BANGKOK, THAILAND – A new customer complaint over alleged unequal treatment put Michelin-starred Raan Jay Fai back in the spotlight.
Thai diner alleges favoritism toward foreign guests
A Thai woman accused the world‑famous Raan Jay Fai of favoring foreign visitors in a TikTok video. She claimed that while overseas guests were welcomed, Thai patrons had to wait under what she described as demotivating conditions.
Early arrival, long wait and seating dispute
According to her account, she arrived at the restaurant at 7 a.m. to reserve a table and received queue number three for a group of five. When the venue opened two hours later, staff refused to seat the incomplete party.
“They required that all members had to be present,”
said the customer.
Despite her request to start ordering, she was directed into a new queue. She told staff her friends would arrive shortly, saying,
“My friends would be there in 10 minutes.”
Accusations of rude tone and hurt feelings
The woman said the manner of communication was anything but friendly and that an employee even accused her of lacking etiquette.
“If your friends arrive and you don’t eat with them, that is a problem,”
said the staff member, according to her account. After nearly three hours of waiting, the group was finally seated, but tensions reportedly continued.
Ice bucket condition sparks further complaint
The dispute extended to the drink order, where the group requested a bottle of cola and two glasses. The server allegedly refused to provide the glasses, insisting,
“Only when you buy a bucket of ice,”
was the staff’s unusual requirement, according to the diner. She insisted that
“Foreign guests, including my foreign friends, were treated much more politely.”
Owner’s daughter defends long‑standing rules
The next day, the owner’s daughter responded via 3PlusNews, defending the restaurant’s long‑standing “full group” policy. She said incomplete parties had in the past occupied tables for one to two hours without ordering, which had disadvantaged other guests.
“If our communication caused the customer discomfort, we apologize,”
said the daughter, adding that there had never been any deliberate discrimination.
Previous price controversy still lingers
This was not the first backlash for Jay Fai. In August, the restaurant drew criticism after an influencer paid 4,000 baht for its famous crab omelette instead of the usual 1,500 baht. The venue later apologized and was fined 2,000 baht by the Ministry of Commerce.
Reputation under pressure despite Michelin star
The latest incident underlined that even a Michelin star offered no protection from social media storms, especially over sensitive treatment of guests. The 81‑year‑old cult restaurant again faced heated debate over whether the episode reflected discrimination or a misunderstanding about house rules.