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‘We just didn’t like you’ — this chef had a perfect response to a one-star reviewer on Tripadvisor
A chef in Manchester has taken justice into his own hands by blasting a customer on social media after they left a one-star review on Tripadvisor over cloudy lemonade.
Hispi only had cloudy lemonade, which was apparently unsuitable for a £120 bottle of red. (Photo: iStock)
A group of diners who spent £90 on Champagne and £120 on red wine on a restaurant visit last week left a poor review of Hispi in Didbury, Manchester, after discovering it only served cloudy lemonade, when one of the guests required a clear mixer for his wine.
“We arrived and were seated and asked what we wanted to drink,” said the reviewer, going by the username Hellen E.
“Champagne for the ladies at £90 a bottle and a bottle of red wine at £120. Our friend likes lemonade with his wine and this restaurant only stocks bottles of cloudy lemonade.
“We asked could they go and get some or could we. Shop was 2 minutes away. There was no movement on this at all so for the sake of a £1 bottle of lemonade and putting yourself out, the restaurant let us walk away.
“I find it difficult to understand how you wouldn’t stock the basic mixers that are most commonly used for drinking.
“Obviously I don’t know much.”
But Gary Usher, executive chef at the Sticky Walnut and Hispi’s owner, was quick to defend his staff, calling out the diners’ complaint on Twitter.
We were happy to go to the shop for your mates dreadful red wine spritzer & 20 B&H🙄
We just didn’t like you.
Keep it up hispi👊
Love Gary X pic.twitter.com/o7lp4aCHSZ— STICKY (@StickyWalnut) May 8, 2018
“We were happy to go to the shop for your mate’s dreadful red wine spritzer & 20 B&H”, it said, “we just didn’t like you.”
“Keep it up Hispi.”
People mostly praised Usher for his approach, but some Twitter users argued that it takes “the class out of a restaurant if their staff use the ‘C’ word to its customers.”
Usher didn’t stop there, he continued to fight his corner and defend his staff against critics who claimed they needed to give more deference to customers.
“We often nip out for people’s requests. It’s part of great hospitality. We just don’t do it if you’re a rude C**t.”
Usher said he was “amazed” at many people’s attitudes towards service, that customers are “entitled to say & act as they wish in a restaurant,” before highlighting some examples that service staff have faced in the past.
“I’m paying and I’m not happy so I can say to Gareth at hispi on Saturday just gone “GET ME THE F***ING BILL”
“I’m paying so I can ask Katy at Wreckfish last week why she’s just a waitress.”
“I’m paying so I can tell Natalia at Sticky on Thursday just gone that I think tattoos are vile on women & why has she ruined her body.”
“Be nice when you go out, that’s all.”
Other commenters pointed out that, whether it’s cloudy or clear, lemonade is an unusual choice of mixer for a bottle of red wine which costs £120.
Keen to clear things up, Telegraph travel writer Andy Lynne provided a helpful guide for making the perfect wine spritzer, whatever you’re drinking.
Just so you don’t get caught out again, the basic mixers that are most commonly used for drinking are: Um Bongo (usually with Amarone), Dandelion and Burdock (any Alsace-style wine), Dr Pepper (Burgundy Premier crus) and Asda chocolate milk (vodka at four in the morning).
— Andy Lynes (@AndyLynes) May 9, 2018