“The Waiters Are Even Laughing”: Man’s Public Proposal at Spur Goes Wrong, SA Divided
- A woman’s dramatic reaction to her boyfriend’s marriage proposal at Spur went viral after she laughed, shook her head, and walked away from the kneeling man
- The shocking video, shared on TikTok, garnered massive views and sparked an intense debate over public proposals and the right to refuse
- Social media users were divided, many defending the woman's right to say no, while others criticised her for humiliating the man in front of restaurant guests
- Briefly News spoke with Thina Sebenzile, a local waitress, about the emotional stress public proposals cause staff and the customers watching
Source: TikTok
A birthday celebration at a Spur restaurant took a sudden, chaotic turn after a woman publicly rejected her boyfriend’s marriage proposal, turning a private moment into a viral spectacle.
The clip, shared on TikTok by @madhafella, gained massive views, likes, and comments from viewers who felt sorry for the man, and some who defended the woman’s reaction.
The video captures the birthday atmosphere: waiters were singing the classic Spur birthday song, and the woman was singing along, enjoying the celebration. The scene shifts dramatically when she looks to her right and realises her boyfriend, sitting next to her, has dropped to one knee with a ring. The woman’s initial reaction was immediate, loud laughter.
The man proposes at Spur
She leaned in, making it look as though she was about to accept the ring, but quickly pulled back. Shaking her head and still laughing, TikTok user @madhafella walked up and down, even tenderly touching his head in disbelief. The rejection culminated when she abruptly walked away from the table and out of the entire scene, leaving the man who was kneeling, moving back to the seat with his hand on his head and the children at the birthday party watching the scene unfold.
Source: TikTok
A waiter’s view on restaurant proposals
The Briefly News team spoke with Thina Sebenzile to discuss the viral proposal at a Spur restaurant, where the woman's unexpected reaction left everyone confused, and to clarify the pressure felt by staff during public romantic events.
The team noted how the woman in the video started laughing and shaking her head, and asked what Thina thinks was the biggest fear of the waiters at that specific moment. She said:
“The waiters’ biggest fear is that she will say no and ruin the day for everyone. I personally have never seen a full rejection, but I worry about how to handle the massive embarrassment for the man and the table.”
We asked if restaurant staff usually get advance notice from people planning a proposal, or if it is just a complete surprise for everyone. The waitress responded:
“Most of the time, the man will tell the manager first so we can prepare. But sometimes, people just drop to one knee, and it surprises us as much as it surprises the woman! The best proposals are always the ones that are planned with the staff.”
When asked what the one thing she would advise someone to do if they plan to propose in a restaurant to make it easier for the staff. Thina said:
“Please speak to the manager first. Tell them exactly when you will do it. This helps us clear the path, make sure the food is not served at the wrong moment, and it also ensures the moment is special for you and not chaotic for us.”
SA debates the woman’s proposal reaction
The clip went viral, garnering 1.2M views, 76K likes, and over 2K comments from social media users who were sharply divided. Many viewers found the woman’s extreme reaction surprising, with some speculating whether she had returned to the scene to address the situation. The debate centred on courtesy and consent. Some users defended the woman’s right to say no, arguing that no happy woman would react that way to a suitable proposal. A significant portion of the audience, however, criticised her method, stating that she had humiliated the man by walking out of a public setting. Others argued that she could have accepted the proposal out of courtesy and later returned the ring privately, instead of causing a scene in front of the children and staff.
User @mine said:
"This guy looked nervous even before he was rejected, so I think he knew the rejection would happen."
User @Itss_Phile joked:
"Yeah, girls are winning shame this year 🤣🏆."
User @Sphiwe Skosana shared:
"After that rejection, I would scream and say it's a prank, baby girl 😂."
User @leshishi0 commented:
"The waiters are even laughing 😂💯. But she could have just said, Yes then at home they talk about it. Yoh! Aowa 😂."
User @picassobabyyy said:
"Everyone is making the woman a bad person when no woman who’s happy would say no."
User @Vuyani commented:
"Don't worry, my brother, God save you. God sees where you can't see means that God has a perspective humans lack, seeing things like our hidden thoughts, future paths, and spiritual realities. Remember, not all women are marriage material. Never try that again. Respect your peace."
Watch the TikTok video below:
3 Briefly News articles about marriage proposals
- A man furiously rejected his girlfriend's proposal at a mall in front of a crowd of shoppers who filmed as he refused to accept the ring.
- A man surprised his ex-wife with a beach marriage proposal in front of their children and family, 13 years after their divorce.
- A local man was filmed proposing on stage during his girlfriend's graduation, with the crowd cheering in excitement over the double celebration.
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Source: Briefly News
