Chinese man caught enjoying food at Hari Raya open house after mistaking it for a restaurant
A Chinese tourist in Langkawi, Malaysia, got more than he bargained for when he accidentally walked into a Hari Raya open house, mistaking it for a restaurant — and ended up staying for a full-on feast.
The funny mix-up was captured in a 28-second TikTok video posted by user @lindaproton, showing the man in a white T-shirt tucking into food and sipping a rose syrup drink while casually scrolling through his phone.
Source: @lindaproton on TikTok
“A funny incident happened while we were celebrating Raya. Fortunately, we had a Chinese-speaking friend. He was also embarrassed for entering the wrong place, but hey, this is Malaysia — of course, we had to eat together,” the caption read.
Man wanders into house after thinking it was an eatery
Speaking to Malaysian media outlet SAYS, 43-year-old Proton salesperson Linda Orow shared that the tourist, believed to be from China, had been staying at a nearby hotel in Taman Sri Wawasan, Ulu Melaka.
The incident happened on Thursday (24 April), when Linda and her family were hosting a Hari Raya open house.
Ms Linda initially tried to communicate with the man despite having limited Mandarin skills. Eventually, one of her friends who was fluent in the language stepped in to help.
They soon found out the tourist had gone out late at night looking for food, and had wandered into their open house by mistake, thinking it was a restaurant.
Host welcomes man to home
When Linda’s sister explained to him that it wasn’t a restaurant but a festive gathering, the man grew flustered and offered to leave.
But true to Malaysian hospitality, the family insisted he stay and join them for dinner instead.
The tourist was treated to a variety of dishes, including squid, lontong, satay, nasi biryani, and chicken masala.
“We gave him a little bit of everything to try. He was shy. He sat there eating,” she recalled.
After finishing his meal, the tourist politely tried to pay for the food, but the hosts firmly refused, explaining that open houses are all about generosity and sharing, and no guest should ever be charged.
Before leaving, the man thanked them in Mandarin and expressed heartfelt gratitude for the unexpected hospitality.
Reflecting on the incident, Linda shared that she and her friends found it to be a hilarious and memorable experience they would cherish for years to come.
Netizens praised Malaysians for showing kindness
The video has since gone viral, amassing over 1.6 million views. Many netizens praised Linda and her family for their kindness and inclusiveness.
One woman expressed thanks for helping the man and commented that Malaysians are “so kind” and “always give food to other people”.
Source: @lindaproton on TikTok
Another netizen joked that the man must have been confused as to why the people at the open house seemed to know each other, unaware that it was a Hari Raya celebration.
Source: @lindaproton on TikTok
Lastly, a user recounted his personal experience of receiving free nasi lemak during Hari Raya.
Source: @lindaproton on TikTok
Also read: ‘Someone got invited to Hogwarts’: Owl joins Hari Raya celebration in M’sia
‘Someone got invited to Hogwarts’: Owl joins Hari Raya celebration in M’sia
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Featured image adapted from @lindaproton on TikTok.
