Mumbai-based coffee chain Subko has apologised after a Bengaluru customer alleged that a receipt from one of its outlets described him by his appearance instead of his name.
The customer shared his experience in a Reddit post, saying he noticed the description “Little fat black shirt” under the customer details on his bill after placing an order at Subko The Craftery.
He alleged that the wording upset him because he felt it was an unnecessary and deliberate reference to his appearance.
The customer also shared photographs of the outlet and the receipt, questioning why a description of his body was used when his name or order details could have been used to identify him.
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The incident drew reactions from social media users as well as Subko, which addressed the matter publicly. The company said it was not responding simply because the post had gained attention, but because the incident itself concerned its team.
Subko Apologises
Subko confirmed that a customer at its Koramangala outlet had been identified by his body type on the printed bill instead of his name. The company said the description had been deliberately entered by a staff member.
“Fat shaming is wrong. Every form. Every time. No exceptions,” the company said. “There's no clever way to say this. It was cruel, and it happened under our roof.”
Subko said it had reached out to the customer directly to apologise and taken disciplinary action against the employee involved.
The coffee chain also said it was reviewing the way customer details are entered at its outlets and would include the incident in staff training.
“To the guest who experienced this: we're sorry. Not for how it looked. For what it was,” the company said.
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The incident has drawn attention to Subko's ownership and investment background. The specialty coffee brand was founded by Rahul Reddy, who serves as founder and creative director, with Daniel Trulson associated as a co-founder. The company has also attracted investment from entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath.
Subko said accountability was more important than shielding itself from criticism and acknowledged that the incident showed it still had work to do.
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