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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

WIBU? Confronted after restaurant review.

103 replies

CantsitWontsit · 27/11/2018 12:20

My DH and I ordered a takeaway for delivery Saturday night via JustEat.

We ordered at 7:30pm, the app said restaurant had accepted order and food would be there by 8:20pm.

We use this restaurant a lot when we want convenience. The food is okay, good value, and we occasionally eat in there as my parents love it.

My DH has never rated the place but uses it because it is convenient. Anyway, when the food wasn't with us by 9pm, he checked the app, and it stated it was delivered. He called the restaurant who said it would be leaving in a minute, but no apology or explanation. The restaurant is a 5 minute walk from our house. The food turned up 30 minutes later, and was cold. My DH left a 1.5 star review on JustEat saying he had had a longer than expected wait and it was cold.

Anyway, the next day, I was in hospital having emergency surgery (nothing terrible but very necessary - another thread) and my DH went to get a coffee whilst I was in theatre. The restaurant owner was in the area where you get coffee and things, and walked over to my husband and said: "You left a bad review!" My DH replies to say this was not the time or the place. The restaurant owner raised his voice and said again "You left a bad review and that wasn't fair!" My DH raised his voice back and said again it wasn't the time or the place and walked away.

I felt the review was a bit tough as they know us and because of my parents we are likely to have to go back there, in the near future. But I am surprised the the owner would confront DH this way, in a hospital to boot.

So WIBU?

OP posts:
TisTheSeasonToBeAWally · 27/11/2018 12:57

Because of what other people were writing. Not because I didn’t think the OP was clear. (Sorry OP.)

BirthdayCakes · 27/11/2018 12:57

But couldn't he just have said 'the food was nearly two hours late and it was cold' rather than repeating 'this is not the time'? It just sounds evasive..

RayRayBidet · 27/11/2018 12:58

The restaurant guy was out of order. No doubt about it.

On a side note, when the food was late and cold did you complain or just leave the review? The delivery person could have cocked up and the owner won't know if no one tells him.
I tend to give them the opportunity to sort it out and then if I'm not satisfied I will give an honest review.
Not that this in any way justifies the man behaving very badly.

Graphista · 27/11/2018 12:58

Absolutely shocking behaviour to do that in a hospital cafe! For all he knew your husband could have been there for something really serious or been recently bereaved!

Whatever reason the restaurant owner was there he chose to steam into OP'S dh that is completely unacceptable behaviour.

I'd definitely be adding that to the review.

We had a place that was great for ages then got new owners and it all went to pot. The reviews! Then their response was to refer the good reviews - from before they took over! Where I live is how shall I say? Well Aibu is positively timid in comparison! Businesses round here if they've any sense know to keep right with customers and provide good service and if anything goes wrong to get ahead of the situation. Any that don't tbh they don't last long.

People don't have a lot of spare money at the moment (generally not just here but here especially) so if they're spending with a business they expect to get a reasonable service. It costs a business nothing to display good manners & polite behaviour but can cost them dearly if they don't.

londonrach · 27/11/2018 12:59

Id rewrite the review with the factual incounter with the owner and mention it to the police as thats scary. Also find new takeaway

sparklepops123 · 27/11/2018 12:59

You were honest in your review- that’s the whole point. I think it’s disgusting the way the owner spoke to your husband and I certainly wouldn’t go back

Original poster
CantsitWontsit · 27/11/2018 13:01

Birthday Probably, but hindsight is golden. He was worried about me. We didn't start the weekend with any inclination that I would be having surgery. I think he was frightened something would go wrong or it was worse than they thought.

OP posts:
ReanimatedSGB · 27/11/2018 13:01

The restaurant owner was absolutely in the wrong to have a go at your H in a public place. Yes, he may have been in an agitated, anxious state if either he or someone he loves was in a bad way in the hospital at the time, but it's still not acceptable for him to try to pick a fight over an honest review.
Just don't go back there. Tell your parents about it, though be clear that it's up to them to make up their own minds about the place: they may need a heads up in case the owner decides to have a pop at them, as well. (Or, if his initial outburst was because of him being upset over the reason he was at the hospital, he may have the sense to treat your parents as he would treat any other customer).

WinterfellWench · 27/11/2018 13:01

LOL this reminds me of when Monica in FRIENDS gave a bad review to a restaurant (Allesandro's???) and he went to her apartment!!!

The guy is a pillock ad it was WELL out of order to confront your DH.

How did he even recognise your DH? Bit weird that he happened to be there! Of all the gin joints and so on........

UpstartCrow · 27/11/2018 13:02

On every thread about unreasonable behaviour there is always one person who thinks that if you just calmly explain the situation then logic will win the day. It doesn't work on the internet so why would you expect it to work in real life?

dustarr73 · 27/11/2018 13:02

On a side note, when the food was late and cold did you complain or just leave the review?

The op rang when didnt appear and was told it was leaving soon.

Aeroflotgirl · 27/11/2018 13:12

If you were 5 mins down the road, why did you not go there when the order was late, instead of waiting all that time.

GaryBaldbiscuit · 27/11/2018 13:16

Not stiff upper lip British behaviour.
quite good if you think about it, adds a good story.
dont worry about it.

these trip reviews are a bit sneaky arent they. say it to their face

GaryBaldbiscuit · 27/11/2018 13:17

your dh should have brazened it out.

fanfan18 · 27/11/2018 13:19

I think some places get mad because a lot of people ONLY review when it is a bad experience and don't review for all the other good times. I'd perhaps ask your DH if he has reviewed before or if this was the first time.

Mookatron · 27/11/2018 13:21

None of that alters the fact that confronting someone in a hospital cafe is inappropriate and intrusive. Whatever they put in a review.

ToEarlyForDecorations · 27/11/2018 13:25

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

CrispbuttyNo1 · 27/11/2018 13:25

“rewrite the review with the factual incounter with the owner and mention it to the police as thats scary”. Confused

Wtf? The police? Do you not think they have more important things to do than investigate bad food reviews?

Ohhdear · 27/11/2018 13:28

Do you leave good reviews when you like the food?

Original poster
CantsitWontsit · 27/11/2018 13:28

Of course the thread is real! What a strange thing to make up! Confused

OP posts:
sossages · 27/11/2018 13:28

Birthday Quite possibly while his wife was having emergency surgery he didn't want to get into a discussion about a restaurant review.

OP I agree with some PPs that your husband should edit the review to include the owner's behaviour in the hospital. And then DON'T GO BACK!

Original poster
CantsitWontsit · 27/11/2018 13:31

Normally we leave reviews for new places we gave tried - good, bad or mediocre. I don't know if DH left previous reviews recently for this place, we have used them lots of times over the years. Probably not in the last few years, which is worth thinking about.

OP posts:
Weathermonger · 27/11/2018 13:40

I hope you make a speedy recovery... and I'd avoid that restaurant in the future !

Underpressureidiot · 27/11/2018 13:46

Totally out of order and unprofessional - it would be bad anywhere but doing it at a hospital is ridiculous!!!

Puzzledandpissedoff · 27/11/2018 13:47

We can't go back can we?

Not unless you want spit in your food, no Hmm

FWIW I don''t think you were BU at all - the review was factual, they seem to have plenty more saying the same thing and you certainly don't confront someone in that manner in a hospital

It's a shame if you DP like the place, but as you said you don't lack for alternatives and no doubt they'll come to love another place just as much

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