Singapore Envoy Gets 'Tasteless' Chai In Gurugram Cafe; Chaayos CEO Responds - See Post

Singapore's High Commissioner to India, Simon Wong, was disappointed when he received what he called a "tasteless" cup of chai at a Gurgaon cafe. Wong posted about his experience on social media site X (previously Twitter), stating that he paid Rs 169 for the drink, which came in a traditional kulhad (earthen cup).

Wong stated, "The impossible happened," in his post. In Gurgaon, I recently savored a cup of cheesy tea. Rs 169 plus tax," he said, adding pictures of the kulhad and the inside of the café to go along with it. Despite not identifying the establishment, his article went viral, receiving over 700,000 views and igniting an internet debate.

Simon Wong: Mixed Reactions 

Reactions to the post were mixed, ranging from humor to sympathy. For a more genuine and reasonably priced chai experience, many readers suggested that Wong check out roadside tea shops. 

“A few years ago, I had a recording with an artist. We wanted to take a chai break. We went to a typical corporate chai place right next door. Had a ₹250/cup chai. Sat and walked out after ½ hr.... Then I walked to a nearby paan shop. Had ₹10 chai. Then we were done!”, one user said. 

Nitin Saluja, the creator of the well-known chai chain Chaayos, was also drawn to the occurrence. With the promise of a better experience, Saluja publicly urged Wong to visit one of their locations.
“Hon’ble Mr. Wong, in the name of deep India-SG friendship, I invite you for a cup of chai at a Chaayos near you. As we enjoy our chai, I’ll share our commitment to getting every chai right, including our no-questions-asked replacement policy!” he wrote. 

After the invitation received by the founder, Mr Wong replied saying that he googled the best Chai nearby and found the shop.