Authority in Shanghai's Huangpu District has asked a local
newspaper to deliver money to a Swedish tourist after its report
exposed his café con story that cost him almost 5,000 yuan (US$676)
for beverages and alcohol in a coffee shop.
The district's Industry and Commerce Bureau sent 4,966 yuan to
Shanghai Morning Post and asked the newspaper to deliver
it to the Swedish businessman. He was lured by two young women to a
Manabe coffee shop last month on Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall,
where he was eventually presented a huge bill for alcohol that the
women drank, the newspaper reported today.
The man, a department manager at OMX Group, Sweden's biggest
Stock Exchange, returned to Sweden after he wrapped up a group
business trip to the city last month in "huge disappointment."
The women, so called "beverage agents" hired by the Manabe
coffee shop on the 3rd floor of the Brilliance Shimao International
Plaza, lured the foreigner to the shop with the excuse of
practicing English. They downed 12 glasses of whiskey in 10 minutes
when the Swedish man took a phone call on the night of November
27.
Each whiskey cost 400 yuan at the shop, according to previous
reports.
An initial investigation found that, besides the usual Manabe
coffee menu, the Shimao Manabe had another menu which they had made
themselves to sell alcohol at inflated prices.
The shop has been closed down, according to previous
reports.
Meanwhile, Manabe headquarters reached an agreement with
Brilliance Shimao International Plaza to evict the Shimao Manabe
outlet, the report said.
"We cannot include the Shimao branch in our business any more as
it has become a dirty spot on our brand," Lin Yinxiu, deputy
manager of the Development Department of Manabe Co, told the
newspaper.
Manabe headquarters is considering a lawsuit against the Shimao
branch to seek compensation for "spoiling the brand's reputation,"
Lin added.
Lin also emphasized that Manabe branches are not allowed to
serve alcohol and customers should only be presented with standard
menus printed by headquarters.
Customers can call 021-52390920-313 to report any Manabe
branches if they fall prey to similar café cons, the report
said.
The hotline only offers service in Chinese.
(Shanghai Daily December 14, 2007)