Cafe’s reply to my review - is it any wonder places are struggling?

"Going on a Mary Whitehouse crusade" is a bit of a reach from a minor constructive point raised in an overall positive online review. Seems like you are prone to hyperbole like the cafe owner. If anything would stop me going in a place it would be a chippy comment from the proprietor, not the existence of the actual sign.

It’s always interesting how defensive the replies are on threads like this. OP you are correct and the owner’s response isn’t appropriate. Fine to say they hadn’t had that feedback before, not fine to then imply you don’t have a sense of humour.

Sober also just means solemn...that's how I'd read it.

How petty of you to even mention it in your review.

There's a lot of triggered alcoholics in this thread.

The sign sounds a bit tacky, but just one of those naff "haha, we're all jolly types" things that you see on a million mugs and greetings cards.
It's like the higher ups where I work who (in an effort to make themselves more relatable) make frequent throwaway comments about how we "all" like a glass of wine to relax after work. Well, no actually a lot of us don't because of alcoholism in our families, or ourselves, or because of our religion. But they don't mean anything by it, it's a little thoughtless and tedious, but it's not malicious.

Get a grip.

Aye you do sound a barrel of laughs to be fair

Yeh that's what I took it to mean too

I quite like business owners who give as good as they get in response to ridiculous comments. Would make me want to visit this place, in fact being a Devonian I’m keen to know where it was so I can offer my year round custom if local.

Most cafes get their business from passing footfall (ie nearest dry place when it rains, nearest place when you’re hungry or thirsty) and regular locals

‘Sober is hardly ever used except in the context of alcohol. If it's an attempt at a pun it's a bloody rubbish one and the OP has the right to express her views on the matter.’

i actually described someone I know as being very sober and dour as they are very very serious so people do use it in the other context.

I actually think it’s really clever. We will have to agree to disagree. I’m not miserable so can have a wry chuckle at some things without going on a Mary Whitehouse crusade

As some one who doesn’t drink, some drunk people are, indeed, very funny.

The sign is clearly meant to be about extending hospitality, British hospitality is often equated with offering a drink.

i’m really not sure why MN has an issue with people drinking (well actually I have an idea). British villages and small town’s communities have often revolved round the pub/ meeting for a drink.

Theres been some utterly ridiculous posts on this thread.,

I'm kind of in agreement with another poster above....if it's a restaurant 'sober' is a strange term to use, and I'd take it its meant as 'feeling sober' as opposed to alcohol.

It's not particularly witty certainly, but nothing to get triggered about in my opinion.

A cafe can sell alcohol too. Quite strange that you can't imagine that.

Does the cafe serve alcohol? If not I’m not sure I get the “joke”.

I always read responses to reviews rather than the review itself and a sarcastic response will always put me off going to a place regardless of what the review was saying!

What a storm in a teacup! 🙄

Yet your opinion was important enough to campaign against a bloody sign!

The irony!

Loads down here do

Why though. The comment the OP made isn’t worth considering. Businesses in tourist hotspots get this shit all the time..exists for 51 weeks of the year perfectly fine someone turns up from up country, has opinions about how the business should be run to meet their personal requirements, leaves some remark on social media (often inc some statement that indicates the few hundred pounds they spent is propping up the entire county’s economy) then fucks off home. Typical tourist entitlement.

Do they serve them in the cafe? The only cafes near me offer tea and coffee 😂

There is this b&b we stayed few years ago and they answer every less than 5 star review. Someone might comment something quite innocent like "a bit slow service" ant the owner rapknds that they've reviewed cctv and give the time it took for the food to arrive. "food was a bit expensive, but nice" and they'll talk about COL. They don't serve traditional pub food so when someone points this out they will tell how many people love it and how their food is regarded highly. I find reading them hilarious and I won't go back there because of the owners responses.

I don't think it really matters if the sign is funny or not. I do think owners response was rude and unnecessary. Going after the sense of humour is a low blow and always ridiculous defence. I personally would find the sing fine, but the response from owner is a turn off. They should just leave it and let the customers draw their own conclusions. But it is their business and they have the right to response.

Chances are, most customers wouldn’t have noticed or paid heed to that signage. You might have been wiser to speak directly to the manager/owner and express your concerns that way rather than on a public domain.

It wasn't the only comment the OP made, she left a positive review and only mentioned the sign as a negative. The only requirements in giving a review are that you give an honest opinion.

Sober is hardly ever used except in the context of alcohol. If it's an attempt at a pun it's a bloody rubbish one and the OP has the right to express her views on the matter.

I agree the sign is tasteless. I probably wouldn't dwell on it though.

The sign is horrible, as if drunk people are funny and you can't have a good time unless you're drunk. However, I think anyone who put a sign up like that in the first place was never going to see any other point of view.