A restaurant owner has taken revenge on food critics by naming several burgers after them on his menu.
Joseph Smith, owner of Smokin’ Joe’s in Guisborough, North Yorkshire, introduced the ‘unique’ marketing technique in retaliation for the negative reviews he received.
The 33-year-old says he is targeting trolls who he believes have not really been visited, claiming that the majority of customers like their marketing strategy.
The owner recently renamed the weekly burger specials ‘The Dustin’ and ‘The Michael’ after two people allegedly targeted his business online.
The restaurant presented a food challenge on Friday but was inundated with comments from people claiming it was ‘impossible’ and ‘waste of food’.
The venue eventually fell out with commenters as it defended the challenge, claiming the remains had been offered to customers. It would also have mocked others and questioned their ‘IQ’.
Joseph Smith (pictured), owner of Smokin’ Joe’s in Guisborough, North Yorkshire, introduced the ‘unique’ marketing technique in retaliation for the negative reviews he received
Dustin, whose name was used for one of the burgers following the online row, branded the company’s behavior as unprofessional and said it was a disagreement over potential food waste that should not have gotten so out of hand.
The restaurant routinely pushes back on negative Google reviews, disputes their criticisms or simply ridicules them and urges them to “stick with McDonald’s.”
Mr Smith, from Guisborough, North Yorkshire, said: ‘I really want to emphasize that we named these burgers after trolls. They are just internet entities and not real customers who have ever visited the restaurant.
“This is a very important point to make because I wouldn’t want to alienate a customer who had a legitimate complaint.
“I’ve never been one to take things aside, so some of these comments [about our food challenges] I started to answer, trying to be a little humorous and ironic with us.
“I know our customer base likes this and we have a bit of a timely attitude. We will always fiercely defend and promote ourselves.
“It’s just a small way for us to regain control of the situation. Even though I have a strong mind, it doesn’t mean that some comments don’t affect me. I have feelings. I am a human.’
Mr. Smith, who is also the eatery’s social media manager, said he named the first burger after “Dustin” because he allegedly manipulated Smokin’ Joe’s Facebook posts.
However, Dustin claimed he was just pointing out that he didn’t like the idea of food waste.
Dustin wrote: ‘Any dive aspiring to food challenges needs all the help they can get,’ prompting Mr Smith to reply: ‘Tag your mum, this is probably your greatest achievement.’
The owner recently named the weekly burger specials ‘The Dustin’ and ‘The Michael’ after two people allegedly targeted his business online (general image of burgers)
The way the restaurant has handled the backlash has divided opinion among customers. Some praised their actions and said they would like to come in and try the food.
Dustin replied that his mother had passed away and the restaurant sarcastically responded, “At least you made her proud.”
Dustin admitted that he had not been to the restaurant, but felt compelled to comment on the eating challenge.
He said: ‘My actions weren’t great. [But it is] However, it is not nice when a man creates a mafia mentality of people against me.
‘If I’m a troll, what makes him? Yes, I was aggressive. As aggressive as he was? 100 percent. I haven’t been to their restaurant. I certainly wouldn’t go now.
‘My first comment was about the amount of food they waste. I have not consulted their website. I deleted all my comments because I thought it was all really stupid, and I felt immature to be a part of it.
‘I worked in restaurants for 18 years. Never has a scathing comment on our social media page challenged us to stoop to this level.
‘He claims that I have threatened and abused people. I can’t say that’s true. He defends his company. Only in a very terrible way.’
Mr Smith said he then named the second burger after ‘Michael’ as he had also reportedly targeted the restaurant’s eating challenge stations.
Mr Smit said: ‘[The abuse] will definitely become even bigger when we start responding to messages and fighting back and we almost invite it.
“But I’m trying to use this momentum to turn something negative into something positive and take the power away from the people sending these comments.
“What I’m trying to do is try to turn it around and [in this instance] name a citizen after you and essentially try to make money off you.”
After growing frustrated with the dispute, Mr Smith announced on Facebook on Monday that they would name a once-a-week “burger special” after one of their “top fans” and appealed for ideas on what would go into it.
“This is the first time we’ve done the burger specials, but this is the plan for the future. “I don’t want to invite too many trolls,” he said.
On Tuesday, he named Dustin and Michael as the first two burgers and said they would be available starting that evening.
Mr Smith, who is also the eatery’s social media manager, said the eating challenges were ‘not impossible’ and that the company had visited a ‘professional food eater’ from America who could complete it.
He also added that those who cannot complete the challenge can take the food home to reduce food waste.
The way the restaurant handled the comments has divided opinion among customers. Some praised their actions and said they would like to come in and try the food.
But someone said, ‘Why would a company behave like this? Regardless of what may or may not have happened, name-calling matches on social media is truly unprofessional.
‘It doesn’t do a businessman any good. It’s like watching 13 year olds argue. Actually not the best move.’
Michael declined to comment.