Ridiculous restaurant reviews mar COVID recovery
Ridiculous restaurant reviews are being put online just as struggling eateries are recovering from Covid restrictions and lockdowns.
Meat eaters slamming vegan restaurants for not serving meat, is just one nonsensical review, while another said strippers would have been preferred to the food at a Korean restaurant in Bridge Road Richmond.
Vegan restaurant Sister of Soul, in Richmond and St Kilda, received a one-star review and this absurd comment: “Discrimination and racism in 2022 is unacceptable. These people refuse to cater for omnivores. I go to omnivorous restaurants with the expectation that there are vegan options, so it is reasonable to expect reciprocation”.
The poster, known as ‘Operations Computer’ is a serial offender, having called a manager a “cow” at another venue and complaining that a French pinot noir was served in a shiraz glass at another venue.
“Everyone is entitled to their opinion,” Sister of Soul told the Herald Sun on Saturday “and people are entitled to behave as rationally and irrationally as they want to be.”
Instagram followers told the restaurant not to respond.
Repeat offenders are leaving a trail of bad reviews.
Albert Park eatery Brother Shota, noted, “Honestly, it’s exhausting to see these pathetic reviews. We just received one star review because we took off one of their favourite dishes.”
Bad behaviour including sniping about milk alternatives, wait times and service during the high season along the Mornington Peninsula led Only Hospitality Group to spell out a ‘no dickheads’ policy.
In January over 20 Only Hospitality Group cafes affixed posters that read: “To protect our staff we have a strict NO DICKHEADS POLICY. Any customers who are rude or aggressive will simply not be served and will be asked to leave this venue.”
Director of Only Hospitality Group, Julien Moussi said the bad behaviour that started on the peninsula had made its way to Melbourne venues over January at a time when peak season collided with staff shortages.
Mr Moussi said the bad behaviour was limited to a few customers.
“We now have an unofficial no dickheads policy,” he said.
Irit Jackson, 6th June 2022
