), Co-Owner
Fox Tale, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
“How do you find working with them?”
My first emotional response involves a one finger salute BUT they are a customer…. cannot bong! I generally answer with how much I have loved working with Cambodians over the years and watch their puzzled faces attempt to process this very simple fact.
Ultimately, I feel sorry for people who ask in this way. If this is how they view Cambodians they have never met, what kind of filter are they viewing the rest of the world with? So much joy and fun are going on right under their noses. I generally try to ensure the more aggressively stupid customers are talking to me and not to my team. The less aggressively stupid my team must learn to deal with. It’s just part of life.
I have had people i know ask the server, “What’s good?”