We’ve all had a surprise or two when tucking into takeaway—maybe a rogue prawn, a missing spring roll, or a little too much chilli.
But for one Adelaide woman, her Chinese hotpot dinner came with a side order that no one could have predicted: a working mobile phone.
Yes, you read that right. Shraddha, a local Adelaide resident, was settling in for a cosy night with her hotpot from a well-known takeaway shop.
After enjoying about half her meal, she decided to save the rest for lunch the next day. But as we all know, leftovers can be hard to resist, and she found herself picking at the bottom of the container for just one more bite.
That’s when things took a turn for the bizarre.
‘I was picking at the bottom and the container was feeling a little bit weird,’ Shraddha recalled. ‘So I kept digging and at the bottom of the container was a working phone.’
Not only was the phone there, but it was still switched on. Shraddha, understandably gobsmacked, did what any of us would do: she called the restaurant.
‘I rang the place and I was like, “Hey, I found a phone in my hotpot,” and they were like, “Oh yeah, we did have a phone missing from one of our chefs,”’ she said.
The restaurant staff were apologetic, and Shraddha, ever the good sport, agreed to return the phone.
The chef explained that the phone, being black, had blended in with the container and was accidentally left behind when preparing her order.
As a gesture of goodwill, the restaurant refunded her $50 (on top of the $35 she’d paid for the hotpot) and promised her a free hotpot on her next visit.
Shraddha, for her part, chose not to name the business, saying, ‘They’re a very well-established business and I don’t want to bring them down over a single mistake.’
A lesson in kindness and perspective, perhaps—after all, we’re all human, and mistakes happen, even in the kitchen.
While Shraddha’s story ended with a laugh and a free meal, it could have been much worse. Imagine if she’d needed to reheat her meal in the microwave with the phone still inside!
Not only could this have ruined the phone and the microwave, but it could also have started a fire or released harmful vapours.
So, let this be a timely reminder: always check your takeaway before reheating, and never put electronics in the microwave.
Aussies online were quick to praise Shraddha for her understanding approach.
‘Dinner with a side of phone,’ one person joked. Another added, ‘It’s really sweet of you not to make a bigger deal, but glad that in the end everything worked out and you will get free hotpot.’
This isn’t the first time an Aussie has found something unexpected in their takeaway. From forgotten utensils to the occasional mystery ingredient, we’ve all got a story or two. But a working phone? That’s a new one for the record books.
It’s a reminder that even the best-run kitchens can have an off day. And while it’s important to hold businesses to high standards, a little understanding can go a long way—especially when the response is prompt and generous.
Have you ever found something unexpected in your takeaway? How did the business handle it? Would you have reacted the same way as Shraddha? We’d love to hear your stories and thoughts in the comments below!
Also read: Tap, pay, surprise—Woolworths’ secret checkout change exposed
