Caught with leftovers? Family Mookata bans buffet thieves from all outlets

SINGAPORE: For Family Mookata, running a buffet has always been about sharing good food and creating a relaxed dining experience, but after several customers were caught sneaking buffet items out of the restaurant, the Thai barbecue chain says it has no choice but to take a firmer stand.

In a Facebook post on Jan 3, the homegrown brand made it clear that it has “zero tolerance” for diners who pack buffet food into personal containers to take away. The message was simple: The all-you-can-eat spread is meant to be enjoyed at the table — not at home.

“We will take firm action against anyone found violating our rules,” the post read. The restaurant also said it may share photos or videos of offenders online, not to shame them, but to raise awareness and keep track of repeat cases.

Owner Fiona Lim shared that this hasn’t been an isolated problem. Since opening in 2023, Family Mookata has dealt with four such incidents. Two of them happened at its Jurong West outlet, which only opened in November 2025. The latest occurred on Dec 31 — right as many were ringing in the new year.

That evening, a supplier making a routine delivery noticed something unusual. A woman dining with her son and a friend was quietly packing raw meat and seafood from the buffet into takeaway boxes.

“They called me immediately,” Lim recalled. “They even overheard the woman telling her son to go home and get another box, which made us think they live nearby.”

By the time staff were alerted and ready to step in, the woman had already left the restaurant with two boxes of food — each weighing an estimated 500 g to 1 kg.

To prevent similar situations, Family Mookata has since put up reminder posters in its outlets and begun taking photos of customers who break the rules, so staff can intervene before they leave. The restaurant’s food waste policy also allows it to charge $10 for every 100g of uneaten food.

Lim stressed that the measures were never meant to create tension. “We just want to run a business, not look for trouble,” she said. “We hope this serves as a warning.”

For Family Mookata, the message comes from a place of fairness: Enjoy the buffet, enjoy the experience — but please leave the food where it belongs.