A netizen, Melissa Seah was having a dinner at Manhattan Fish Market at Changi's Terminal 1 before her mother's flight. The outlet had a promotion going on for a free fish and chips, the promo read “A Date with Mom, All she needs is a meal with family”.
However, when Seah enquired about the promotion, the staff told her that they were not entitled to the promotion as the "family is not complete" due to "the father is missing".
She then questioned how they Manhattan Fish Market decides what a complete family is as they could have lost their father due to an illness, or any other circumstances. She also questioned about families with 2 daddies/mommies.
Responses from other netizens were in support of Seah and her family. Kudos to her for speaking up about this issue!
You can read her full post here:
UPDATE: ok MFM have reached out to me. All i really want to know is how / why did the promotion mechanics (the terms and conditions) behind this campaign got approved / signed off by the management. Sorry but I am dramatic like that lol. https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/f7d/2/16/1f937_1f3fb_200d_2640.png?_nc_eui2=AeHckfQu5YljAkZNd_drGWnTTXnKHGBfOQ8GqJ6JPChkpdoVMPNbmuwvIbxdoznSirVknSVbXjkK6IlrFuq9g2v_UMycN3-2qtljOU0ZhsfCNw");">??♀️
Again, I have nothing against the crew on ground for their response in such a manner because instructions probably came from the management.
And also to those who say I deserve it because I’m such a cheapskate for wanting the free fish and chips, pls la thats not the point pls use your brains. Got promotion I sure ask. Whether at MFM or not. Because #ilovepromotions lol
***
So this happened today... just sharing a very disappointing experience at The Manhattan FISH MARKET Singapore Changi T1 outlet.
We went to MFM for a meal (as usual we were late lol and MFM did not have a queue and the least crowd) before my mom’s flight for a meal together. There was a promotion with the caption “A Date with Mom, All she needs is a meal with family” and we enquired about it, because why not since there’s a free fish and chips for Mom lol.
But what was really disappointing was their reply, “You’re not entitled to this because your family is not complete.”
“The father is missing.”
Ok.... cue moments of awkward silence because obviously nobody knew how to respond. (pls note i have nothing against the on ground team who gave this response because instructions probably come from management)
I mean, really?! In MFM eyes, just because father isn’t there so our family isn’t complete. How is Mom any less deserving just because Dad wasn’t there? Can’t Mom be Dad as well? How about families who have lost their Mom or Dad to illness, or any other circumstances, make their family any less complete, unworthy, undeserving? How about families with 2 mommies or 2 daddies? Or children who are brought up by grandparents because they lost their parents?
Thank you MFM for reminding me that my family isn’t complete. Not by choice.
Thank you MFM for reminding Sean and Adrian that their family too, isn’t complete. Again, not by choice.
Thank you MFM for reminding Mom that she is at fault for not maintaining her marriage so that the family can be complete. Marriage breaks down and sometimes its better to go seperate ways to make a family complete again.
What a disappointing experience, and one of the top #marketingfails I’ve come across. While the rest of the society is taking steps to make Singapore a more inclusive place, it is disappointing that a brand like MFM still has the mindset that a Complete Family Unit is one that is made up of Father, Mother and Child.
Kudos to MFM for taking a step forward for banning / cutting down the use of straws from their outlets, but https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/f18/2/16/1f44e_1f3fc.png?_nc_eui2=AeEQiFHV35vRJytPsIV_vgLKiM0KO_9OkRJTxqQe6fAuVzp7AypFFqArsSSvq0Z3YW3_pWPGDps2LEo46KYDRUaY_6K65LH7pTZYUIW-8QNLrg");">?? for taking a step backwards from being inclusive.
Our last meal at MFM. Never going back to MFM again. Meh.