How Not to Respond to a Negative Review

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Taking a page from Amy's Baking Company, a Cleveland restaurant owner attacked a reviewer. The guest posted a detailed, negative review on Yelp. Ninja Review

Ninja Kitchen and Bar Chef Bac Nguyen didn't appreciate the comments. He found the guest's phone number and texted him. In a series of insulting messages, Bac Nguyen threatened him, disparaged his friend, insulted him, and called him names. Read the texts (NSFW).

Business owners are under tremendous pressure to deal with negative reviews. When a review is deemed reasonable, like this one, we expect the chef of a restaurant to issue a gracious response-perhaps a lot to ask of someone so invested in the food.

Discussion Starters:

  • Compare this chef's response to that of Voltaire's owner. What differences and similarities do you see in the initial reviews and the responses?
  • Draft a Yelp response for Chef Bac Nguyen. Consider something that would be intentionally public.
  • What other advice would you give Chef Bac Nguyen about customer service and business communication?