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NH restaurant owner fires back after customer posts bad review online

MANCHESTER, NH (MyFoxBoston.com) -- A New Hampshire restaurant owner is creating buzz online after firing back at a negative customer review.

Kevin Cornish, owner of KC's Rib Shack in Manchester, said it first started after a disgruntled patron posted on Yelp and Facebook about a birthday celebration that went awry.

Cornish said the group of about 20 was celebrating in the bar area during lunch service, and became so loud other customers were complaining.

“Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen came on the radio in the bar, and they just all started breaking out into song,” Cornish said. “If it was a situation where I looked around and everyone else was enjoying themselves, I wouldn't have said anything, ya know? I hate being the fun police…but it was clearly upsetting other customers.”

Cornish said a manager asked the group to be quiet, which prompted one woman in the party to make the following post:

“KC's Ribs Shack WAS one of our favorite places to eat HOWEVER we just left there very unhappy. We had a party of twenty for a birthday party. We were all seated in the bar. We were having fun singing along with the radio when the OWNER came over to the table and very RUDELY told us to keep quiet others were trying to eat. Now mind there were about 10 others in the bar and they were all laughing and having fun with us including the bartender and wait staff. When we confronted the owner about him being rude he said he didn't care! Let it be know We will NEVER EAT THERE AGAIN!!!! We had a 500 dollar bill they have now lost our business! And I now will never commend this place to anyone!!! I will never go back again!”

The post also called the owner an expletive and encouraged other customers to boycott the restaurant.

Cornish, who said he has always operated his restaurant on the principle that the customer is always right, said the posting did not sit well with him.

“I think after 17 years...maybe it was the straw that broke the camel's back,” Cornish said. “I felt as though it was her that was in the wrong.”

Cornish took to his own social media page, writing the following response to the customer on Facebook:

Dear [name removed],

I sincerely apologize that you mistakenly thought my restaurant was a karaoke bar. We are a family restaurant not a bar. I realize you felt as though everybody in the entire restaurant was rejoicing the painful rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody you and your self entitled friends were performing, yet that was not the case.

Although sometimes it is tough to walk the line between being the fun police and allowing our customers to enjoy themselves to their fullest. We have to draw the line when it becomes a nuisance to the other customers in the restaurant at the time. Two tables asked to be moved to other areas of the restaurant even after your group was asked to stop singing. You probably missed out on that because it is clearly all about you. I'm glad you and your inconsiderate friends have voted to “Never Eat There Again” and to #Boycott KC's Rib Shack. Go ahead and continue your social media crusade on Yelp and facebook. I think you may have forgot Tripadviser as well. Thanks again for your feedback. We will let you know if we decide become a karaoke bar in the future.”

After Cornish posted the message, he said he was overwhelmed by positive feedback, receiving more than 45,000 views and nearly 2,000 likes.

“I've probably had five or six other restaurant owners call me up and say you're my hero,” Cornish told FOX25. “They said, this is awesome, we wish we could do this.”

FOX25 reached out to the disgruntled customer.

A family member responded and called the rebuttal posting by Cornish a publicity stunt, saying they simply wanted to share their experience with other customers.