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A video of a tense interaction at an African restaurant in New Jersey, identified by staff as Precious Kitchen, has gone viral on TikTok after a frustrated customer erupted at employees over a dish she claimed was too oily. The customer had ordered palaver sauce but became immediately dissatisfied when she opened her container. Since the footage only shows her raising her voice at the staff and repeatedly insisting that she wanted her money back, it is unclear whether she had initially attempted to address her concerns more calmly.
Here’s What Was Caught on Video
At first, it seemed that the employees had tried to explain that the restaurant did not issue refunds. But as the customer grew louder and more confrontational, one staff member stepped in and said she would handle the matter herself. She asked the customer how much she had paid so she could process the refund. Instead of responding, the customer snapped, “I don’t care about how much it was. I want my food.”
The employee held her ground and told her she would proceed with the refund, making it clear that the customer would not be allowed to continue speaking to them disrespectfully. She then began searching through the system to locate the transaction. The customer mocked the staff’s sudden change in response, pointing out that moments earlier she had been told a refund was not possible. The employee clarified, “No, I’m personally going to do it… so relax.”
However, the customer was not appeased, and she began cussing at the worker, even threatening to fight her. Despite this, the employee kept asking her to calm down before calling another coworker for assistance.
More on What Happened
When the second worker approached, the customer launched back into her complaint, shouting, “Y’all keep giving me bowl of oil! I’m telling her I don’t want oil in my [expletive] food.” The worker reassured her that the refund would be issued and defended her colleague, insisting that she was “a nice person” and did not deserve the hostility. She also explained that palaver sauce naturally contains oil because of its traditional preparation, but added that if the customer didn’t want that, they understood.
Still, the customer refused to let the issue go. She kept demanding her money back while saying, “Y’all making me madder and madder.” The first employee continued searching for the transaction and trying to remain composed. Eventually, the customer revealed that she had paid in cash, which helped the worker locate the payment more quickly. However, the way the customer delivered that information struck a nerve, and in a moment of frustration, the employee tossed the cash toward her.
That intensified the conflict. The customer grew even more aggressive and began threatening the employee, saying she would wait outside for her and that she knew exactly when the restaurant closed. Even after her refund was completed, she still refused to return the food container when one of the workers attempted to retrieve it. After a few more back-and-forths, she finally let go of the food and left the restaurant.
How People Are Reacting to the New Jersey Restaurant Incident
Many viewers felt the customer’s behavior made no sense, with one person writing, “Wait not her still wanting the food after all that 😂.” Someone else said, “She thought she was about to bully them into free food.” A third commented, “Smh I hate unnecessary rude ppl glad you stood your ground Bellz.”
One netizen felt the customer was determined to cause conflict regardless of the outcome. “Anyone who still argues and causes problems after being offered a solution, was already intent on being difficult regardless of resolution,” they wrote.
Not everyone agreed with how the situation was handled, though. One viewer said, “Friend you didn’t do well to deescalate this… give her the money and let her go..” while another added, “Although she was rude, I think you could have also de-escalated that better too. Don’t give them the same energy. I would just refund without going back and forth.”
