‘Burn in hospo hell’: Toxic reviews slam Sydney eateries amid COVID-19 crisis
Despite restaurants struggling to survive in unprecedented times, it seem hard-to-please Sydneysiders are still happy to kick them while they’re down in online reviews. Staff at one Surry Hills bar were told to “burn in hospo hell” by one disgruntled customer.
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Despite restaurants struggling to survive in unprecedented times, it seem hard-to-please Sydneysiders are still happy to kick them while they’re down in online reviews.
Last week Milky Lane owner Christian Avant implored customers to have empathy during this time as restaurants manage unprecedented conditions.
Despite this, diners are giving damaging one star reviews for shockingly petty reasons, with one reviewer even telling a venue to “burn in hospo hell”.
These reviews do not accurately reflect the venue and are nestled amid a sea of five star reviews.
On their first day back in service, a diner left this review for popular Asian fusion restaurant Chin Chin: “Food was way overpriced and came out 15 minutes apart. Was cold by the time we could eat together. Will not be back!!!”
Darlinghurst bar Love, Tilly Devine has been booked to capacity since restrictions eased, but a reviewer still felt compelled to leave a review saying: “Food was just okay, but the service was terrible. Sooo disappointing”
With limited numbers permitted in venues, diners are asked to understand that to make ends meet, time is of the essence.
Most diners have been understanding but not this diner who said her meal at Rara Ramen was “very tasty however we were hurried to order and hurried to leave.”
Another diner thought his experience at Mary’s Newtown was deserving of a one star review because “(I) was very disappointed with the service today.”
Meanwhile, a fussy diner thought the service at Bella Brutta was “very attentive … maybe a touch over at times.”
Surry Hills bar Low 302 copped possibly the most over-the-top review, and told: “Hope you burn in hospo hell”.
The bar classily responded with a laugh.
Not all venues respond to negative reviews, but many believe they have the right to.
During the COVID lockdown, Ze Pickle Surry Hills was met with a 450-word review from a woman complaining that she was not served when she went in store to redeem a Scoopon voucher and ranted at length about “the manager” who sat at a table on a Zoom call instead of serving her.
She rated the venue one star and said it was a “terrible experience”.
The venue responded that she had actually gone in when the venue was closed, as per the website’s hours and that the “manager” was a woman hiring the space, completely unrelated to the business.
Ze Pickle restaurant owner Nathan Zukerman said that customer feedback is important but many use online reviews for vexatious complaints.
“Sometimes you get people who have such petty things to say and you wonder if they were even there at the restaurant.” Mr Zukerman said.
“These days you rarely see a five star rating.”
Pazar Collective owner Atilla Yilmaz said he had no problem calling out false reviews and had even found customers being deceitful.
“Most issues can be resolved at the restaurant. There is no need to get on the internet and attack someone’s livelihood,” Mr Yilmaz told The Daily Telegraph.
“We’ve had people say they had a bad time but then we went through the restaurant footage and they are having a good time, laughing and eating all their food.
“If we messed up I will apologise and ask them how we can make it up.”
Originally published as ‘Burn in hospo hell’: Toxic reviews slam Sydney eateries amid COVID-19 crisis
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