One of the strangest experiences I’ve had was when I had a rather poor experience at a new restaurant and was rebuffed by the server when I complained. I posted a thorough review on either egullet or CH, and was contacted almost immediately by the manager, who asked me to email him and subtly chastised me for posting a review rather than speak directly to him. That was a bit awkward.
1 Like
whot?
first the server gave you a ration of shit, then the manager gives you another,
questions about that? awkward? I’d stuff it up his you-know-what in half a keystroke.
see prior posts from an insider who feels all eateries are entitled to have a bad day and it’s just your own damn bad judgement for showing up on that day.
perhaps instead of posting calorie count on dishes the government should require all public service establishments to have a lit blinking sign outside, controlled by patrons as they exit: “Today Sucks / Today is Okay.”
4 Likes
Sometimes it’s the patron who’s having a bad day.
5 Likes
I typically don’t criticize restaurants on my blog because I don’t want to shit on business owners. The fact of the matter is that lots of people love food that I think is horrible. I chose to spend my energy promoting business owners and restaurants that I appreciate. God knows the vast majority of restaurants are horrible, so it continues to be a challenge.
It’s easy to be critical and shit on something. It’s more difficult to see what people are doing right.
1 Like
Wow! Where do you live??? I’d have to really ponder how often/seldom I’ve had “horrible” food.
Yeah, don’t concern yourself with it. I’m sure all the restaurants near you are just wonderful. You lucky, fantastic devil you.
Oh please. There’s a huge distance/difference between “horrible” and “wonderful.” I’m sorry yours are “horrible.” I have ‘meh,’ ‘good,’ ‘really good,’ ‘great,’ etc. “Horrible” for me would mean I’d pay my bill, not eat the food, get up and walk out.
1 Like
The only thing worse than scatalogical humor is scatalogiocal invective.
Then again, perhaps it’s the secondary meaning, and it’s all about diet for taxonomic purposes…
Oh, kaleo, I love you so much. LOL. Of course, I reported the "fuck"out of him. Teehee.
when restaurants know that their execution will be publicly and honestly reported, warts and all, they will be motivated to listen to feedback and make improvements as necessary, which is good for customers and good for the restaurant (in terms of both return business and new business.) When negative feedback is either not given or not given publicly, there is less incentive for restaurants to work on improving their performance, which hurts both them and their customers in the long run.
1 Like
I think you don’t understand where I live. I think you are saying “oh please” in a passive-aggressive manner. I think you don’t tolerate the opinions of others. I think a lot of things.
What thinks you on this subject.
Good points, b. After starting this I’ve been processing a lot of opinions.
You seem like a very open minded person, kaleokahu. I see your posts on chowhound and you’re passionate and knowledgeable. How do you respond to my input on this thread?
Hopefully not with a dismissive “oh please.” XOXO
I love you b. You hit it on the head.
When one snarks, one gets snark back. That’s how message boards tend to work, yep.
It’s a shame that most restaurants around you are ‘horrible’. Around here, and most places in the world, horrible restaurants don’t stay in business very long. But having come from a small town with mostly lousy places and chain restaurants, where a night at Olive Garden is seen as a Very Big Deal, I have some idea of what living somewhere with mostly terrible restaurants is like. And of course, with chains, all the negative feedback in the world won’t impact them; they operate in a sort of force field.
Got a similar story. I posted an unscathing, but negative, review of a place on TripAdvisor. Was contacted by the owner who offered a freebie meal. I declined saying I was unlikely to be in the area again and, in any event, I am not one of those TA contributors who post negative review trying to get compensation. At which point, he replied saying he did not believe that “I was all that I seemed”. Nope, no idea what that meant, except I guess he thought I was maliciously posting. Next minute my review had been removed by TA. I remonstrated with TA, pointing out my fairly extensive posting record and the only minor criticism of the restaurant. TA reposted my review. I found the whole thing most odd.
Some weeks later, another contributor posted to the TA forum for that area saying that she had posted a negative review and had received abusive PMs from the owner and was, therefore, advising people to stay away.
I believe the situation to be that the owner, who had another business in a completely different industry, had bought the restaurant for his son to manage. And, simply, the son was not up to the job and, also, was allowing the chef to run rings round him.
I hate when people buy restaurants like they’re “hobbies.” Or just because they’ve always wanted to own a restaurant. Buying one for your son to give him a job falls along this line.
1 Like
He kind of had a point. If you had asked to speak to him while in the restaurant, he’d have had a chance to show you he’d make it right. A lot of restaurant and other business owners make this complaint, and I do think it’s a fair one. If you had done so, and he’d blown you off, too, you’d have been on completely solid ground.
1 Like
I did. I asked our waiter why we were missing parts of our dishes, why things hadn’t come out, and why some dishes were simply incorrect. They said “it’s the kitchen’s fault.” I asked if I could talk to a manager and they said “they aren’t here. Your dishes were right, they were correct,” and I was given the bill.
I’ve never had that offered as compensation.
4 Likes
