Kerala man finds ‘hair’ in Udupi dish, wins Rs 8,000 payout from hotel

A hotel in Karnataka has been ordered to pay Rs 8,000 to a customer who allegedly discovered hair in his breakfast. The Kerala man, President Krishnan K and member Beena K G of the Kasaragod District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, ruled that the hotel must pay Rs 5,000 in compensation and cover the Rs 3,000 in litigation costs within 30 days.

The incident occurred on September 28, 2025, when the complainant visited the hotel with a friend while traveling from Manjeshwar to Madikeri. Upon noticing the hair in the Sajjige Avalakki, traditional breakfast from the Tulunadu region of Karnataka, the customer stopped eating and informed the staff. Despite the waiter acknowledging the issue and returning the plate, the hotel staff insisted the customer pay for the contaminated dish.

When the complainant refused, he was humiliated by an employee in front of other patrons. The customer then sent a legal notice to the hotel, which admitted its mistake and apologized but failed to appear in court. The commission, after reviewing evidence, concluded that the customer was entitled to relief and directed the hotel to pay Rs 5,000 and litigation costs of Rs 3,000.