Lucky Plaza chicken rice stall Fiie’s Cafe is known for drawing long queues despite the owner’s famously ‘grumpy’ attitude.
Source: Google Maps
And now, fans of the eatery’s delicious nasi ayam can rejoice as they have opened a new outlet in a Toa Payoh coffee shop.
The new outlet hopefully has shorter waits and may even allow customers to avoid a tongue-lashing from the owner.
If there’s something everyone expects from any restaurant they visit, it’s good food and good customer service.
Fiie’s Cafe, located on the sixth floor of Lucky Plaza, guarantees the former.
Helmed by just two brothers, the supposedly stony Shafiie and the more cordial Rasheed, the eatery’s reviews don’t lie.
Their chicken rice comes with a hearty serving of juicy fried chicken, which is practically worshipped by its patrons.
The dish comes at S$6 a la carte, a price the brothers don’t intend to raise. A set with two side dishes and soft drinks bumps it up to S$9.
Most customers consider it far beyond worth the price.
Source: Google Maps
Okay, but what about the service?
Well… let’s just say you won’t always be getting a warm smile and a “Good afternoon, sir/ma’am” where Shafiie is concerned.
8days.sg reported that the ‘grumpy’ owner tells customers to go to the Jollibee next door if they want good service.
The stall’s Google reviews page also has no shortage of one-star ratings left by those burnt by Shafiie’s temper.
One netizen described the “unwritten house rules”: no sitting down without ordering, no complicated orders, no crossing marked boundaries, and more.
Breaking one of these rules supposedly results in Shafiie getting irritated and shouting at the offending patron.
Source: Google Maps
Indeed, the tall and muscular former bouncer with his trademark glare acknowledges his reputation.
He even set the eatery’s PayLah name to “Mr Grumpy Fried Chicken”.
Still, it is simply his way of dealing with whom he deems difficult customers during busy hours.
In the 8days.sg interview, he said that some customers are “idiots” and “very entitled”.
To be honest, we reckon just about anyone with experience in F&B or retail would completely agree with him.
That said, Shafiie said that he is far more trigger-happy with his prickly attitude during busy hours compared to off-peak periods.
Indeed, customer reviews have come to his defence against his reputation, noting him as friendly and polite.
His legendarily poor attitude has also evidently failed to deter customers.
Under the yellow signboards, dozens of eager customers frequently form long snaking queues that lead to the other end of the mall.
Source: MakanFm on Facebook
Either the food really is just that good, or the combo of tasty chicken and a mean-mugging cook makes for a special dining experience.
Perhaps you’ve been interested but the long waiting times turned you away. Fret not!
On Monday (25 Sep), a Facebook user spotted the cafe’s familiar yellow signboard at the Toa Payoh Blk 73 coffee shop, hinting at a Fiie’s cafe expansion.
Source: Facebook
Clearly fearful of incurring Shafiie’s infamous wrath, one netizen stated that she hopes he — aka “the black face guy — remains at Lucky Plaza.
Source: Facebook
Another user concurred, saying that the older folks in the area might constantly get a scolding from him.
In response, someone pointed out that Shafiie might be the one getting a nasty admonishing from those “fierce old folks” instead.
Source: Facebook
Either way, we wouldn’t want to be caught up in the middle of that if it really were to happen.
In any case, there will hopefully be shorter queues at the new outlet compared to its Orchard branch when it opens.
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps and Toa Payoh Makan Places on Facebook.
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