SINGAPORE, June 24 -- A grandmother's defence of her grandson eating at an Ikea showroom dining table in Singapore has sparked a surprisingly heated online debate across the republic.

The incident unfolded at Ikea Tampines after photos surfaced online showing a young boy tucking into a meal while seated at one of the retailer's showroom dining sets.

According to the Facebook user who shared the images on the Complaint Singapore page, the photos were taken at around 11.20am on June 21.

The poster claimed they told the elderly woman that eating in the showroom was not allowed, only to be met with a dismissive response.

"It's just a kid," the grandmother allegedly replied.

That four-word response may have done more damage than the snack...