'This isn't a water fountain' — delivery rider stuns restaurant owner by filling up water jug without asking

A woman in her 20s who runs a restaurant was left flustered after a delivery rider walked into her store with no pending order and helped himself to water from her water purifier without asking permission.

The incident involving the restaurant owner, identified only as A, was featured Thursday on JTBC's "Sageon Banjang," a current-affairs program.

A said she runs a busy restaurant that regularly receives delivery orders and was in the middle of a hectic stretch when the incident occurred.

After the rush had died down and she was taking a brief rest, a delivery rider entered the store, walked straight to the water purifier and began filling a water container he had brought with him.

When A looked on in surprise, the rider told her he was a delivery worker and that he was just getting some water.

A shot back that her store was not a public water fountain and that he should have at least asked first. The rider reportedly suggested the young owner was being stingy. He then gave a slight nod that looked like a half-hearted apology before muttering to himself and walking out.

"I have absolutely no problem with riders who come to pick up orders helping themselves to water," A said. "But coming in just for water — without even making a delivery — and not saying a single word to ask permission doesn't seem like good manners."

Attorney Son Su-ho said small business owners should look out for one another, but added that this case went too far. "If the store owner allows it, that's one thing, but if the owner is uncomfortable with it, it's simply not acceptable behavior," he said.

Professor Park Sang-hee agreed, saying it was deeply discourteous to walk straight to the water purifier without so much as an "excuse me," "sorry," or "could I have some water?" "This isn't a question of whether to give water or whether the owner is being stingy — it's a matter of basic human courtesy, manners and common sense," she said.