Some people tend to leave nasty reviews online – but what happens when restaurants strike back? In this list, we’re shining a light on the restaurants that didn’t take bad reviews lying down.
From witty comebacks to scathing quips, these eateries showed us they shouldn’t be messed with. So, buckle up and get ready to enjoy some serious mic drops moments that prove the customer isn’t always right.
When a Bug Affects Your Taste Buds
Cleanliness, great food, and excellent service are the cornerstones of a great dining experience. Unfortunately, one reviewer complained that this restaurant’s food lacked flavor. Nevertheless, the owner’s witty response might explain why the customer couldn’t taste anything – the flu.
As Gordon Ramsey says, flavorless food is an unforgivable offense, but there may be a chance that a bug affected the customer’s taste buds.
Nothing but Bad Timing
Food delivery estimates are just that – estimates. Yet one reviewer, Chad, was quick to leave a bad review before even receiving his food. The restaurant owner pointed out Chad’s mistake, reminding him that his critique was premature and that he needed to apologize.
With customers like these, it’s no wonder that restaurant owners are firing back at unfair reviewers and standing up for their establishments.
The Drunk Customer Who Got Called Out
Lily here left a bad review after ordering food while drunk in the middle of the night. Little did she know that the delivery driver arrived 40 minutes after the order was made and found her intoxicated and throwing up in her driveway.
The owner had the perfect comeback that made her review irrelevant. This is just one example of how reviews can go wrong, but it’s also a reminder to be mindful of what you post online.
Fake Review From a Competitor
It’s a common tactic in business to trash-talk your competitors in hopes of gaining an edge, but this is a whole new level of pettiness. These restaurant owners had to set the record straight after a competitor badmouthed them.
Their rival left a fake review, accusing the restaurant of being unsanitary. The owners weren’t going to let that slide, so they revealed the truth. Looks like the competition just lost a few points in the ethics department!
The Art of Responsible Food Ordering
One of the most frustrating experiences for restaurant owners is when customers order food but never open the door. When the delivery guy arrived to bring this customer food, no one seemed home, so he returned to the restaurant.
Perfectly reasonable, right? Not according to the customer – he wrote an online review complaining he never received his order when he was the no-show. Good thing the restaurant owner put him in his place.
The Double-Edged Sword of Customer Service
Let’s face it; customer service is a complex field that can sometimes feel like a battlefield. It’s a constant tug of war between the customers who demand top-notch treatment from service providers they’re paying and the providers themselves, human beings with emotions and thoughts of their own.
Here, a tired and wet delivery man was out all night, so the customer didn’t precisely get service with a smile – a no-win situation for both.
Half a Calzone Mistaken for a Pizza
There’s one thing you can count on when working in the food industry – encountering all sorts of quirky and confused customers. Sometimes, they even take their confusion to the internet.
Take Jenny, for example. She ordered a calzone and then complained when she received only half of her ‘pizza’. The eatery’s owner had to step in and explain that a calzone is, in fact, a folded pizza. Hopefully, Jenny learned a thing or two about Italian cuisine!
Appreciate What You Have
If a person ever got a ten-inch pizza for the price of a seven-inch pizza, they’re not likely to complain – but Abbey is not that person. When she was lucky enough to get the wrong order, she left a bad review about the toppings and the driver.
The ungrateful customer met her match in the restaurant owner, who reminded her that given the low prices, she couldn’t expect five-star service.
A Simple but Confusing Recipe
In another classic story of culinary confusion, a mother ordered a classic Margherita pizza without knowing the recipe. To her surprise, there was only tomato sauce and cheese, prompting her to pen a complaint and post it.
The owner had to explain to her that a Margherita pizza is made with precisely those ingredients. We can take this as a humorous reminder of what you’re ordering.
Where’s the Health Inspector?
We’re honestly relieved that this is a fabrication, as we would have been forced to contact a health inspector. This reviewer claimed that there were maggots and other harmful organisms in this eatery’s food, but it turns out it was all a lie.
Apparently, this is what this customer does for fun — posting harsh and false reviews all over the internet. As the comments suggested, she should get a hobby and leave hardworking businesses alone.
Some Pizza and Mindreading, Please
Waiting for a restaurant to deliver your order can be frustrating. We empathize with this lady who waited hours for the food delivery service – only to meet a cold pizza outside her door.
But here’s the plot twist: the restaurant revealed that she didn’t get her hot and fresh pizza because she failed to update her contact information. The poor deliveryman had no way of reaching her! Unless they had telepathic skills, there’s hardly anything they could have done.
This Guy Wants a Hot Milkshake
We’re shaking our heads at this customer who complained about cold milkshakes. Was he born yesterday? It appears no one ever told him that cheesecakes and milkshakes are both supposed to be cold, so the restaurant had to step in and tell him.
The business in question left a witty reply explaining that Harry’s milkshakes are served cold and not hot. It would be better for this customer to research before posting something like this again.
When Karma Comes Around
If you’ve done something bad, chances are Karma will come back to bite you, and it certainly bit this woman. It seems like that’s exactly what happened to this customer who left a harsh review of a restaurant’s food, forgetting that she wasn’t the greatest guest either.
Whatever she had done to anger the staff had repercussions on the food she ate, and the restaurant let her know it in a witty comeback to a bad review. Next time this reviewer eats out, we bet she’ll endeavor to be on her best behavior.
The Art of Budgeting
Budgeting is always necessary for a friendly hangout. If money is an issue, a cost-effective establishment is the best option, or you and your friends might end up overspending or munching on a meal meant for one person.
In this case, four friends shared a single chicken tikka dish and later complained that the food wasn’t enough and didn’t satisfy them. Anyhow, the restaurant was able to defend itself with this insightful comment.
Every Customer Has Their Price
Maybe some people don’t realize that restaurants are businesses, and they can decide how much to charge for their products. It’s your choice to accept the prices or look for another place to eat.
This person seemed to be upset about more than just the prices. She also wanted the restaurant to serve something specific which wasn’t on the menu. Perhaps if she wanted complete control over prices and menu items, she should consider opening their restaurant.
Living, but at What Cost?
There’s the good, the bad, and the downright ugly in the service industry with multiple difficult customers, and then you come across one that takes the cake.
Enter the contender for the Worst Customer of the Year award. This person did it all – ordered food just before closing time, provided incorrect details, and even left a scathing review despite the driver’s best efforts. But hey, for every bad apple, plenty of sweet ones are out there.
Song or Sandwich?
Have you ever had a panini? It’s a grilled sandwich with delicious deli ingredients like cheese and meat. And here’s a fun fact – it’s also a Lil Nas song.
Anyway, back to the point – one day, a customer’s review said their panini was boring, leaving the restaurant owners confused. Sure, it’s a simple dish, but is it boring? It could be that the customer was expecting a musical sandwich, as their owner jokingly suggested!
It’s Not on the Menu
When you’re ordering online, you need to pay attention to what you’re ordering and where you’re ordering from – otherwise, you might end up in a similar situation.
A customer complained about their order being unsatisfactory, but it turns out they had ordered an item that wasn’t even on the menu! The restaurant owner was unsure if the customer was a prankster or just confused. It’s a mystery that they may never solve!
Fussy Eater
We understand that everyone has their preferences regarding food. However, if you constantly refuse to try new things and complain about every restaurant you visit, you might want to stay in for the night.
As parents, it’s important to expose children to different types of cuisine to avoid them becoming picky eaters as adults. So next time you’re dining out, be open-minded and try something new.
Lies Detected
It goes without saying that at least some of the people posting bad reviews for restaurants are somewhat exaggerating. And while the page owners are mostly polite, there are times when the customer needs a clap-back.
This person made up a whole fake story in their bad review and thought they were going to get away with it, but not this time!
No Coming Back From This
If you’re still skeptical about whether negative reviews can be blown out of proportion, get ready for the ultimate proof that some people will complain about anything. Take a look at this post where this person thoughtlessly wrote a vague negative review.
Yet, they forgot to look up the place closely. Unfortunately, the place had nothing to do with baking pizza pies, and the owner was not the one to let it slide.
Putting People in Their Place
It’s annoying when people take a two-day trip to a country and suddenly think they’re experts on the culture and cuisine there. We can’t stress enough that getting to know a culture takes a little more time than that.
When a reviewer tried to educate the restaurant’s owner on the culture of their food, they had the perfect response. Lesson learned: don’t mess with a restaurant owner who knows their stuff!
Great Expectations
We are not sure if this is a real post or a joke. Still, we all know someone who sets the bar too high, and nothing or no one can ever seem to meet their expectations.
From the review, it seems they didn’t have any point on to base their bad review; they just weren’t happy. Having said that, we are sure the owner’s reply must have been satisfying enough.
Maybe They Ought to Wake You Up Now
We all have those days when we’re just so exhausted that we can sleep through anything. Unfortunately, for this customer, it meant sleeping through their food delivery!
Instead of taking responsibility for their mistake, they left a scathing review blaming the restaurant for delivering cold, inedible food. Luckily, the owner was quick to set the record straight. It’s a reminder that sometimes, we need to step back and own up to our mistakes.
Missing Fries and Lies
Now, we’re not advocating dishonesty here, but it’s important to remember: a lie only works if you stick to it. This reviewer decided to put a restaurant on blast because the spicy burger wasn’t spicy enough, and the fries were greasy and soggy.
Well, the restaurant didn’t take long to reveal they had called earlier to complain their fries were missing. So, which is it – were the fries bad or just imaginary?
Quite an Amateur Mistake
This person crafted a convincing review but forgot the cardinal rule of fibbing: keeping your story straight. They decided to post a scathing review before the restaurant even opened, but luckily the owner caught the lie before it caused any major issues.
It’s alarming that some people would go to such lengths to sabotage a business. Always take reviews with a grain of salt and double-check the facts before you trust them.
Nominated for the BAFTA
No matter where you go, you will always find those who think they are entitled to free stuff. We also don’t know why they have this entitlement and the audacity to stir up a storm when they don’t get what they want!
A customer critiqued a restaurant, claiming their food was the worst. Luckily, the staff was quick to expose Shannon’s ploy for freebies and wrote how she tried to cancel her order after it was out for delivery.
Tantrums of a Spoiled Brat
Working in customer service can be draining, as you never know what kind of people you’ll meet. Sadly, most people seem to have forgotten basic decency.
This poor driver had a truly upsetting experience when she arrived at the customer’s address to deliver an order. The customer demanded her phone number, and despite her polite refusal, he posted an angry review on their website. Thankfully, the restaurant backed their driver and asked the customer never to order from them again.
Not as Selfless as We Think
Deeya, an NHS physician, asked for freebies at a restaurant, and they were happy to accommodate her. However, after receiving the extra treats, she requested a refund and left a negative review. The restaurant was naturally disappointed with the doctor’s attitude.
Being a doctor requires sacrifices and hard work, and we are always grateful for their humanitarian service. Unfortunately, even the noblest professions are not immune to a few bad apples.
