Ramen shop owner places bounty on heads of customers who left one-star review
One cannot spell "temperamental" without ramen. An owner of a ramen shop in Japan threatened the lives of two customers who gave the restaurant a negative review, even placing a bounty on their heads.
The owner of TOYOJIRO, a top-rated ramen shop in Kyoto, got mad after customers left a one-star rating after a supposedly unpleasant experience, according to entertainment news outlet Dexerto.
In a now-deleted post on Instagram, the owner called out the unsatisfied customers, even sharing their faces.
“I saw your post, and you seem a bit weird,” he is quoted as saying. “We try not to treat people like you as customers, so it’s fine. But you should probably avoid eating out. Someday, someone like you will get screwed. I don’t care—just come directly, and I’ll deal with you.”
“We run a planned business, so if you get in our way, we’ll get in the way of yours, too," he added.
The owner then demanded that one of the customers "come back, eat again, and write a good review with a photo."
"I told him I won’t forgive him otherwise—not even for the safety of his family,” the owner said. “If he does that, he’ll be killed right away. This kid is so scared. He’ll really do it, so he’d better just come back and eat.”
The owner then took to Instagram Story to offer a reward of 100,000 yen (PhP38,700) to anyone who had information about the two customers.
Social media users were disturbed by the owner's aggression, prompting him to take down his post and apologize.
"I know there are pros and cons. For an act that went too far. I'm reflecting on this," the owner said in an Instagram post via the restaurant's account. "Looking forward to continuing to reflect and move forward. Thank you."
The restaurant also issued a separate public apology.
"Our restaurant, which achieved champion status on Japan's largest ramen site, Ramen Database, just one month after opening, deeply regrets the recent incident we have caused," it said.
It noted how "many international visitors" have enjoyed its ramen, especially the one with wagyu steak with the highest A5 grade for its marbling, color, fat, texture, and firmness.
"However, this incident has resulted in a shameful outcome for us," the restaurant said. "We are committed to transforming ourselves and becoming a ramen restaurant that is truly supported by customers from around the world."
It vowed to continue doing its best every day and welcoming customers, assuring them of "satisfaction."
