'My turn to share a response to a Karen's review': Restaurant server gets back at irate customer who posts long online rant about their dining experience

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Oct 7, 2024 11:00 AM EDT

Getting to reply to your most irritating customer would be a dream come true for many food service workers. Normally if a customer complains about the service, the worker has to fetch their manager and let them handle it, or they have to meet the complaints with a smile and just let the insults roll off their shoulders. However, complaining in an online review leaves some room for creativity, as this server, u/human_ken_doll, found out.

This waiter shared a lengthy "review" from a diner who was super unhappy with the service. She rated the value, atmosphere, service, and food all with one out of five stars. She then went on to whine about the meal, which took place during a busy Sunday dinner hour. She was upset about numerous things: the staff seemed stressed and rushed, they'd run out of pork roast, and were unhappy that they had to wait about 10 minutes for bread and an hour for their food to arrive. That is quite a long wait, but unfortunately that's just par for the course at some popular dining establishments. You can check out this person's review, as well as the restaurant's response below, and see for yourself if this diner was being reasonable with her review or not. 

Up next, read about the artist who was utterly mortified to realize they'd destroyed another artist's big project. 

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10412602112
    via Getty Images on Unsplash+

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    My turn to share a response to a Karen's review
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 03
    So my response is the last two photos, this woman was out for free stuff as soon as she came in to the restaurant. Needless to say, I loved responding to her online!
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 04
    OOOOO Reviewed October 22, 2023 Disappointing Service & Food Today we visited for the first time in many years. We won't be returning and frankly wouldn't recommend this restaurant to anyone if you have a basic expectation of quality food and service! We arrived slightly early for our 5.30pm reservation very much looking forward to a Sunday roast! We were met by an incredibly stressed gentleman! Perhaps this was a sign! We we're seated to our table, and they waiter seemed desperate to take our d
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 05
    A waiter then rushed to our table to explain they had run out of the beef roast and only had 3 portions of the pork roast left. As a party of 4 including 3 adults and a pre teen the menu was appealing but we had come for the roast so we're particularly disappointed to hear that there was no beef. We decided to take the remaining 3 portions of pork and he rushed away having not completed our order. We asked the waitress who delivered the drinks if he could return to complete our order and make a
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 06
    It took perhaps 10 mins for bread and dips to be brought out which seemed reasonable but the empty plates sat with us for at least 15 mins after we'd finished if not longer! We didn't order starters so expected our roast pork meals and burger to be brought out relatively swiftly to be honest.
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 07
    From the time of placing our order it took well over an hour for our meals to arrive! We had asked part way through our wait where the meals were and the waiter explained they'd had a rush on and they wouldn't be long ! As another 15 mins passed we were frankly ready to walk out just as our food arrived! The burger was 'warm' not hot and the roast pork dinner we were expecting was a pork loin steak with the usual roast trimmings most of which was dry and over cooked!
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 08
    If a beef or pork roast dinner is described on a menu we expected slices of roast pork from a joint of meat. We didn't expect one individual pork loin steak each. When we asked the waiter if this was because they had run out, he claimed they roast a complete loin joint then slice but they certainly seemed too dry for that to have been the case! This meat had clearly been seared on both sides and was dry! We expressed our dissatisfaction with timeframe and of the meals we had been presented with
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 09
    We explained we would make do as we couldn't bear the idea of waiting any longer for new food; replacement burger etc so he left us to eat. At no point during our meal were we asked if we needed anything else or if everything was now ok. We asked for our bill and given how sorry the waiter had been earlier in our sitting and had explained they had been rushed that afternoon we had expected a gesture of apology on the bill. Perhaps a small discount to back up the repeated apology!
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 10
    There was no such gesture so I approached a different waiter at the till station to discuss our bill. I explained we had expressed our dissatisfaction with the meal to his colleague at the time and as we were talking a woman jumped in and asked what the problem was. I explained I had already had a conversation with the other waiter but briefly explained again. She said that our wait of over an hour for food was perfectly acceptable as we'd had starters! We hadn't, we'd had bread and dips which i
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 11
    Well, there in lies a contributing issue as the bread plates were not collected swiftly at all so if the kitchen waits until plates are cleared then this contributed to the reason it had taken so long to receive our meals! It didn't however explain why food was warm not hot in the case of the burger and over cooked on the roasts. I do understand that a restaurant kitchen may wait until a starter (had we actually had one) is complete before progressing a main however we are talking about a roast
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 12
    I suggested the timings were still not acceptable and explanation appropriate and said I'll leave the bill with you to consider. The woman followed me back to our table and said 'well, that's your bill and slammed it on the table' Astonished I asked if there was another person I could speak to and she said I'm the owner! She turned and walked away!
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 13
    At this point I am absolutely flabbergasted that somebody who could speak to a customer in the manner and tone she did is the owner! This woman seemed incredibly unreasonable, was clearly unwilling to have a sensible conversation about how unhappy we were and was evidently never going to take any responsibility for the poor service we had received so I decided we should just pay the bill in full and leave rather than waste any more time ! I would never usually write such a damming review however
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 14
    I appreciate at busy times waiting times may extend however a simple explanation that the is the case is all that is needed to manage a customers expectation. Ignoring a table becuse their food isn't ready and suggesting it's due out when it isn't does not help the cause at all and only results in ! disappointment Based on our experience today we will never return and will certainly not recommend this restaurant to anyone we know and we sincerely hope that the staff reflect on our observations a
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 15
    this review responded to Responded October 24, 2023 Hello We're sorry that you felt this way after your visit. In regards to 'the waiter', I sat you down and we always have our guests order a drink on arrival so they can have it arrive whilst they are looking over our menu. This is standard procedure here, as opposed to other establishment that have you wait. In relation to the long wait you referred to, considering you joined us on a busy Sunday and we prepare and make all of our food fresh, th
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 16
    standard pub for Sunday Lunch. In relation to the 'waiter', who is actually our General Manager he checked back with you during your meal and offered to organize additional portions of vegetables to accompany your meals. He offered to change your meal, but you said you would eat the meal because you had waited for it. You did stay true to this, as all of the plates removed from the table following your main course were empty. In terms of the bill, you were abrupt and argumentative towards our ow
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 17
    all of the plates removed from the table following your main course were empty. towards our owner, In terms of the bill, you were abrupt and argumentative and you didn't ask her to 'consider the bill', but informed her that you would not be paying it. This is technically a classification of theft of services and is punishable by law. Instead of escalating this, our owner dealt with you personally. She tried to calm you down and you were that irate and informed her that 'you would not repeat your
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 18
    You paid the bill at 6.45, which is than an hour and fifteen minutes after the time you arrived. This is about what we would expect for a Sunday table at the height of a busy Sunday service in our restaurant with a starter course of breads, croutons & dips followed by a main course. Upon leaving our business, our Reservations Team member was then subject to a verbal assault from members of your party that was laced with expletives. We had to apologize to other patrons sat in the bar area upon yo
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 19
    mature staff with an array of hospitality experience, most for over ten years in the industry of service. The behavior you displayed was unacceptable, and due to this reason we are untroubled by your promise of not returning.
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 20
    ranting_chef BOH There are five exclamation points in the first three paragraphs! That's a pretty good indicator that it's going to go a bit sideways.
    via u/human_ken_doll
  • 21
    h3yd000ch00ch00 24. Twenty four. The amount of exclamation points used in this person's "review". Their review didn't seem genuine, it seemed frantic and like a madman wrote it. Well... maybe a madman did. The response was beautifully done. I love when owners and managers stand up to people. like this. Anyone who is cursing loudly in front of other patrons is trash.
    via u/human_ken_doll

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