Malaysia’s Zus Coffee makes police report, gives employee paid leave after clash with customer

Malaysian coffee chain Zus Coffee said on Nov 12 that it has made a police report over an incident involving one of its employees and a customer, which was captured in a viral video in which both could be seen flinging coffee cups at each other.

Zus said a police report was lodged on Nov 10 to ensure its employee’s safety and privacy after she “experienced an intense situation” at one of its outlets on Nov 9.

Its statement did not specify the contents of its police report and the outlet where the incident occurred.

The employee has taken paid time-off to recover, with Zus adding that her well-being is a priority.

“We recognise every customer comes with different expectations. We are learning from this opportunity and will continue to... build a culture that handles challenges with professionalism and empathy,” said the coffee shop operator, Malaysia’s largest chain.

“We do not tolerate aggressive behaviour and we are committed to keeping our stores safe for the community.”

The incident went viral in a video circulated online in which the Zus barista had an altercation at one of its outlets in Malaysia. Zus opened its 1,000th outlet in Malaysia in October 2025.

She could be heard telling a female customer to leave in Mandarin after which the woman can be heard raising her voice and flinging a cup of coffee at the Zus employee, soiling her attire and the countertop.

The customer can be heard speaking Mandarin in a non-native accent.

Zus’ announcement of the police report was largely greeted with positive reactions online, with some saying that “the customer is not always right”.

The coffee chain operator asked the public to respect the employee’s privacy and refrain from resharing the video as it may reveal her identity.