The restaurant accepts toilet paper as payment.

Since the novel coronavirus outbreak in China and its subsequent spread to other countries around the world, several items, including toilet paper, have seen a dramatic surge in sales. In some places, they are considered "luxury goods" as they are sold at double or triple the usual price.

And even a cafe in Queensland, Australia, posted a notice accepting toilet paper as payment instead of cash. On the Subtle Asian Traits forum, an account named Erica Phan shared an image and a post related to the restaurant. "Dear customers, we are now accepting toilet paper as payment. Thank you," part of the notice stated.

This story sounds like a joke, but it's actually true in the current situation. This sign appeared amidst a toilet paper shortage in Australia, as demand surged due to concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic. Recently, toilet paper shelves in supermarkets in Australia have been completely empty. Besides Australia, numerous other countries, including Japan and the US, are experiencing similar shortages.

In Hong Kong, one company even gave away toilet paper to customers. Some public restrooms in Japan have had to implement locking mechanisms to prevent toilet paper theft.

On social media, the hashtag #toiletpapercrisis is becoming one of the most trending keywords, alongside the Covid-19 pandemic.

My Tong