A branch of a famous Koshary restaurant in Egypt was closed on Wednesday after a woman complained that she was not allowed to eat at the restaurant before iftar a few days ago.
On Wednesday, the Egyptian authorities closed a branch of the famous “Koshary Al-Tahrir” restaurant in Egypt, upon a complaint from a Christian woman claiming that workers refused to serve food to her and her child before iftar during the month of fasting for Muslims, Ramadan.
While authorities justified the closure of the restaurant saying it committed “violations”, without reference to the incident of the Christian woman.
Egyptian media reported that the authorities closed the Abbas al-Akkad Street branch in Nasr City, “because of operating without a license”, and published pictures of the restaurant’s door being closed using “red wax”.
The authorities’ justification for closing the restaurant was rejected by some social media users, who confirmed that the closure was related to the campaign against the restaurant after the Christian woman’s incident.
This closure comes two days after a woman named Silvia Boutros complained, via a Facebook post, that the restaurant management refused to serve her food while she was with her child, and added that the restaurant justified act saying it does not serve food before iftar time.
Calls spread on the social media demanding the closure of the “Koshary Al-Tahrir” branch, although the restaurant issued a statement apologizing for the incident, and said that what the woman was subjected to was an individual behavior by one of the employees, and that it did not reflect work system at the restaurant.
The manager of the branch of the restaurant, which was closed by the authorities, recounted the details of the incident in a statement to the Egyptian “Al-Dustour” website, and said that “the restaurant did not refrain from serving food to the woman (…),” and indicated that the workers opened the door for her and allowed her to enter, “even though it was time to get ready for iftar.
The manager added: “We told her with the utmost kindness and politeness that we are still not open, and indeed she walked very calmly, and there was no quarrel or problem.”
“The restaurant’s branches and nearby shops open their doors at the time of iftar, and this is a system that applies to all branches and instructions that everyone adheres to,” he said.
The administration of “Koshary Al-Tahrir” said in a statement on Monday evening, April 11, that when the woman asked for food, the restaurant hall was closed, and added that the woman “did not sit inside the hall, nor was she or her child prevented from sitting,” apologizing for the incident.
The Egyptian authorities’ decision to close the “Koshary Al-Tahrir” branch sparked controversy while Twitter users expressed their satisfaction with the closure of the shop, others rejected the decision and said that it came because of the woman’s complaint and not because of the violation as alleged by authorities.
