Ontario restaurant coming under fire as 'scam' allegations go viral

One Ontario restaurant is coming under fire after a TikTok video that claims the user was "scammed" during a recent visit.

You may want to double-check your bill the next time you dine at Farzi Cafe, a contemporary Indian restaurant located at Mississauga's Square One Mall, because, according to a handful of TikTok users, you may be paying for more than you bargained for.

"I cannot believe that I'm the only one who got scammed by Farzi Cafe in Mississauga," a video by one Ontario resident, Harnoor, who goes by the username @ugcwithharnoor, begins.

@ugcwithharnoor Farzi Cafe Mississauga… this isn’t justbad service — this is straight-up shady. They brought thefood we never ordered. Tacked on a surprise $39 charge. Added an 18% tip without saying a word. And when we asked questions? They handed us a gift card like that makes it okay. Another couple stopped us outside — the same thing happened to them. That’s how places like this keep doing it. 👀 If they did this to you too — comment below. 📢 Share this post. Tag a friend who eats out in Mississauga. It’s time to call this out. 👇 Here’s what people need to know (and what Farzi clearly hopes you don’t): ✔️ In Ontario, they can’t charge you for stuff you didn’t agree to. ✔️ Tips must be clearly disclosed — not hidden. ✔️ You can ask for a breakdown before you pay. ✔️ You can file a complaint with Consumer Protection Ontario. Speak up. Warn others. Stop letting shady places get away with this. #farzicafe #mississaugaeats #consumerprotection #ontariorestaurantreview #scammedincanada #foodscamalert #restaurantwatchdog #knowyourrights #rantpost #bbbcanada #badserviceexposed #consumeralert #ontariodining #mississaugarestaurants #callitout #holdrestaurantsaccountable #restaurantfraud ♬ original sound - ugcwithharnoor

She goes on to explain that she and her two friends arrived at the restaurant around 9 p.m. and opted to forgo appetizers and order their mains.

"We clearly tell [the server] that we do not want to order any appetizers, so he goes 'okay, cool, I'll get you started with some panipuri,' and leaves," Harnoor explains, and the group assumed, based on the delivery of the offer, that it would be complimentary.

When the bill rang in at $240 for three mains and three Diet Cokes, though, Harnoor explains that alarm bells immediately started ringing. They went back in to ask to look at the bill and, according to Harnoor, they quickly found that they had, in fact, been charged $39 for the panipuri that was "pushed" on them.

Harnoor also claims that an 18 per cent gratuity was added to their bill unbeknownst to them, given that the restaurant only claims to charge automatic gratuity on parties of five or more, when Harnoor's party was only three.

As it turns out, she actually isn't the only one who believes she was scammed by the restaurant.

Earlier this May, an Ontario resident named Ricky also took to TikTok to share his own words of warning about the restaurant.

@i_tie_shoes_w_bunny_ears #greenscreensticker @Zahra🌸 this is the creator who had the same experience a YEAR AGO!!! #mississauga #missisaugarestaurants #mississaugaindianfood #squareonemall #squareonemississauga🇨🇦 ♬ Storytelling - Adriel

Among the charges Ricky raises in the video, he alleges being charged for still water (a standard practice at many restaurants), the server 'offering' a side of lamb chops on his meal that Ricky was ultimately charged for, and, much like in Harnoor's experience, the server being hesitant to hand over an itemized receipt at the end of the meal.

"Here's where the worst part happens," Ricky says: "it comes out to be $132."

In the video, Ricky also includes screenshots of a number of Google reviews that make similar claims.

In February of 2024, a TikTok user named of Zahra also found herself at the centre of Farzi-related controversy when she expressed a similar experience at the restaurant.

While, at the time of publication, Farzi Cafe has not responded to blogTO's request for comment, the restaurant did take to their Instagram account to make a public response to the allegations of bad business.

"We are aware of a recent video being circulated by certain individuals regarding their experience at our Mississauga location," the post reads.

They go on to explain that, while they respect everyone's right to share their own opinions, the Farzi team believes that the allegations made in Harnoor's, Zahra's and Ricky's videos were "deliberately laced with baseless allegations for the sake of attention," which could cause harm to the business and its employees.

While they don't address the creators by name, they add that their "legal team is now actively pursuing the matter to hold the individuals involved accountable for the damage caused to our goodwill [and] business."

"At Farzi Cafe Mississauga, we remain committed to offering the highest quality innovative fusion food, service [and] ambiance," they conclude. "We sincerely thank our loyal patrons who continue to support us during this time."