Popular Gold Coast cafe given a “shocking” review online after not giving a blogger free food

One of the city’s most popular cafes has taken a stand against “stingy” influencers after a self-proclaimed social media star slammed their cafe, when denied free food.

ONE of the city’s most popular cafes has taken a stand against “stingy” influencers after a self-proclaimed social media star slammed their cafe, when denied free products.

Goji Granola Bar & Cafe owner Monica Tjong is furious after a food blogger wrote a horror online review after being rejected by the cafe in a “collaboration”.

Mrs Tjong says the influencer, who has about 8500 followers, approached the business with her partner at the weekend asking for free food.

“We didn’t know who she was,” Mrs Tjong said.

Goji Granola Bar & Cafe owner Monica Tjong was left a horrible review online after not giving a blogger free food in exchange for a photo. Photo: Scott Powick

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“She told the girl at the till ‘I’m a blogger’ and showed her phone. She said ‘this is my Instagram page if you want to tell the owner to work with me. I’ve already asked and told no but maybe because I’m here you can give me something for free’.

Mrs Tjong said denied a request for free food last year by the woman on Goji’s Instagram page, which has more than 18,000 followers.

“She complained about our prices being too expensive. Then she asked for free toppings.

“We had to say ‘no sorry, you can’t have anything for free’.”

It’s understood the blogger paid for two bowls — worth about $20 each — and snapped several photos.

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Smoothie bowls from Goji Granola Bar and Cafe in Clear Island Waters. Picture: Jerad Williams

It wasn’t until Wednesday night when Mrs Tjong realised why.

A negative 560-word, two-star review was started with the words “an actual disappointment”.

“To start off, the bowls are very poor in content and quantity ... and they are expensive,” the post read.

“I was very disappointed, regret massively that breakfast and spending money on a product that clearly has minimal quality.”

Mrs Tjong said she was “shocked” and has reported the review to Zomato for removal. She did not want to name the person.

“We have a lot of really nice bloggers like Lorna Jane and Elsa’s Wholesome Life and they have never asked us for any free food.

Monica Tjong is says the review “feels like it’s an attack on us”. Photo: Scott Powick

“If they like the food, they just post it on their page. We never ask them.

“If you want to be a blogger and don’t like the food, you don’t have to shame us publicly. Her reviews will be online forever.

“We feel like this is an attack on us, just because we didn’t give her free food or free things.

“We are just recovering from COVID. A lot of small businesses are closing up and there is a blogger that tries to black mail small businesses for free food.

“In the time that we are trying to survive, we just couldn’t believe someone would do something like this just for free food.”