This file photo shows tables and chairs that are not being used to keep social distancing at a cafe in Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — Netizens expressed displeasure online after a coffee shop franchise distinguished vaccinated and non-vaccinated customers by affixing stickers of different colors to customer cups.
A post written on an online community on Thursday talked about how a local coffee shop attached different colors of stickers based on the customer’s vaccination status.
“The barista there asked customers about their vaccination status, and gave out green stickers to the vaccinated, and yellow stickers to the non-vaccinated,” the post said.
The post continued as it talked about an inquiry the author sent to the franchise headquarters.
The company’s customer service department said that “the stickers are given out as part of company instructions to confirm the quarantine status of each customer and maintain the coffee shop’s safe environment.”
“Discrimination was not our intent. We hope customers will understand the inconvenience,” it said.
Netizens showed frustration, saying that using stickers to distinguish vaccinated and unvaccinated customers is discrimination.
Some netizens, in contrast, were in support of the coffee shop, claiming that the coffee shop owner would be subject to a 1.5 million won (US$1,260) fine if they violate quarantine restrictions.
“The policy was introduced to protect the coffee shop owners, who have to risk penal measures if customers violate quarantine restrictions,” the coffee franchise explained.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
