Free Coffee for Tall Women Promotion Comes Up Short

A reportedly unsanctioned promotion from representatives of Gloria Jean’s Coffee  in Vietnam that offered free drinks to women who met a height requirement naturally ended badly.

Vietnam’s state media reports say the promotion was playing off a government campaign to try to increase the average height of Vietnamese citizens. The coffee company, which is based in Australia and boasts retail coffee shops in 39 countries throughout the world, was offering free second drink refills to females who stood at least 1.65 meters (or approximately 5 feet, 6 inches) tall.

In a brief statement, Gloria Jean’s International said the promotion was not approved by the company: “This promotion did not reflect the values of our brand, as we welcome everyone into our coffee houses around the world,” it said.

According to an Associated Press report, the company killed the promotion only after receiving criticism on its Facebook page for it being offensive to most Vietnamese women (the average female height for Vietnamese women is 5’1″.