A RESTAURANT manager has been hailed a hero after he ordered “entitled idiot” customers to stop using his business for their picnic.
Michael Dee was outraged when two visitors started munching on their own pastry and sandwiches in his eaterie and firmly but politely asked them to stop.
The pair took revenge by posting a nasty one star review on Tripadvisor, branding Michael a “horrible person”, “inhospitable” and “rude”.
But Michael, manager of Fiddlers’ Music Bar and Bistro in Brodick, Arran, has emerged victorious after hitting back with the point that providing a free picnic area “makes running a kitchen pointless”.
Scores have social media users have since weighed in on Michael’s side, branding the freeloading picnickers as “cheeky b******s”.
The one-star review was left on Tripadvisor by “Costacosford”, who wrote: “The beer is decent but the manager is incredibly rude. We brought in a pastry from next door and he was not amused.
“He was so rude about it, shaking his head and rolling his eyes like we’d come in at Christmas and stole his presents. What a horrible person, in the completely wrong job.”
He added: “After telling us off very loudly in front of the entire place, he stomped over, chucked a reserved sign on our table and stomped off again.
“He obviously wanted us and our offending pastry to leave, so we did. Completely unwelcoming. Very inhospitable. Certainly will not be going back and wouldn’t recommend that anyone else helps keep this business afloat by spending their money there either.”
Michael, showing admirable restraint, replied: “Thank you for your review. I don’t often feel the need to respond to them, but feel compelled to in this instance.
“I merely asked you to stop eating food, bought in other premises, in our restaurant. I feel that is a reasonable request, especially considering we offer delicious home-cooked food at very reasonable prices.
“It is a common policy in restaurants not to encourage picnics in your premises as it makes running a kitchen rather pointless.”
He added: “I’m sorry if you feel you were dealt with poorly, but we seem to have slightly differing memories of the occasion.
“As to keeping this business afloat, by not even buying food in my establishment, yet choosing to eat your packed lunch here, I think that proves you were never committed to doing so in the first place.”
Social media users were quick to comment on the post when it was shared on Facebook, praising Michael for standing up to the “idiot” customers.
Paul Rob Robertson said: “Cheeky b******* customer.”
Marc McSorley added: “Bravo.”
While David MacEachan commented: “The amount of people who think this is ok amazes me. I run a cafe and get so annoyed when people do this, it’s in very bad taste. Well done you sir.”
Colette Sarjant Was Duckett wrote: “Absolutely throw them out. What planet are these idiots on really?”
Luna Terri said simply: “Bringing food from outside is just flat out rude.”
Speaking today, Michael said: “They were eating a sandwich and a savoury pastry, but my reaction was more to do with the entitlement of the idiots.
“They committed a wrong and yet I’m the bad guy.”
