A routine lunch outing turned into a nightmare for a woman in Abuja when she was allegedly held against her will at a local restaurant after refusing to pay an unexpected "service charge" added to her bill. The incident, captured in a viral video shared on social media, has sparked debates about transparency in restaurant billing practices in Nigeria.
The woman, whose identity remains undisclosed, visited Bamboo Sparks restaurant in Jabi Lake Mall to enjoy a simple meal – a classic beef burger priced at ₦12,000 and a Sprite at ₦1,000. According to the receipt shown in the video, the subtotal came to ₦13,000, but an additional transaction fee of ₦500 pushed the total to ₦13,500. She argued that this fee was not clearly disclosed on the menu pages she referenced while ordering.
In the footage, the woman can be heard passionately explaining her stance to the staff: "You can't bring an additional transaction fee and ask me to pay it without it being declared or even mentioned prior to when we're ordering." She emphasized that such charges should be visibly stated on every menu page to allow customers to budget accordingly. "When I'm seeing the bill and I'm factoring in whatever percentage, it should even be at the top so that every single page I'm looking at, that's the first thing I'm seeing," she said.
The restaurant staff countered that the fee is part of their policy and is mentioned in the menu, albeit not on the specific pages for burgers and drinks. The argument escalated, with the woman accusing the establishment of extortion and threatening to take the matter online. "I will not pay the fee. If you don't allow me to go, I'm going to call the police because that's kidnapping," she warned.
As the dispute intensified, managers got involved, and the woman claimed she was being harassed and held hostage despite having paid for her meal excluding the disputed fee. "I have paid for my fucking meal! I have paid for my meal!" she exclaimed repeatedly. At one point, she mentioned calling the authorities, turning what started as a billing disagreement into a potential criminal matter.
The video, posted by X user @Hybrid_Ola, has garnered thousands of views and mixed reactions online. Some viewers sided with the woman, criticizing restaurants for sneaky charges, while others felt she overreacted over a small amount. "This is why we need better consumer protection laws in Nigeria," one commenter noted. Others pointed out that service charges are common but should always be upfront.
Bamboo Sparks has not yet issued an official statement on the incident. Attempts to reach the restaurant for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publishing.
This event highlights ongoing issues in Nigeria's hospitality industry, where hidden fees and poor communication can lead to unnecessary conflicts. Consumers are advised to carefully review menus and bills, and businesses to prioritize clear pricing to avoid such escalations.