A woman from Pune has sparked a wider conversation online around QR-code menus, customer privacy and misuse of personal data after claiming she received unexpected late-night messages from a restaurant employee shortly after visiting the outlet.
The incident, shared through Instagram, quickly went viral and left many social media users questioning how easily personal information linked to digital ordering systems can potentially be accessed or misused.
Pune woman says restaurant visit led to late-night texts
Rishika Dutta shared a video on Instagram explaining that the incident allegedly took place after she visited a restaurant on Pune’s FC Road on April 28.
According to Dutta, she began receiving messages from an unknown number later that same night.
As she tried figuring out who had contacted her, she allegedly discovered that the sender worked at the restaurant she had visited earlier in the day. Dutta claimed the employee may have accessed her contact information after she scanned the restaurant’s QR-code-based menu system during her visit.
She also shared screenshots of the alleged chat, where the man reportedly asked to be “friends” and questioned her about her age.
Disturbed by the interaction, Dutta said she immediately reached out to the restaurant and demanded action.
According to her, the restaurant later informed her that the employee had been terminated across all branches. However, she claimed the management refused to provide a termination letter when she asked for proof. She also said she had requested an apology but had not received one at the time she uploaded the video on May 12.
In the caption of her Instagram post, 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!!”
Restaurant says employee was terminated after complaint
Responding publicly in the comments section, the restaurant apologised for the incident and acknowledged the 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 commented.
The outlet further stated that “immediate action” had been taken and claimed the employee had been terminated on April 29, a day after the alleged incident.
“Guest safety and privacy are extremely important to us, and we are strengthening our internal processes to make sure something like this never happens again,” the restaurant added.
Viral video sparks debate around QR-code privacy
The video quickly spread across social media and triggered strong reactions around customer safety and digital privacy.
Several users praised Dutta for sharing her experience publicly, saying many women face similar situations but often choose not to speak about them openly.
“Proud of you. So many women go through this kind of harassment, but very few have the courage to speak up and help protect others. Thank you for sharing your story,” one user wrote.
Others focused more on the broader privacy issue linked to digital systems and QR-code menus.
“Digital privacy has become a joke. If you protect yourself and raise your voice, it’s not heard and then comes the retaliation if you bring such issues to the fore. Reputed outlets are supposed to have better customer protection guidelines,” another comment read.
Some users also advised legal action.
“Straight up litigate the restaurant & file a police complaint against that guy who stalked you,” one person commented.
Another user wrote, “I have stopped eating at restaurants that don’t have a paper menu. This obsession with digitisation needs to be resisted.”
One comment that gained attention online read, “Yes, this is becoming very common, and I really suggest it to all the girls out there. Some people feel it is okay to take calls and pay bills. But this QR can get a lot of information. Even giving a number out loud in common places is very risky. Especially at these parties where we get our contacts in the guest list, you will find a lot of creepy people waiting for such opportunities. So better be safe and try to share your number of your guy’s, friend or your partner’s number.”
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