IN today’s day and age, where many eatery reviews are published online, consumers mostly rely on these reviews to guide their food choices — often trusting glowing ratings as indicators of quality.
A customer recently shared how they felt duped after spending a considerable amount on a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup, influenced by the positive reviews they had read online.
In a post on Threads, the cafe owner claimed that the eatery had a 4.9-star rating on Google, which led them to believe that the RM45 grilled cheese and tomato soup had a “special” factor — only to be left disappointed.
“When I look back at the review, it said, ‘My goodness, this is what fine dining looks like.’ I went there because it opened early, and when a place opens early and is considered fine dining, I was curious,” they shared in their post.
After consuming the sandwich and soup, they later discovered that the eatery had allegedly offered customers a gift in exchange for leaving five-star reviews.
“The gift doesn’t even come up to RM5. I question our integrity — to leave a five-star review for something like a sticker or a badge, only to mislead others for the sake of temporary gratification.
“So, since then, I decided I do not want to employ misleading marketing tactics. I do not want others to feel cheated like I did.
“Let’s be mindful about our actions — especially as food reviewers and eatery owners,” they added.
Their story has since gone viral, raising concerns about misleading marketing strategies and the integrity of online food reviews.
Some users have also alleged that they were asked to leave positive reviews online in return for incentives, whether in the form of food or gifts. A few claimed they changed their reviews or even posted follow-up reviews to provide honest feedback about the eatery.
“I recently learnt that there are groups of people hired just to leave reviews online, even if they’ve never been to the place. I don’t know how to trust reviews anymore,” one user claimed.
Meanwhile, others argued that rewarding customers for reviews can be a helpful way to boost businesses. Some users, claiming to be business owners, said they offer small discounts in exchange for honest feedback on their products.
As online platforms continue to shape consumer behaviour, transparency and honesty in reviews have never been more crucial — not just for fair business practices, but to ensure that diners receive the experiences they expect and deserve.
As online platforms continue to influence consumer behavior, transparency and honesty in reviews have never been more crucial — not just for fair business practices, but for ensuring that diners get the experiences they expect and deserve.