'I gave them a 1-star review': Local bar owner claps back at customer's 1-star review, customer gets even

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Aug 20, 2023 2:00 PM EDT

1-star reviews tend to shed light on the entitled and overly demanding customers of this world, but every so often, there's a justified one. Here, we have a customer who went out for drinks with his wife in Lisbon for a rare occasion considering how expensive nightlife can be in their city. Let's just say that they did not get the drinks they ordered. 

 

His wife ordered a Long Island Iced Tea and received a Coke; the Redditor ordered a Moscow Mule and received a spiked Ginger Ale. Close, but no cigar. OP wrote a 1-star review on Google Maps that resulted in a savage response from the local bar owner, who called OP an "evil cynical man." We appreciate that 1-star reviews can hurt business for local establishments but for once on FailBlog, we're going to have to side with the customer here, who is neither evil nor cynical for ordering two standard drinks and receiving something entirely different. 

 

What happened next is where the petty revenge comes in. The Redditor learned a clever trick about posting reviews on Google Maps that resulted in his review being the first thing that users will see for a long time. Keep scrolling below to learn how he pulled it off. For more stories like this, check out this post about how a group of students got some petty revenge on their teacher. 

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  • 01
    Tableware - "I gave them a 1-star review"
    via Adam Jaime
  • 02
    Font - Call me evil? Enjoy having my 1-star review always as the first review you see! Ok, this is short, but petty. I once went to a cocktail bar in Lisbon with terrible drinks. My wife got a Long Island Ice Tea that was pure Coke while I got a Moscow Mule that came with ginger ale, not ginger beer. To add salt to injury, all that "soda" wasn't cheap.
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 03
    Font - For extra context: Lisbon can be pricey for us locals. Going out to eat in the city is a luxury my wife and I have to budget for. We saved up to visit this cocktail bar, so we expected their cocktails to be top- notch!
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 04
    Font - Naturally, I was very frustrated. I gave them a 1-star review on Google Maps. And that would be the end of it, had the owner not replied calling me an evil cynical man. Accused me of lying and hurting their business on purpose.
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 05
    Font - Cynical evil man? Ok then. One fun aspect of Google Reviews is that whenever you edit your review, it gets marked as "new" again making it surface at the top of the restaurant's review list.
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 06
    Font - I've been editing that review at least once every 2 months for almost a year now. I usually just delete or add an extra space. But that's enough to make my review the first thing any prospective visitor sees!
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 07
    Font - chaosdearest - 1 day ago As a local myself, I have to respect this petty revenge so much. We are being slowly priced out the nicer places in Lisbon, and to be disrespected when we are able to save up to savour a night out with some cocktails is hurtful. Continue to be petty, we deserve better. 809 Reply Share
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 08
    Font - MTLINVAN 23 hr. ago I just came back from your beautiful city a couple of weeks ago. I have nothing but great things to say about Lisbon and it's people who were all very friendly and welcoming but a common theme I heard from so many people I spoke to is how they've all been priced out of the city by tourism. I'm sorry to hear that in some way I contributed to that. 115 Reply Share
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 09
    Font - Tonic Orange - 1 day ago why would you yell at someone for leaving a bad review? it'll just make it worse lol 509 Reply Share
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 10
    Font - buttersyndicate 1 day ago The modern bar industry has it's nice people amongst waiters and cooks, but as you look upwards it becomes a rotten hellhole with some of the worst humanity can gather. When I looked for waiter jobs I made sure to previously stroll around Tripadvisor for rabid ex-workers sabotaging ratings, it's brimming. Watching the same asshole of a boss or manager showing their worst "in public" served as a warning but it also scratched that itch. 110 Reply Share
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 11
    Font - D nobodynocrime. 1 day ago So many people getting butthurt over what OP ordered, when the point still stands if you are a "cocktail bar" you should be good at making cocktails. Its in the name. Good job, OP! I love cocktails and would be pissed too if I paid exorbitant prices for a drink and it sucked. 115 Reply Share
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 12
    Font - LibraryMouse4321 +2. 1 day ago A Moscow Mule (or my preference-Kentucky Mule) cannot be made with ginger ale. It has to me made with ginger beer. Did you say anything to the waiter or bartender?
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 13
    Font - Orchid Buddy OP. 1 day ago I actually saw "ginger beer" listed in the menu as part of the ingredients. I remember thinking to myself "Wow! Finally a place that has ginger beer!" because this is a very difficult ingredient to find in Portugal. When the drink came and I tasted the ginger ale I was livid 110 Reply Share
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 14
    Font - Wild Replacement8213. 1 day ago Nice! I think it's great this level of petty. They are overcharging people and scamming out of alcohol they deserve to be called out. I don't drink Long Island but love Moscow Mules. I'd be livid if It was made made with ginger ale.
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 15
    Font - Luna_Leeloo 1 day ago Wait a minute. I thought it was salt in the wound; and insult to injury. Now I have to start reading the whole thing again...
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 16
    Rectangle - 00 Orchid Buddy OP. 1 day ago my first Sorry! Not Not language: got the phrasings mixed up and salt everywhere.
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 17
    Gesture - Piddy3825 22 hr. ago lol, petty revenge - best served regularly updated...
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 18
    Human body - saltymane 23 hr. ago Add salt to injury. Hehe
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 19
    Smile - ge23ev 21 hr. ago . If you want to take this to the next level get everyone to upvote your review as helpful to make it really stand out lol
    via u/Orchid_Buddy
  • 20
    Human body - CoryBlk 20 hr. ago Getting a bad Moscow Mule is pure evil!
    via u/Orchid_Buddy

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reviews customer service bar petty-revenge-reddit revenge customers petty revenge petty entitled reddit thread Reddit cocktail entitled people
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