A restaurant owner has hit back at a diner who left a scathing review online after being turned away for not making a booking.
Brian wrote a negative Facebook review for The Smoking Barrel after visiting the American-style BBQ restaurant in Motueka, New Zealand, at 5.15pm last Friday.
Brian said tables were reserved for 6:45pm to 7pm, but asked if he could be seated if he was able to eat and leave in time for them to prepare for the next booking.
‘We were told no, it’s a capacity issue? The place was 75% empty!’, he wrote online.
‘I guess maybe they are just very very slow at cooking?.’
The Smoking Barrel owner Josiah Smith (pictured) has defended his staff after a visitor left a scathing review online
The visitor didn’t make a reservation at the Smoking Barrel (pictured) when they arrived on Monday for the restaurant’s dinner service
The Smoking Barrel owner Josiah Smith hit back at Brian with an impassioned reply, tearing his complaint to shreds and backing the staff that turned him away.
‘Every time we open our doors, we also open ourselves up to criticism, personal preferences and reviews,’ Mr Smith wrote.
‘These days, everyone likes to think that they are a food blogger or a Masterchef judge’.
Mr Smith said he took ‘his hat off’ to his staff, who had been pushed harder than ever.
‘They’ve sacrificed sleep, their families and relationships and personal enjoyment whilst everyone else at this time of the year is kicking back and enjoying the experience that we work so hard to create.’
The reviewer did not recommend the resturant after not being given a table despite not making a reservation beforehand (pictured)
The restaurant owner urged other customers to ‘put things into perspective’ before leaving reviews online, as staff are churning out 700 donuts and over 400kgs of brisket each day.
‘Oh you came for the ribs but we’d sold out 50kg today and now we’ve ruined your day?,’ he asked.
‘People like Brian get their heckles up because we are fully booked for a dinner service. He didn’t book a table because he thinks the whole world revolves around him.’
Mr Smith said it wasn’t down to the restaurant industry, but the lack of organisation on Brian’s part.
‘Well Brian, you need to wake up. You have no idea my friend’, Mr Smith said.
Mr Smith said he had gone days without eating properly because he had been so focused on feeding every customer that walked through his doors.
The restaurant is currently churning out more than 600 handmade donuts every day (pictured)
The Smoking Barrel is going through more than 400kgs kilograms of brisket each day (pictured)
Despite the bad review, Mr Smith said he wanted customers to appreciate and remember the hardworking staff who made their meals possible.
‘Appreciate the reality of the industry even if your food has taken longer than 20minutes,’ he said.
Mr Smith said he was thankful for every customer who dined at the restaurant, but had a different message for the reviewer.
‘We appreciate every single person who has walked through out doors this summer,’ he said.
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‘But Brian, you can keep walking’.
Other diners were quick to praise the Smoking Barrel for their response and their previous service (pictured: hand made donuts from the Smoking Barrel)
Other diners were quick to comment their praises for The Smoking Barrel’s response.
‘Maybe Brian, if you were better at booking, you would have had a nice meal, like we just did’, one wrote.
‘You’re doing fabulous! Don’t let one crappy review taint the amazing work you do’, another said.
‘They clearly do not know the hospitality industry at all! I am so sorry you had to deal with such a horrid review from someone’, another commented.
The Smoking Barrel sells gourmet donuts, slow-cooked meats and seafood.
