Simon Wong, the Singapore High Commissioner to India, recently shared an amusing yet disappointing experience with a cup of chai he had at a Gurgaon tea outlet. Wong described the chai as “tasteless” and referred to the experience as “impossible” in a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). He mentioned that the cup of chai, priced at Rs 169, failed to meet his expectations. Although he didn’t directly name the outlet, Wong shared a photo of the chai, which was from a Chaayos branch, triggering a response from Nitin Saluja, the founder of Chaayos.
In his reply, Saluja invited Wong to enjoy another cup of chai, saying, “In the name of deep India-SG friendship, I invite you for a cup of Chai at a Chaayos near you!” Saluja also assured Wong that Chaayos had a no-questions-asked chai replacement policy and expressed a commitment to perfecting their chai.
Wong clarified that his tweet wasn’t meant to criticize Chaayos, explaining that he had been looking for a good chai near his location in Sector 59, Gurgaon, and had simply been disappointed by his choice. He thanked Saluja for his gracious response and the many homemade chai invitations that flooded his timeline. Wong also expressed his admiration for the warm hospitality of the Indian people, acknowledging the beauty of India’s culture. Saluja, in turn, acknowledged that their chai may not have been up to par that day and looked forward to sharing a better experience with Wong.
