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?

I fully agree you OP. Cafes can be lovely. Pub lunch can be lovely. Drunken, lairy people or acoholism = not funny

No, I'm not surprised the sector is on it's knees with petty customers like you around.

Loads round us (Devon) have licences. - most often serve wine and beer in bottles. Many serve Prosecco with cream teas.

Stop clasping your pearls.

Won’t they just tumble to the ground if she doesn’t?

I don't think the sight of the sign would induce a receiving addict to relapse.
They replied to your critique by saying they won't be changing it, as others haven't ever complained. That's fair enough.
But I'd say it's weird for them to put that in a cafe as a permanent sign. Licensing wouldn't want that up in a pub?

I'm going to leave a review for McDonalds. Their adverts say "I'm lovin' it" but I only mildly enjoyed 😡

I agree with the owner. This is nothing to do with alcoholics.

Oops....of course some do...my brain was having a slow moment (😳).
(I am now visualising Parisian style cafes - but before my brain was thinking Starbucks style or greasy spoon)

Does the cafe serve alcohol?

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.

🤣😂
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.

Oh dear........... 😑

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

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.
;

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

So… does the cafe actually sell alcohol OP?

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.

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

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!

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

Same, I agree. Completely inappropriate for a café.

agree

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.

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.

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