A beachside restaurant in Tangalle has been called out for refusing to serve locals, with the cashier stating that they only serve foreigners.
The incident was brought to light via a video recorded by three Sri Lankans from the United Kingdom who had been refused service at the restaurant.
“This guy refuses to serve us because we are brown. We are locals, and he says we don’t serve locals. There is nobody else in this restaurant. I get so much pressure on me, especially during the floods. Oh, why are you not supporting the tourism industry? Sri Lanka really needs it right now. This is why. I’ve never faced racism like this in the UK,” one person from the group said.
The video has sparked concern about some Sri Lankan restaurants, especially in key tourism zones, prioritising foreigners over locals. (Newswire)
#NameNShame: We need a crowd-sourced & verified list of #lka restaurants, cafes, bars & other hospitality industry places that openly, blatantly have racist policies, i.e. refusing to serve locals and welcoming only foreign (white only?) tourists! #TourismLK@tourismlk… https://t.co/ixD0KHEwi8
— Nalaka Gunawardene (@NalakaG) February 9, 2026