A restaurant bill is often accompanied by fennel seeds (saunf) – meant to aid digestion or freshen the mouth. A Reddit user, however, was left puzzled after being handed the food bill along with a small cup of coffee beans. The unusual gesture has now sparked curiosity on social media.
“What does that even mean?”
In a post that quickly went viral, the user said they had never encountered such a practice before and were confused about its purpose. “Was given coffee beans with the bill. What does that even mean?” the post read, adding that the beans were served in a cup when the bill arrived.
Uncertain whether they were meant to be taken, the user did exactly that — and went on to consume the beans while heading back home.
Internet reacts with humor and explanations
The post triggered a wave of amused and informative responses, with many users explaining that the gesture is rooted in hospitality and sensory tradition, particularly in cafés and fine-dining restaurants. According to commenters, roasted coffee beans are sometimes offered as a palate cleanser, a natural mouth freshener, or simply to leave diners with the lingering aroma of coffee after a meal.
One user joked, “You keep collecting them until you have enough to open your own coffee shop.”
Another explained, “Dear OP, it’s a kind of palate cleanser. You don’t chew the beans — you just suck on them for a few minutes and then spit them out. It helps with bad after-food breath as well.”
From symbolism to wordplay
Some users offered symbolic interpretations, with one writing, “It’s a symbol of fortune representing health, wealth and happiness.”
Others leaned into humor, with a fourth user quipping, “They didn’t want you to spill the beans on the bill.”
Meanwhile, last month, a Reddit user in Bengaluru had cautioned others about an alleged deliberate scam, claiming that a shopkeeper charged more than double the actual amount. “Always look through the bill after a purchase,” the user had warned.
In the viral post, the Redditor had questioned how many shoppers still make it a habit to check their bills after making a purchase.
The user then shared that he had visited a chain medicine store to buy a tube of antiseptic cream and a strip of tablets for headaches.
“The person asked for my number since I am registered there and asked me to pay through UPI, saying that giving change would be an issue,” the Redditor wrote, adding that the shopkeeper had stated the total bill amount as ₹223.
“I was a bit concerned as my mental calculation suggested the amount should be within ₹100,” the user noted.
Upon cross-checking the prices himself, the Redditor found that the actual total was indeed below ₹100. “I took the tablet strip and the ointment and checked their MRPs, and I was right — it was just ₹94 and some decimals,” he said.
The Redditor added that he then asked for a printed bill. Sensing that he had been caught, the shopkeeper allegedly corrected the amount.
“When I asked for the printed bill, the person asked if anything was wrong. He then took the medicines, apologized, and corrected the bill to the right price,” the Redditor said.
