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?

Ment to say local farms my finger slipt and I accidentally tapped on post. I often see them going to suckle off they're mother.

Disagree. And reading 500 other comments first isn't something I'll be doing in a hurry. Whether you generally advise it or not.

Waitrose sell it.

You sell veal and octopus (and therefore support the horrendous cruelty involved). I have no sympathy. Count your blessings. You could have protestors outside the door of your restaurant.

as long as its not cats woudnt bother me

didnt know you could review anything you liked without actually going or buying it first

Do you object to supermarkets selling this stuff, or just restaurants?

I think it is fine to post a response. Why should you put up with this nonsense? Even more so if you regularly respond to positive reviews saying thank you etc.

I object to the whole system that supports this level of animal abuse

why is Veal an issue? Surely no worse than lamb??

If it’s a dish that involves extreme cruelty to animals like veal or fois gras then you’re pretty naive to expect there won’t be people with strong opinions. If you don’t want the criticism that comes with the dish don’t serve it.

Which part of veal production in the UK do you feel is 'extremely cruel'?

Do you object to lamb, then?

If not, why is veal worse?

What's cruel about veal production?

I'd rise above it and remove your comment if I was you. She didn't actually review the food or customer service, so I can't see it affecting your business much.

It's part of the hospitality industry. You can have 100 people, 99 of which enjoy the meal but only 1 or 2 of them will leave a good review, where's you can almost guarantee that 1 person who didn't enjoy it will leave a bad review.

@Bamboux
@PriOn1
@Cleoforever
It’s up to me as a person what terminology I use, you don’t have to agree with me.
So if the same thing happened to me as a human, would it just be called insemination?

@Bamboux I’m not trying to come across as caring, I’ve stated what animals in the meat industry have to endure. I’m not here to impress anyone.

“Although veal crates have been banned in the EU, many calves on the continent are still kept in barren houses with slatted floors and no straw bedding. Not giving calves straw to lie on means they have nowhere comfortable to sleep and rest. Having no fibre in their diet can stop their digestive system from developing normally - good quality fibre such as clean barley straw is essential. Calves can be given a low iron milky diet with insufficient fibre making them anaemic”

I read most of the thread and didn’t see it say specifically that uk veal was being used but if it is then there is still cruelty involved if the calves are raised to be anaemic as they often are. If Not uk then a lot more cruelty involved. I don’t personally eat any factory farmed meat as all factory farmed meat involves cruelty, veal included.

Although veal crates have been banned in the EU, many calves on the continent are still kept in barren houses with slatted floors and no straw bedding. Not giving calves straw to lie on means they have nowhere comfortable to sleep and rest. Having no fibre in their diet can stop their digestive system from developing normally - good quality fibre such as clean barley straw is essential. Calves can be given a low iron milky diet with insufficient fibre making them anaemic

@Cleoforever If you think I’m cruel for highlighting the abuse of a female species, then so be it. It works both ways.

It’s up to me as a person what terminology I use, you don’t have to agree with me.

Of course it is, but if you actually had any interest in animal welfare, rather than revelling in being unpleasant to people, you would use sensible instead of extremist language. It is your choice, of course. Nobody suggested otherwise.

“So if the same thing happened to me as a human, would it just be called insemination?

It would depend whether you were being inseminated or not. But there is an obvious difference between you and a farmed animal in that you have free choice over many things and the animal is an animal which is being kept in captivity and doesn’t have much choice over many parts of its life. If you actually think insemination is particularly cruel and a pressing welfare issue in agriculture, it merely demonstrates how ignorant you are about animal welfare.

How have I been unpleasant to people?

Someone did suggest not to use the term ‘rape’. Is it easier if I dress it up to make it sound better for those who pay for the misery? I guess it would make people feel better using the word ‘insemination’ and help shield people from the fact the animals are being abused, would violated be a better word?

I am not ignorant and have done plenty of research to know enough about what happens behind closed doors.

All this talk about meat has made me hungry for steak and chips YUMMY 🤤

I hate veal...and ironically octopus as well. It's not about ethics but about taste preferences. I'd try your restaurant and know that this review was written by a sad and pathetic individual.

Sad and pathetic for speaking up against abhorrent treatment of animals?

I once reviewed a hotel without having stayed, receptionist was rude and it was taken down, I assume the hotel reported that I hadn’t actually stayed there. Can you as a restaurant do the same? Especially as you know who the person was and that they definitely have not eaten there.

I think your response was perfectly worded and I’d have done the same 👍