Pum’s Kitchen may have lost thousands of dollars because of Apple Maps error

The owners of a Sunshine Coast restaurant that was previously marked as permanently closed on Apple Maps have been left with no answers for the error, believing the mistake may have cost them thousands of dollars. Were they the victim of foul play?

Pum's Kitchen owner Chris Pyatt believes an Apple Maps error could have cost his business thousands of dollars.

The owners of a Sunshine Coast restaurant which was previously marked as permanently closed on Apple Maps believes the error may have cost them thousands of dollars.

Pum’s Kitchen owners Chris Pyattand Pum Krutbangyang were alerted by a customer on Friday, January 12, their Maroochydore restaurant was listed as permanently closed on Apple Maps, despite the eatery being open three days a week.

In 2020, Pum’s Kitchen, which was formerly a market restaurant, transitioned to a full-service restaurant at its current location on the corner of Ocean St and Beach Rd, Maroochydore.

Chris Pyatt from Pum's Kitchen.

After moving to their new location, they updated their listing on Google Business, Google Maps, as well as all the websites and pages they manage.

However, Mr Pyatt said he was shocked to find out their store was listed as closed on a service they never uploaded their information to.

The Pum's Kitchen listing on Apple Maps previously showed it as being permanently closed. Picture: Supplied

“We did not put our business on Apple Maps and we certainly didn’t mark our business as permanently closed,” he said.

“The problem is that we are open and have not closed, we don’t know who did this or when it happened, but we do know that it has been getting a bit quiet of late.”

Chris Pyatt from Pum's Kitchen says running a small business is a struggle.

Following the discovery, Mr Pyatt reached out to the business sales team at Apple to get some answers, however he was urged to fill in a customer feedback form.

“It really seems like we are now getting the brush off, we have no real idea of how this happened and we deserve answers,” he added.

“We know nothing ever really comes from a feedback form, it is more of an exercise for the customer to feel good and say ‘take that Apple’.”

Mr Pyatt speculated there could be many reasons for the incorrect listing on Apple Maps.

A chef in action at Pum's Kitchen in Maroochydore.

“Anyone that has rival devices has the potential to be caught up in the tech war,” he said.

“We have Android phones and Microsoft computers, but because we don’t have any Apple products, we had no idea what the Apple system has about our business.

“We’re a small business trying to get by and Apple is a big business, this is a David vs. Goliath ordeal.

“It could also be a case of another business doing this to us.”

Mr Pyatt estimates the incorrect listing could have cost them thousands of dollars.

“Who knows how long we have been listed as permanently closed for, we’ve got no idea how much that has cost us and for how long it’s been costing us, potentially it could be thousands of dollars,” he said.

“This should be a lesson to all businesses who run their own online content, if you aren’t with Apple, then your business is probably listed on their maps and you can’t access it unless you get an Apple ID and claim your business.”

According to Apple, the Pum’s Kitchen listing on Apple Maps now displays the correct opening hours.

Originally published as Pum’s Kitchen may have lost thousands of dollars because of Apple Maps error