Seniors rest at a IKEA store in Beijing. (Photo/Chinanews.com)
(ECNS) -- IKEA's two Beijing stores said they will not follow suit after IKEA Shanghai's Xuhui store launched an "order food first, then take a seat" measure to better manage its canteen starting from Oct. 5.
Previous Chinese media reports said many single seniors came to the canteen on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the hopes of finding a potential partner.
According to a notice released by the Xuhui store, the measure was taken after customers complained that some elderly people were occupying tables for excessive periods, talking too loudly, bringing in their own food, and even quarreling or fighting.
The company had taken various measures to try and improve the situation, but to no avail. "The situation had already adversely affected the dining experience and security of most of its customers, and also had negative implications for the canteen's operation," IKEA stated.
An employee with IKEA Beijing's Siyuanqiao store said that despite facilitating occasional matchmaking among individual senior citizens, they had never come in large groups or caused any problems like those seen in Shanghai.
A marketing employee at IKEA Beijing also confirmed the two stores in Beijing had not experienced any problems in their canteens, so there was no need to impose restrictions.
