Bad Restaurant Review - WWYD?

[foodcritic]

NC for this on the off chance someone works out who we are and decides to do someone similar...

We have a small independent restaurant, been established over 10 years, lots of lovely regular customers, and always grateful for new customers. Many of these come due to our good reviews on various sites such as TripAdvisor, Google, etc. Also we do a fair bit (probably weekly) on local community Facebook pages which also attracts new people and reminds existing customers of what we are doing by way of Chef Specials etc.

Last week a Google review went on with 2 stars - and a comment along the lines of 'sad to see xxxxx on the menu'. (xxxx being a dish that some people find unacceptable, others specifically come to our restaurant to eat as it's difficult to find in supermarkets or other restaurants)

There is a name so I know exactly who has written this, and she's a local person who has never eaten at our restaurant. She has on occasion also used a crying emoji when she sees posts for certain dishes on Facebook that i have posted. (Suspect she's not a meat eater)

So - I have responded to the review with a similarly short comment, basically saying how disappointing someone has given a review based not on eating in the restaurant and experiencing our food/service, but based on a specific menu item.

Reviews are so important to small businesses, we can't afford massive advertising campaigns, and although this one hasn't really put a dent in our overall rating it's so frustrating. But I'm now wondering if I shouldn't have responded as I've made us look as petty as her. What would you have done?

Yes, I was going to comment on this too. Cows and pigs are obviously as intelligent as octopi/octopuses. It's virtue signalling hypocrisy.

We changed a big celebration meal booking to another restaurant because we saw the first one has a dish with octopus, and we feel strongly such intelligent amazing animals shouldn’t be killed for food.

But it's ok for less intelligent animals or animals you don't deem "amazing" to be killed for you to eat?

@Shade17

I’ve been to a producer and actually seen it being made, gavage and all. The French don’t seem to be as squeamish about these things as the British.

Wow. I can't imagine witnessing that cruelty and then gleefully enjoying eating it as you seem to.

Each to their own.

Well done, good move. If you get another one I'd respond with something about your high welfare standards etc

You do realise that veal crates have been banned in the uk since 1990, and in the eu since 2006 don't you? So unless the veal is extremely well aged then the 'dark glorified bin' bears absolutely no relation to the current production of veal.

@Shade17

this

how can you enjoy it knowing that?! 🤢🤮

There needs to be some myth-busting around veal and animal welfare standards. It's not longer a little calf alone in a dark stable ....

I think it would be OK to respond to her comment with something like
'We're happy to talk to any of our customers around our food sourcing and provenance. Animal welfare is a top priority for us'

I am assuming you get higher welfare protein/ dairy

I have a lot of experience with managing social media and I also think you should remove your comment as it is quite passive aggressive. In general if someone isn’t it in the wrong, you’re much better to either not respond, or to reply with something thoughtful, aimed at diffusing their feelings, rather than a knee-jerk retaliation in the heat of the moment.

And @Shade17 I don't think someone has to be especially 'squeamish' to be horrified by watching a live animal being force fed by a tube into their stomach tbh.

@Bananagirl23 I have and I agree with what you say.

It's going to come as a shock to some posters when they find out the average age at slaughter of lambs, pigs and chickens.

Seeing a bad review for you choosing to serve veal at your restaurant would not put me off dining with you.

Seeing your petty response would, sorry. As others have said it makes you look worse than the review does.

Delete the reply, keep serving your veal, move on.

Veal is typically a byproduct of the diary industry.

I take it she doesn't not eat cheese or milk then?

Urgh does not! I wish there was an edit feature!

I think your response is fine actually. I would leave it up. I often like it when restaurant owners defend a bad review. Often you get a very side of the story.

Not that though. Why say you appreciate her time making the comment...when you don't? Why say you will bear her opinions in mind,when you won't?

Nobody believes you do or will,you look like an idiot.OP's response was amateurish but at least it was honest and not appeasing bullshit. I'd prefer the former to the latter in a business I'm thinking of giving money to.

If it's foie gras or veal,people can see it's on the menu and choose/not choose to go to that restaurant. They don't need to be "alerted" to it.

👍👍👍

It's amazing how many people here have such issues with food when they have no understanding of how its produced. Crying about practices that are decades out of date and eating things far worse.

Hands off our veal. People like it and there is nothing wrong with it at all.

It’s not a bad restaurant review per se it’s more a comment about you having the mystery item (foie gras) on your menu which a lot of people would agree with. I would delete your reply and just leave it be

If you read a bit further you will see it has been confirmed as veal, not foie gras.

It's not foie gras. It's not a mystery item . Its veal. Helps to rtft...

I would also remove the comment and I would be annoyed if someone reviewed the restaurant without visiting but. It’s not completely negative, some people will look and think oh yeah I fancy veal. Or if they are vegetarian or have strong views about that particular item they might not come to your restaurant - but maybe it’s just not for them.

I think a short factual response like yours is fine. It’s unfair to give a bad review to a restaurant if you haven’t even eaten there.

When I read bad reviews if the owner responds factually not emotionally it can change my opinion. If the owner disputes every point and says things like ‘it can’t be true because service here is always fantastic’ for example it puts me off.

Do you usually reply to messages, good or bad? I like the manager to leave a "thanks for your review" type post as it acknowledges it has been read. If you don't usually reply then I wouldn't as it'll stick out like a sore thumb. Say nothing and she'll know you're not bothered by it.
I knew it would be veal.