A video posted on TikTok shows a dispute at a Chinese restaurant in Alpharetta, Georgia, where a customer claims he was told to leave after purchasing a meal and sitting down to eat. The incident, which took place at Lin’s Chinese Cuisine, was recorded by the customer and has sparked discussion online.
In the video, a male customer, who is off-screen, states that he ordered and paid for food from the restaurant. He says the male owner allowed him to eat inside and even gave him a free bottle of water. The customer claims that shortly after he began eating, a woman, whom he believes to be the other owner, approached him aggressively.
The customer can be heard in the video saying, “This young lady came out here being very aggressive, talking about get out the store, you can’t eat food here.” He questions the policy, asking, “But I can buy the food but I can’t eat it here? Was not told to me.”
The confrontation centers on a disputed dining policy and a demand for a refund
The video shows the female owner standing behind the counter, holding her phone up as if recording the customer. The customer repeatedly asks for his money back since he was told he could not eat the food he had just purchased. He points out that the restaurant has tables set up inside.
When the customer asks for a refund, the female owner responds, “Sign on the door. We got sign on the door.” The customer acknowledges the sign but continues to complain about her demeanor, stating, “I know, but you being aggressive.” He asks again, “So you going to give me my money back or what?” to which she firmly replies, “No.”
The customer then mentions that the female owner threatened to call the police. “But then you walk at me being aggressive and you talking about call the cops. We can call the cops,” he says in the video. The female owner appears to agree, saying, “Yeah, you need to get out here.”
The customer asserts the male owner had no issue with him dining in
Throughout the exchange, the customer maintains that the male owner had previously permitted him to eat in the restaurant. He says, “Her husband over there standing behind there, allowing me to eat my food, actually gave me a free bottle of water.” Later, he reiterates, “And the crazy thing is, your husband— your husband didn’t have an issue with it because your husband was sitting next to me.”
The customer eventually begins packing his food to leave, stating, “Relax, I’m getting my food together since you just forced me to leave.” The video shows the female owner turning and walking away from the counter as the customer continues to speak.
The video’s caption, written by the customer, provides additional context. It states, “I placed an order with the male owner, and everything was fine. After receiving my food, I went to my car and then returned inside to eat.” The caption adds, “Less than 10 minutes later, a woman whom I believe was the other owner came out aggressively and told me I had to leave.”
The caption concludes with the customer’s advice: “Based on my personal experience, I would advise anyone in Alpharetta to be cautious when visiting this establishment.”
The TikTok video has generated numerous comments from viewers. One comment reads, “She pissed he gave you a free water is crazy,” followed by a laughing emoji. Another comment expresses confusion about the situation, stating, “I’m confused by the comments. According to the video’s creator, boycotting because of generalized racism? It’s just as racist to be boycotting ‘asian businesses’ because of another incident at another business?”
Other comments focus on the restaurant’s apparent emptiness during the incident. “The restaurant is empty…” one user noted. Another comment humorously suggests the female owner’s anger might be directed at her husband, saying, “She bouts to go whoop her husbands ass.”
The video has been viewed and shared widely, with the hashtag #terriblecustomerservice among those used in the post. The customer’s account of the event, as presented in the video and its caption, has prompted viewers to debate restaurant policies and customer service standards.
