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

I am missing the laughter emoticon more than I miss drinking copious amounts of cider in my 'yoof'.

Well I would be leaving sober. One, I'm teetotal and two, I'm a miserable bitch.

But it would make more sense to say 'Everyone leaves here happy' or 'Everyone leaves with a smile' etc.

If they really did mean that I honestly don't think it's clever at all. Cryptic, yes.

I've seen that same sign in pubs. It's clear what it means. The majority of people seeing that sign will assume they're talking about drinking alcohol.

It's a pun! Suggesting that nobody leaves here in bad spirits. Maybe that they also have a tipple and leave slightly tipsy.

You are being overly sensitive and have no right to criticise, regardless of your personal opinions on that sign. People get so offended nowadays.

Did they say anything about the many positives in your review?

I bet they've got a 'Live, Laugh, Love' sign somewhere in their house.

Huh? It makes perfect sense in the context. It’s a cafe. A place where people go to chat and enjoy themselves. Saying no one leaves here sober is actually quite a nice saying in the context of a cafe surely?. It means after coming to the cafe no one leaves here sad. It’s not a play on words exactly as it is an actual definition and it might not have been the intention of the sign writer but actually I think it’s quite clever of the cafe owner to put it up!

You're right. That's the professional response.

It doesn't matter if the sign is fine or not.

It doesn't matter if the OP has a point or not.

What matters is that a business should always reply to a customer review professionally.

'Thank you for your lovely review. We are really pleased you enjoyed your visit to our cafe, and that you found the food good and the service friendly. Thank you for your feedback regarding the door sign. We hadn't considered this perspective on the sign before and based on your review we will now think about making changes to the sign for the benefit of future customers. We do hope you will visit again in the future...'

So we've had 'pearls' and now we have straws. Really?

Absolutely. The novelty sign industry pulls so many strings, and effects so many aspects of people's lives, the OP is right to be concerned. For example, how many people have you seen living, laughing or loving, since those insidious signs gained popularity?? I see people living, literally every day, and am not naive enough to think it's a coincidence.

I had to actually look that up and you are right the second definition of sober specifically is ‘serious, sensible and solemn’

so in the context of the cafe that makes complete sense! I think OP you might have got the wrong end of the stick when interpreting the sign given the location. The majority of us jumped to the first meaning but the second meaning is absolutely correct.

agree

Same, I agree. Completely inappropriate for a café.

YABU yes it is no wonder businesses in this sector struggle because they can't do anything without offending someone. It's an odd sign for a cafe but it doesn't seem to have affected the food, service or atmosphere so bringing it into a review was an odd choice

Maybe the sign means folk leave drunk on happiness.
or no one leaves feeling solemn
Or no one leaves feeling serious after a good coffee?
sober has more than one meaning!

And the cafe owner also has every right to respond to the comment….

As a business owner who gets reviewed, I can’t imagine ever replying to an overall positive review like that. We the business owner generally have to just people please and people can come up with the strangest things to complain about. I’m not sure if I respect this owner or think they were foolish to just have their say back.

So… does the cafe actually sell alcohol OP?

Me too OP
Your review emphasised the positive customer service and food.
You had every right to comment on the signage and your pov is as worthy of everyone elses

I think that's a weird sign to have over a cafe. A pub, I can understand it but, a cafe? In what spirit (pardon the pun!)j is it intended? Not everyone drinks. I can see this sign would put some of those people off. Do they consider it a mark of their success if people leave legless?

I would think a cafe was more interested in people leaving and raving about their food. And as for people being accused of having no sense of humour, well, whether you drink or not, of find it offensive or not, it's just not funny.
;

It's a bit of an odd sign for cafe but I wouldnt think anymore of it. Ridiculous to be offended by it. I really can't stand the offended by every tiny thing attitude

But equally I don't think it particularly shows businesses in great light when they reply to reveiws with sarky comments. Everyone reading your review is going to think it's a bit silly and it's not going to affect anyones opinion of the cafe, so why the need to respond? It makes me question how they would deal with with actual issue

Most of the time when someone posts a negative review you can tell just be reading it that that person is just a bit of an idiot, or very entitled, the odd clever response from a business can can funny but most of the time it's a bit cringy and unnecessary

Oh dear........... 😑

🤣😂
Maybe not. Maybe it was in Amsterdam and everyone was off their tits on skunk instead.

Seriously though, do we really want a humourless world?
Because that's where we're heading if this sort of thing is perpetuated, given it is more or less impossible to say something that couldn't potentially offend someone.

I agree. I wouldn't enter a cafe with a sign like that.

We have an off licence down the road with some really inappropriate signs outside. Further up the road is a hostel for people with severe substance abuse problems. I really wish they would take the signs down from the off licence.