Couple writes bad review of restaurant, face accusations of being bad customers after the restaurant adds random charges to their card: 'No apology and no acknowledgment or accountability'

Ally Perry • Writer and Editor

Sep 28, 2026 7:45 PM EDT

When is it appropriate for a business owner to protest a negative review?

We all know that the customer is not always as right as they are supposed to be, and dealing with that when you work in the service industry can be a tricky thing. You can't win 'em all, but it is also important to defend employees from those customers who are genuinely difficult to work with.

However, if somebody receives genuinely poor service or a bad product, they have every right to give their honest opinion on it in a public forum. A business owner who understands the importance of customer service should be able to take a review like that and reflect on how they can change things in the future.

As a customer who is on the receiving end of a bad experience, sharing that experience is an important duty. It helps others not deal with the same issues that you did. The only issue is that a bad business may not take kindly to a breakdown of its flaws. Things can start to get defensive, and some may even try to take revenge against those who dare to offer them some valid criticism.

*_{A woman leans on the shoulder of a man as they sit at a dining table in a restaurant. Picture does not depict real parties.}*

A couple was excited to go to a nice restaurant for their anniversary dinner, but they quickly realized that they hadn't made a good choice of restaurant. They faced a long wait, mediocre food, and bad service, leading the woman to leave a bad review for the restaurant.

The owner wasn't happy with this and began retaliating in ways that took its toll on both the reputation and bank balance of the couple. The whole ordeal left the woman wondering if she had ever been right to leave the review in the first place.