These days, a single online review can make or break a business.
While good feedback can bring in more customers, a bad one can spread just as quickly, damaging a restaurant’s reputation in no time.
But what happens when a harsh review leads to an unexpected refund? That’s exactly what one diner experienced after calling out a restaurant for overpriced and unsatisfying food.
A pricey meal and a frustrated customer
The man had gone out for a meal and ordered a spread that included two servings of white rice, daging masak kerah (tough-cooked meat), plain mihun soup, an omelet, watermelon juice, apple juice, and mango sticky rice. The total? RM48.40.
After finishing his meal, he paid and left the restaurant. But the dissatisfaction lingered. As he walked to his car, he happened to notice the restaurant owner heading to his own vehicle, reported Lawak Pecah Perut.
Not one to hold back, he took the opportunity to vent his frustration—loudly.
I told my wife, loud enough for him to hear, that the food was terrible and overpriced. The owner looked at me, I looked at him, and then we both walked away,” he shared.
Still feeling unsatisfied, he turned to the internet for one last word.
‘Service was slow, and the restaurant smells like a garbage bin from both sides’
The man went on Google Maps and left a brutal review.
Don’t go to this shop—overpriced and not worth it. The food is average, the quality is average, but the price is high. Service was slow, and the restaurant smells like a garbage bin from both sides. Hope you go bankrupt soon,” he wrote, giving the restaurant a one-star rating.
Harsh words, but he never expected what would happen next.
Restaurant owner responds with an unexpected offer
Most business owners might ignore a review like this—or fight back. But this restaurant owner had a different approach.
If the food isn’t good, we can replace it, sir. If you really can’t eat it, you don’t have to pay. But please be mindful of your words. Hurting others with words is worse than bad-tasting food. If you want a refund, WhatsApp the number in our bio,” the owner replied.
The response took the man by surprise, but he decided to take up the offer. He messaged the owner, sent his payment details, and waited.
A full refund and a deleted review
To his surprise, the restaurant refunded him the full RM48.40. In return, he kept his end of the deal—deleting his one-star review from Google Maps.
“They refunded my money. I immediately deleted my review. Double satisfaction. Problem solved,” he shared.
But not everyone thought he did the right thing.
Netizens react: Fair or entitled?
The story quickly gained traction online, with people divided on whether the man’s actions were justified. Some felt he went too far.
One commenter criticised the way he handled the situation, saying:
“You already ate the food, then got a refund. The owner even apologised, but you still went ahead and blasted them on social media? Such bad behaviour. What if the owner later decides not to forgive you and doesn’t ‘halalkan’ what you ate? That means you and your family consumed something haram… are you happy now? That’s just dark-hearted.”
Another user pointed out that there were better ways to give feedback:
“There’s a way to give criticism, but this just lacks basic manners. Comes off as arrogant.”
Regardless of which side you’re on, one thing is clear—online reviews hold real power. In today’s world, a single complaint can ripple through social media and impact businesses in ways we never imagined.
But while reviews can push businesses to improve, they also raise a question: Should customers be more mindful of how they voice their dissatisfaction?
