FOR Malaysians, chili sauce is more than just a condiment — it’s a tradition. Many have a habit of collecting sauce packets from fast food outlets as if they were rare Pokémon trading cards.
However, one customer’s recent experience with a roadside fried chicken vendor brought new levels of disbelief.
The customer, taken aback by the tiny amount of sauce in the packet she received, shared images online with the caption, “Bought fried chicken by the roadside and got an ‘X-ray’ sauce packet. Fuhhh..” In the photos, the unopened packet appeared almost translucent, showing little more than a few drops of sauce, barely enough for a single dip of fried chicken.
The unusual sight of the packet quickly went viral, with netizens commenting on the shocking ‘X-ray’ effect. The red chili sauce, almost suspended on the transparent plastic cover, gave off an eerie resemblance to a DNA sample or even a microbe culture — some even joked it could be sent to a lab for analysis.
The post sparked widespread amusement and frustration, with one user commenting that the amount of sauce was so minimal it couldn’t even fill a spoon. “It’s not even enough for one dip!” they remarked.
Others expressed their disappointment, such as Asyraf, who posted, “There’s a saying that goes, ‘Giving a little won’t make you poor, giving a lot won’t make you rich.’ Hopefully, all traders will do business sincerely, not just for the sake of chasing profits.”
Wan Raziman chimed in with his own frustration, revealing that at his local vendor, sauce is only given when asked for — and even then, it’s a meagre amount. “I don’t understand why some vendors are so stingy with sauce,” he said.
The use of staplers to seal food packaging also came under fire, raising concerns about food safety.
According to Regulation 36 of the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009, food traders who engage in practices like this can face penalties, including fines of up to RM10,000 and imprisonment for up to two years.
A heavier punishment can be imposed under Section 13 of the Food Act 1983 if harmful materials are found in food.
While the “X-ray” chili sauce packet may be a quirky internet moment, it’s clear that many consumers are calling for better standards in customer service and food safety.