The Swedish restaurant at IKEA Cheras in Kuala Lumpur has reopened after a five-day closure ordered by health authorities, but the reopening has been overshadowed by customer complaints about food quality and service.
IKEA Malaysia announced that the restaurant resumed operations on 22 June after implementing improvements to kitchen operations, conducting refresher training for staff, introducing new cutlery, and receiving clearance from health inspectors. A 15 percent discount is being offered until 26 June.
The restaurant was temporarily closed on 17 June after the Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya Federal Territories Health Department recommended operational improvements. IKEA stated that no food contamination had been found and that customer safety had not been compromised.
However, the reopening prompted a wave of criticism on social media. Customers raised concerns about long queues, inconsistent service, cold food, and the quality of IKEA’s iconic Swedish meatballs, with several commenting that the recipe or preparation appeared to have changed.
Others questioned whether the underlying issues had been fully addressed, noting that IKEA has not publicly disclosed the specific reasons behind the closure.
The incident has drawn significant attention in Malaysia, where IKEA’s Swedish restaurants remain a popular attraction alongside the retailer’s furniture stores.
