What began as a regular outing at a popular restaurant named “Social” on Pune’s FC Road allegedly turned into a disturbing experience for content creator Rishika Dutta after she started receiving unexpected messages late at night from an unknown number.
According to the woman, the incident took place on April 28 after she visited the outlet and scanned the restaurant’s QR-code-based digital menu. Later that night, she allegedly received messages from a man who introduced himself and attempted to strike up a personal conversation.
In the screenshots shared by Dutta on Instagram, the sender’s name can be seen as “Shaikh Shafi,” who identified himself as a staff member associated with the restaurant. The messages included questions such as “What’s your age?” along with requests to become “friends.”
The woman alleged that the employee had accessed her number through the QR-based menu system or restaurant records linked to her visit.
Sharing her experience online, Dutta wrote, “Got a late-night text from a number I didn’t recognise, turns out visiting a certain spot on FC Road came with more than just a good time. Your data shouldn’t follow you home. Stay aware!!”
The screenshots and claims shared by the woman quickly went viral across social media platforms, with many users expressing concern over the ease with which customer information could allegedly be accessed by staff members.
Restaurant reportedly terminates employee after complaint
Following the incident, Dutta said she immediately contacted the restaurant management and demanded action against the accused employee.
According to her, the restaurant informed her that Shaikh Shafi had been terminated from all branches after the complaint surfaced. However, she alleged that the management refused to provide a formal termination letter or written proof despite repeated requests.
The woman also stated that she had sought an apology from the establishment but had not received one at the time she uploaded the video on May 12.
The restaurant later responded publicly in the comment section of her viral post, apologising for the incident and acknowledging her complaint.
“Hi Rishika, thank you for speaking up and bringing this to our attention. We’re truly sorry for what happened at FC Road SOCIAL. This should never have happened, and we completely understand why it felt uncomfortable,” the restaurant wrote in its response.
The establishment further claimed that “immediate action” had been taken and that the concerned employee was terminated on April 29, a day after the alleged incident.
The outlet also said it was reviewing and strengthening internal processes related to customer privacy and safety to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Viral incident sparks debate on QR-code privacy and customer safety
The controversy has triggered a larger debate online around the growing use of QR-code menus and digital ordering systems in restaurants, especially concerns regarding how customer data is stored and who has access to it.
Several social media users praised Dutta for publicly speaking about the incident, with many women sharing similar experiences of receiving unsolicited calls or messages after visiting restaurants, salons or commercial establishments.
One user commented, “Digital privacy has become a joke. Reputed outlets are supposed to have better customer protection guidelines.”
Another wrote, “Straight up litigate the restaurant and file a police complaint against that guy who stalked you.”
Some users even questioned the increasing dependence on QR-based systems and digital menus, arguing that customers often unknowingly expose their personal details while scanning codes or making digital payments.
Others urged women to remain cautious while sharing phone numbers in public places and demanded stricter safeguards for customer data protection.
At present, there is no official confirmation regarding whether a police complaint has been filed in the matter. The claims made in the viral video remain based on the woman’s account and screenshots shared online and cannot be verified by Organiser.
