Posted on 09/04/2020 10:46:28 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The customer claimed they had to wait 12 minutes to be seated and wanted a free meal, or else they would take to TripAdvisor
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A Welsh restaurant managed to keep its cool and issue the ultimate response after being threatened with a bad TripAdvisor review over a '12-minute' wait.
The Gatehouse Steakhouse in Dolgellau shared the brutal exchange of messages sent by one customer who had dined at the independent business during the Eat Out To Help Out scheme.
In a series of WhatsApp messages shared publicly on the eatery's Facebook page, the customer first got in touch to complain after allegedly waiting 12 minutes to be seated and having to wait in a line outside - adding they were "not ******* happy."
Despite describing their steak as "cooked perfect", they went on in subsequent messages to demand a free meal or a refund by threatening to leave a bad review.
What's your experience been of Eat Out to Help Out? Tell us here.
The customer, who has not been named, said: "I don't appreciate your attitude, I'm in paying your staff's wages and you're getting cocky with me. Are you not gonna [sic] give me a free meal or some money back for the wait? Let's be straight you either give us a free meal or the money back or i'm gonna report you to TripAdvisor it's your choice."
Despite the abuse, the restaurant managed to keep a calm head in its responses and first explained that the government discount scheme had seen the business serve "record numbers" - and that it had been "challenging at times".
After initially apologising for the wait, the business eventually responded to the TripAdvisor threat.
The restaurant said: "As much as I am customer focused, I draw the line when threatened with TripAdvisor. Please do your worst. I have zero respect for that site. Achieving a TripAdvisor certificate is not a benchmark for us. I could write a 5* review for my restaurants on a daily basis...but it has about as much interest to me as the vegan society does.
"If that's how you wish to vent, feel free."
From there, the customer appears to lose their temper at the situation, replying: "Fine, **** you I'll just write my **** review and **** up your business. And I'll tell all my friends that you're s**t and you're a ****head who doesn't care about customers you've really p****d me off. You kept me and my wife waiting for five minutes. That doesn't happen in weather spoons [sic] and you're double the price you ******* *****. Cheeky ****."
Thankfully, the situation fails to escalate from there. After telling the customer they are busy enjoying some family time, the restaurant WhatsApp user ends the conversation by wishing the keyboard warrior a good time at Wetherspoon.
They added: "Wow. That escalated quickly.
"I'd love to sit here and argue all day...I'm impartial to a bit of aggressive banter, but leaving the house at 7am most days and arriving back at 11-12 at night, I miss my children...so I'm sitting with them at the moment having a nice time.
"As I mentioned in previous messages...sometimes things happen that can't be helped. We don't aim to keep people waiting but these things happen.
"Enjoy Wetherspoon anyway. I'm sure the delights on offer will blow you away."
Luckily, the abusive encounter seems to be a rare situation for the restaurant, which focuses on fresh, locally-grown produce.
Along with the screenshots of the conversation, they added that the Eat Out to Help Out scheme had been "fantastic" for the industry.
They said: "It's helped us claw back so much lost revenue and there has been a real buzz about Dolgellau. I hope all of the other businesses have enjoyed it as much as we have.
"Thanks to everybody...tourists and our amazing locals who have been amazing, patient and enjoyed what we offer."
Grifter looking or a free meal. Glad their plot failed.
“internet reviews need o be taken with a boulder sized grain of salt.”
I find that I get a more relaistic, even-handed sense of an establishment or product, if I look past all the 5 star reviews and the one star reviews, and focus on the ones in the middle.
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