A woman who visited a Melbourne takeaway shop for a Friday-night yiros has described the moment its owner allegedly lashed out at a customer who asked how much longer his order would take.
Footage from Patrida Greek Street Food in Nunawading appears to show the owner shouting and swearing at diners before throwing food and cash across the counter as customers sought refunds and left the shop.
The takeaway is highly rated for its yiros, souvlaki and generous servings. However, the kitchen reportedly struggled to manage a rush of orders during the busy Friday evening service.
Natasha Dematria said she and her partner waited almost 40 minutes for their meals. They were partway through eating when a man at a nearby table approached the owner to ask about his order.
According to Dematria, the man had been waiting even longer and had still not received his food.
‘The man in the couple stands up and turns around to go to the kitchen, assuming to ask, “Do you know how long it’s going to be?”‘
‘And then the shop owner goes, “Mate, it’s coming, it’s coming.”‘
She alleged the exchange quickly escalated after the owner responded angrily to the question and argued that a 45-minute wait was normal at other venues.
Natasha Dematria went out for a Friday-night yiros with her partner. She said they waited nearly 40 minutes for their meals and were halfway through eating when a diner at a nearby table got up to ask about his order – when the man behind the counter erupted
The popular Nunawading takeaway has earned glowing reviews for its souvlaki and generous portions. But on a packed Friday night, a question about the wait sparked a confrontation
Dematria alleged the owner threw a yiros at the diner. The man and his partner asked for a refund, and other customers soon followed suit
In footage of the incident, a man believed to be the owner can be heard yelling, ‘I’ve got enough f**king money’, before adding, ‘There’s a reason there’s a 45-minute wait, cos I’m the best.’
He then tells diners to ‘get out’, shouts ‘f**k this country’ and repeatedly refers to the customer as a ‘c**t’.
‘The man and his partner were just standing there, like not saying anything… and the shop owner was going off,’ Ms Dematria said.
Ms Dematria and several other customers requested refunds after the owner allegedly threw a yiros at the man who had asked about the delay.
She said the owner opened the cash register, flung money across the counter and offered diners $100.
‘He opens up the till and starts throwing money out. He’s like, “Here you go, have $100”, and keeps saying to people, because he’s got so much money, “Oh, do you want $100? Do you want $100?”‘
Ms Dematria said she recognised the pressure of running a busy Friday-night service but could not understand the way the owner spoke to customers.
‘Everyone’s paying customers. Everyone was there to eat and have Friday-night dinner,’ she said.
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Footage appears to show the owner yelling and swearing at diners before throwing cash across the counter as customers demanded refunds and walked out
The souvlaki shop owner has previously erupted at complaining customers on Google reviews
‘I just think it was poor. I understand that it’s hard. I don’t own a business myself, so I understand that it’s difficult and rough, but I also don’t understand screaming and yelling at your customers.’
Patrida Greek Street Food has received many positive reviews, with diners highlighting the quality of its food and the size of its portions.
‘Went yesterday for late lunch. The chicken platter was fresh, juicy and tasty, and the pork skewers wrap was delicious. Both were generous portions,’ one customer wrote.
Another reviewer said: ‘Stopped in randomly on a drive home back to the north. Seriously impressed with the serving sizes and quality of the food. If we’re ever in the area again, we’d definitely come back.’
Other reviews, however, mention disputes over waiting times when the restaurant is busy.
One diner claimed the owner became ‘very vocal and rude’ towards customers and Uber Eats drivers during a busy service.
The reviewer alleged that he told customers, ‘What do you want me to do? I’m not a robot. You’re lucky it’s 20 minutes and not 40.’
In a public response, the owner apologised for the delay and defended his treatment of delivery drivers.
‘Unfortunately, we were very busy tonight and do apologise for the wait time,’ he wrote.
‘However, I do not apologise for the way I handle Uber drivers. Having a phone shoved in your face every five minutes is something that no one deserves.
‘The way they speak to us is the way we speak in return.’
He also criticised the reviewer directly.
‘Thankfully, you are one of those “1 and done” customers. Hope leaving this review helped you sleep better.’
The restaurant also responded sharply to another customer who complained about the wait.
‘Apologies Prince Chong, next time I will tell a shop full of people to piss off home, so that you can get your food within five minutes.’
Daily Mail has contacted the restaurant for comment.