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

[KatieWa]

I reviewed a lovely cafe I visited last week whilst on holiday in Devon. I was really complimentary about the breakfast and said we found the service to be friendly and efficient. My review ended by suggesting the sign above the door isn’t overly appropriate - it stated ‘nobody leaves sober’. As someone who has a family member who has had numerous alcohol issues over the years I found this poor taste, and diplomatically worded this in the review.

The owner (publicly) replied to my review and said that’s the first feedback they’ve ever had about the sign and suggested everyone else has had a sense of humour when they’ve seen it.

I don’t think it’s a situation to make light of - is it any wonder the sector is on its knees struggling currently with this sort of attitude from a business owner?

This is mumsnet, where a second half-lager is a giveaway you are a raging dipsomaniac

I’m honestly baffled by your reaction to this. Just read it and ignore.

I have a picture in my kitchen saying ‘save water, drink wine’. I don’t even drink much at all and don’t really like wine but it just made me smile. I’m worried you’d cause a fuss if you saw that in a bar/cafe!

ignore things you don’t like- stop policing other people!

You want the sign makers to take.on responsibility for adults with capacity
choosing to drink alcohol?

Oh yes, and it's got to be someone else'S FAULT!!

I also think people at the other side of a review have a right to reply. Then the person reading the review has an account from both sides. I don’t think it’s right that someone can slate a place online in a one sided way, and not expect a response. If they disagree with a comment, they have every right to respond as they see fit. Believe it or not there are a lot of people who post negative stuff which don’t actually tell the full story, or are vindictive comments, because maybe the waiter didn’t smile enough, or they didn’t like the way their child wasn’t allowed to create havoc round the place. I’ve seen some really unnecessary comments on reviews.

It’s a weird sign to have in a cafe but I wouldn’t have put it a review

You were a bit picky. If the cafe was generally good, why spoil your review by nitpicking about the sign? I doubt the sign will move an alcoholic out of abstinence and back into drinking

Yeh I agree that overly defensive replies are offputting to folk on TripAdvisor.

I'm a bit of a review geek and put something on about places I eat and visit, very honest and always try to be positive about service or decor etc, usually it's taken in the way it's given. However one hotel I reviewed in Cyprus I gave five stars and raved about everything...I finished off just saying that the only suggestion I would make was one of those pull out lines on the balcony as there was nowhere for beach towels and swimwear to dry, otherwise absolutely perfect!

Jeez I thought it was constructive as folk were drying stuff on chairs and tables but the owner basically ripped me a new one for the suggestion. I thought it made him sound terribly petty in light of the great things I'd said.

😆

No offence, but this is a you problem.

As somebody who is an alcoholic in recovery myself, you’re being ridiculous and precious.

It’s a slogan above a doorway 🤣 I doubt I would have noticed it at all, and if I had it wouldn’t have made me think ‘oh god, got to ruin my years of sobriety now that a sign’s told me I can’t leave here sober’.

Unclench OP. Relax.

I hate signs like this. I’m with you OP!

Yabu.

The offended generation is tiresome.

Blessed are the sign makers 🍷

No help whatsoever to save the industrial. They know it's failing, it was struggling before covid, now we have the cost of living crisis. It's cheaper to buy drinks and watch a film on netflix. We've become a society that is used to staying home.
My view is that supermarkets should be liable for the same duty as I am, that's why Aldi can sell 4 cans of lager for less than I charge for 1.
As for Reeve's and her penny off the pint, what a load of shite. In fact, we've had to raise our prices as barrel costs which had been capped after covid went up sharply- Guinness for instance went up 4.7% per barrel.
I don't blame Labour entirely, Conservatives were awful but I would have expected Labour to do something but they've done nothing. Raising NI and such has really not helped either (I'm not making enough to have staff here which says a lot).

It's a very scary time for hospitality.

There's one of those signs in my local. But yes, a cafe's a bit different. I wouldn't have mentioned it, but I don't think the cafe-owner's response was very smart either.

I think you looked a bit foolish for making an issue of the sign. I also think the cafe owner looked a bit foolish for replying as he did. He would have appeared more dignified if he had thanked you for your feedback and left it there instead of going on the attack. Over sensitivity is always a bad look for business owners. Look at Elon Musk🤣

Sorry but you’re being ridiculous. It’s a humorous sign. I hope you did t go in any of the gift shops down here because they’re full of alcohol related gifts.,I don’t drink, do I would leave the cafe sober.

Yours is just one of lots of comments which come from grockles each year when they think they can change things they find in Devon they don’t like. It’s a place where people live and work all year, it’s not there to meet your whims for your week or two you visit.,

Am I the only one wondering what cafe sells alcohol? 🤨

Quite a few

We really seem to have come to a point in time where everyone has to think about each word that comes out of their mouth, or what they write. Frankly it’s boring, and beyond sad that we cannot joke or demonstrate a sense of humour anymore for fear of being accused of a long list of offences.
OP you need to lighten up and realise the world does not revolve around your opinion or your family member’s alcoholism, that’s their problem to own no one else’s, and your skewed opinion of the comedic sign is yours to own. The majority of us probably have issues and problems of some kind, and the world and it’s people should not be expected to change to accommodate.

@KatieWa You are being ridiculous.

Did this cafe serve alcohol? If so, it is a tongue in cheek humourous sign.

Not everyone who drinks alcohol is addicted or drinks to excess. Stop clasping your pearls

I can see where the OP is coming from. It's an odd sign to have outside a cafe, rather than a pub, and I'd find it naff and dated rather than offensive.
The OP wrote a positive review with the comment about the sign as an extra observation, his or her main review was positive, but the person who replied chose to be offended and focus on the negative part of the review.
I can't stand people who use the "sense of humour" line to attempt to shut people up or to be defensive.

I’m not sure I’d have complained but I don’t find that kind of humour funny. I can see where you are coming from but it’s pretty petty I think to raise it.

I have voted YANBU though because their response is unnecessarily rude and passive aggressive.

They could have just said that mostly their customers don’t mind it but thanks for the feedback. Saying you don’t have a sense of humour is pretty crap.

Do they?
I can't think of any that do.