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."
They can keep their produce. I’m here for the meat.
A perfect example of why internet reviews need o be taken with a boulder sized grain of salt.
Forget the no fly list. This customer needs to be put on a no dine list.
You have to look at a reviewers history.
While I can’t speak for this small, mom-and-pop place, I can speak for the many times I’ve eaten at Wetherspoon’s in our ‘Mother Country’. Excellent food and drink, great prices, web-based ordering. This ‘customer’ of his may be a dick, but he does have a good alternative, and even the mom-and-pop owner seems to know it. I just feel sorry for Wetherspoon’s, if they have to deal with this loser, although they probably can blacklist him, if needed (due to their web ordering system).
I have friends who work/have worked in restaurant industry. They say customers are 95/5 good/terrible. The second group are only there for a free meal. They will eat 90% of a steak, then demand to send it back. Whatever they want, they will make a fuss so the owner has to placate them to avoid upsetting the other diners.
With regard to this specific case, I have never gone to this type of restaurant where they failed to tell me up front that my wait will be X minutes. If X is too long a wait for me, I simply leave. I’m sure these people were told they had a 15 min wait. So if they sat down, they acceptted it and have nothing to complain about.
Owned a restaurant once and never again. Had a whole family of 6 one time order huge meals, they all ate every bit then claimed the food sucked and wanted comped for the meal. Told them no they would pay for it because they ate it. The father gets pissed and threw his plate on the floor, beaking it, then threw his drink on the floor splashing others. I calmly told him the meal price just doubled with the added cost of the dishes, and he got more pissed. Started swearing and yelling. Told my server to go call the cops. Dude calmed down. I got his credit card and charged him double the meal price. The next day he tried to charge back the bill saying we defrauded him. Ended up I kept the money and sent him a no trespass letter, banning him from the restaurant...turns out his was banned from dozens of places. Once an asshole always and asshole who is teaching his kids to be just like him.
“No Soup For You...!!!”
What really went wrong: the so-called government discount scheme.
And, IIRC, its been extended into September.
I passed through that town in 1966. On the road map it was spelled Dolgellau, but the sign at the town's entrance read Dolgelley.
I’ve waited longer than that at Red Lobster.
Mapmakers put proprietary minor errors in their maps to assert copyright.
Thing about almost all people is this: If they were jerks growing up they just become bigger jerks when the get older. They never do grow up.
I have seen this same scam you describe pulled several times. It takes brass. What you did is spot on correct but never bluff.
It is easy to let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch but a lot of people are just no damn good. After being o for 3 on renters in a house I bought with a larger deal I tore the house down. Never again. Some say it was the class I rented to but I’ve seen the same or worse in high end rentals. I’d imagine the same goes for restaurants.
About the only food item I ever complain about is when my fries arrive at the table and aren’t hot.
I once ordered a rack of ribs at Applebee’s once and they were dry. Poo ted this out to the waiter and quickly got a rack that was fabulous. The manager came to apologize, and I told him it was unnecessary.
At the end of the meal, the waiter offered to box up the first rack that was too dry. I to him I couldn’t do that because that would be stealing.
Uh — which is what is happening all over this country right now in the form of BLACK LIVES MATTER. Why isn’t this being prosecuted — federally!!?!?!
Throughout this Covid-19 experience I have tried to support restaurants, whither it be 15 minute plus waits in drive in lines or driving 60 miles roundtrip to support the only quality restaurant in the area for a takeout meal. I tip well, knowing that those working are being exposed to virus and having less than 50% of their normal customer base for income potential. My comment to those who are demanding is if you don’t have patience and the right attitude, don’t go. Everyone will be happier in the long run.
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