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?

You're right that snippy responses to reviews that are out there and viewable by potential customers are amateurish, leave a bad impression, and could damaging to a business.

The cafe owner should have ignored the comment about the sign and focused completely on your comments about the food and service, expressing the hope that they'd be seeing you again and thanking you for taking the time to write a review.

Having 2 or 3 drinks would make you not sober, and being tipsy or slightly drunk can be funny to many

I used to have a coffee shop and honestly it’s so hard to not react when you get pointless negative reviews . The sign is weird to be fair but in this climate where they’re all struggling, give them a break

Not leaving sober isn't alcoholism. That's quite a leap, when the word sober means no alcohol at all. Technically, even a teaspoon of wine would qualify one as "Not leaving sober."
Lighten up, I say. (as a teatotaller.)

A few do, I know a couple that are cafes by day and wine bars in the evenings.

Another is a wine club venue, again only in the evening.

If they don'tsell alcohol, it may have been left there by the previous occupants and the cafe owner kept it as she thought it was funny, as in you can't get drunk on nonalcoholic drinks.

Except, they may not want to change it, which is fine too.

The sign is daft but you are dafter.

Life should have a trigger warning.

Think harder.

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.

Ridiculous comment.

My local garden centre does, little bottles of wine.

I agree op

Agree. How weird of them to have that sign on their door. I’d expect it more of a bar or pub?

There was nothing wrong with your review, OP. Some will find it funny or amusing - others won’t. You decided to share your opinion and give your perspective. I feel the owner could’ve handled it better.

YABU Op

And sanctimonious as hell, with “no wonder cafes are failing”. What a ridiculous comment.

They’re failing because of people like you writing stupid reviews over issues that aren’t there.

Never have I read such nonsense in my life.

My brother was an alcoholic, a sign above a shop never triggered me, because I’m not ridiculous!

I

I think the owner handled it perfectly! Of all the things to whinge about, not the service, food etc … a sign that’s totally inoffensive!

Alcoholism aside many of us will find it pathetic to hang that on a sign outside a cafe of all places .

Even my student union cafe didn’t have a sign like that.

I think Op has every right to express how she feels about it especially as it was a balanced review.

I don’t think they did at all, as evidenced from this thread some people find it juvenile and tiresome at worst or strange at best.

Those people may well be in the minority but it’s a valid perspective. I don’t see how it’s “whingeing”.

OP did not slate or tear apart the cafe in general , they could’ve focused on the positive stuff and said a brief ok most people find it amusing but thanks for sharing your perspective on that or even ignored that part completely

ETA: it’s also a bit misleading of the owner to say everyone else has found it funny. If I went there I wouldn’t find the sign funny but I also wouldn’t have said anything beyond rolling my eyes or perhaps just walking on by . Just because no-one had said anything (yet) doesn’t mean everyone else finds it hilarious. So claiming everyone else finds it funny to try and discredit OP’s perspective is silly.

@WillimNot Thanks for your reply - that was very helpful.

I agree with the OP’s sentiment (alcoholism is an illness; a destructive and deadly one) but I think she went OTT. I would have commented on it in person but it’s odd and slightly hysterical on a review.

OP I hope you also mentioned the high fat content of the pies, cakes etc.

Lots of people die from obesity related illness after all, it’s serious.

When we were moving house we looked at a property that had the same sign in the lounge.
I must say it put us off.
It made us wonder if the owners would be sober long enough to sign the necessary legal papers to complete a sale !

well personally if had a good experience of a place I would not mention a small detail like a joke sign, however if I was the owner of a cafe who had received a good review with one slight issue I would not be arsed to leave a comment. However, as a mums net user you really should understand by now when someone asks for an opinion and feedback it is only acceptable if you have the "right" opinions!

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Does seem an odd sign for a cafe, we went to view a property once the neighbour opposite had one of these signs on their front porch, we didn’t even bother to view the property, as we could imagine why the owners were selling!