Don't people realize the damage when they criticize a restaurant?
 

I just read a post on a Villages Restaurant Review Facebook page. This person complained that a server wasn't wearing a mask and said the manager was "rude."
This person didn't mention it's an open-air restaurant (essentially outside seating). A number of people stated they would no longer go there.

Here's my issue - most restaurants are barely making a living. If you have an issue, talk to the manager or don't go back. If they're not wearing a mask ask them to put it on. If they won't - leave. Do you need to write a negative post and put it on social media? Do you understand you are potentially impacting the viability of that business? Do you want to put people (waitstaff) out of work? They have families to support. Please know that your negative post could impact the livelihood of the waitstaff at that business.
Many times people don't tell the whole story. Yet people read and make decisions because of their post.

I'm not sure I understand your issue. I sounds like the complainer did talk to the manager who was rude. That may be why he/she made a negative post. If you are saying that people should refrain from making negative posts to keep bad restaurants in business, I don't agree. Restaurant reviews, both negative and positive, are often very interesting and helpful. And, at least on this forum, people who make negative reviews are often contradicted by other posters, which actually helps to promote a good restaurant.

I don’t believe that at times a restaurant should receive a bad review because an employee didn’t meet a customers expectation. A employee could have had a hard day or been stiffed a number of times in a day by some creepy customers who were to cheap and inconsiderate to leave a decent tip. If you can’t leave money for a server to eat and help them, then eat at home! I have never waited tables but I have told some servers (that cheap b......., wouldn’t want me doing your job because I would have had a slight accident and dumped the picture of water all over him) Some customers are so arrogant and rude and they should have a bad write up. Now then, there are some terrible workers in all occupations everywhere, and sometimes a restaurant or any other kind of business has one, but it may not have the reflection of ownership. They may be the most wonderful people and not deserving of a bad rap. Just recent a large party was at a restaurant and stayed 3 hours and left an enormous tip of $7. About $50 should have been the least. The group took up many tables in a side room and the girl worked hard to supply their every whim. I like to be generous to the good workers but at times laziness is on display with bad service and they won’t get the same generosity. Please folks, treat people right! If we were in their shoes we might think a little differently. Everyone should in a lifetime work retail or worked a job to see how it is. Lol forgive me for this rant but some folks will know what I mean

Two or three years ago wife and I went in the old Son Rise Cafe for lunch.
We were seated behind a table of eight ladies who had finished a mornings golf. They were arguing if a dollar a head was to much for a tip, as some thought 50 cents each was nearer the mark as there were eight of them after all.
Sometimes you cannot beieve what you hear!

I find the people who complain the most never dealt with public in a customer environment , I can personally say after 45 years in the grocery business as a manager that the public can be the most rude people alive if they’ve never worked in those conditions, I have had associates threatened, I’ve been cursed more times than I can count and posting negative comments is the typical keyboard courage so imho take the time to personally speak to a manager or the owner and do it like a standup person instead of laying your wrath on an entire staff because they all aren’t the same

I believe Yelp provides a good service........both good & bad reviews.


If you understand how to use, very helpful.

I love it when some people complain about the food then screw the waitress or waiter out of the tip like it was their fault. Just an excuse to be cheap. When my granddaughter was in college, she worked as a waitress in NY when she was home. She made $19,000 working during her breaks and summer. She was lucky. She worked in a very popular restaurant on LI. Thank god for the tippers.

My wife and I have eaten out a lot in our life, especially when we were working. My experience with dining out is there are far more jerk customers than servers. One episode that sticks out in my memory is we were at a buffet type restaurant one evening. A family of pigs, maybe too much of an insult to actual pigs, had slid two tables together to seat all of them. They had covered the table with dirty dishes and glasses stacked 3 and 4 plates high. Food was slopped all over the table and floor. One woman had given her small child a bowl filled with candy and the kid was throwing the candy on the floor instead of eating it. It took 3 servers 10 minutes to clean up the mess these slobs created. They left a $2.00 tip on the table.

We always tip 20% even if the waitress is not good.

If we don't like the restaurant we don't holler and bellow and carry on publicly. We just don't go back.

We notice that big complainers are not those who would make it in competitive employment. They probably have tenure somewhere or work for the government.

If the restaurant is not good, it will close. That is how it works. You don't need to have a green fit or a bad spell. It is wise to point out when there are foreign objects in your food or that your shoes stick to the floor, but do it quietly to the manager and don't act like you are expecting a free meal or a comp.

They seem to have gone to the manager about their issue and they claim he/she was rude.

I think that when someone rights a review others will answer and usually will have a very well balanced discussion.

I do not understand why tipping became a part of this thread?

I definitely do NOT tip if the service is bad. I do tip if the service is good even if the food is not. That is a very rare occurrence. A tip should be compensation for a job well done - or at least adequately done.

As a former government worker - 26 active military and 16 as a civilian working for the military and husband of a teacher with tenure, I cannot appreciate your comment above. There were far more good employees than bad in my slice of the government and far more good teachers with tenure than bad.

Like a few others I appreciate feedback on a restaurant both good and bad. I don't let just one critique sway me but a pattern will.

If a restaurant has bad food or bad service or both, perhaps they deserve to go out of business.

If I had a bad experience with a business, I'd tell my friends warning them not to do business there. Social media has made it possible to tell hundreds or maybe thousands of people. In the long run, it should make not only restaurants, but all businesses more concerned about getting a bad name and working harder to be better.

On the other hand, we should also be telling people of good experiences and good deals when we have them. Unfortunately, human nature has us complain about bad experiences than we praise good ones. I think that when things go well, we feel that's just the way it should be and don't mention it to others.

So maybe we should report the good as much as the bad, but we don't.

For me the best review is “how busy is the parking lot” around the restaurant at meal times? An empty parking area is a sign to “make another choice”.

As for restaurant reviews - a string of negative with a few positive would cause me to think twice; a string of positive and a few negative would not be a deterrent. A limited number of reviews (say less than 10) would indicate an adventure.

When it comes to a review about price I generally ignore it. What is expensive for me might be ok with someone else. Most times you get what you pay for, but there are exceptions which are usually born out by a string of positive or negative food reviews.

In my opinion the restaurant manager who responds to reviews adds a lot of credibility. This would increase my probability of giving the restaurant a try.

I am thankful to get reviews of restaurant before I waste my time and money going to one that needs improvement and manager will not listen to suggestions.