Seafood Restaurant Charges RM3,000 For Fish By Mistake, Customer Gives 5-Star Rating And Disappears
When the restaurant discovered the error three days later, they launched a viral social media campaign to find her and issue a refund.
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A customer at Senibong Bay Seafood in Permas Jaya, Johor was accidentally charged RM2,975 for a single fish due to a billing error on 21 August.
Staff mistakenly entered a 1.25kg red grouper as 12.5kg in their system, inflating the RM297 bill to nearly RM3,000 at RM238 per kilogram.
The customer, identified only as “Miss Nina” from Table 51, paid the full amount without question and even left a 5-star Google review, accompanied by photos of her meal.
Three days later, the restaurant discovered the error and launched a public social media campaign to find Nina and issue a refund.
Their Facebook post, written in Chinese, formally apologised for the “serious billing error” and published Nina’s receipt (Invoice No: 1150982), asking her to contact them.
Online Detective Work: Praise, Scepticism, and Wild Theories
Malaysians are bewildered by the story, questioning how someone could miss a RM3,000 charge for a single fish.
“She’s not Nina, she’s the God of Fortune!” commented one user, while others debated her financial status or attention to detail.
Some praised the restaurant’s transparency, calling it a “conscientious business” for publicly admitting its mistake.
The mystery deepened when Nina’s Google review, posted two days after the incident, showed five stars and photos of what appeared to be a typical fish dish.
The restaurant even attempted to reach out through Google Reviews, asking Nina to contact them via WhatsApp.
Update: Customer Found
On 26 August, the restaurant announced the good news – Nina had been found!
In an emotional video statement, the restaurant owner, known as Sim, revealed that the customer had finally contacted them through the email they left in her Google review comments, not through the viral Facebook post or media coverage.
Today, we want to share some good news – this customer has been found. She has actively contacted us, and we can confirm she is indeed the customer from that day.
The restaurant also addressed the harsh criticism they received online, with some calling them a “黑店 (hēidiàn)” or suggesting it was a marketing stunt.
In Chinese, 黑店 translates literally to “black shop” and refers to a shop that engages in fraudulent or dishonest business practices.
The Real Catch of the Day
The incident became a case study in business ethics, with the restaurant’s proactive approach ultimately earning praise.
“Customer trust is more important than anything else,” the restaurant stated, emphasising the importance of admitting mistakes.
In an era of customer service horror stories, Senibong Bay Seafood’s public accountability approach and the eventual happy resolution proved that doing the right thing, despite facing criticism, was indeed the real catch of the day.
The restaurant’s commitment to finding Nina and making things right, even in the face of online backlash, demonstrates that genuine business integrity still exists in today’s digital age.
READ MORE: Malaysian Employee Turns RM8 Light Bulb Into RM180 Company Expense Scam
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