How important is public opinion for our preliminary assessment when choosing a new restaurant, cafe or pub to go? More precisely, user reviews collected on specialized aggregators like Tripadvisor. Of course, ratings and reviews are very helpful when choosing – but there are also special cases.

For example, we once wrote about how one visitor deliberately left a 1-star review, disagreeing with a cafe’s pricing policy. The story we are going to tell you today is somewhat similar, but still has its differences. However, let’s just quickly move on to reading.

More info: Tripadvisor

This story begins in Manchester, UK, in a historic pub located in an old Victorian building

Image credits: Sam’s Chop House / Facebook

So one fine August Sunday, the company of 6 adults and 4 kids came there to have lunch

Image credits: Heidi S

Image credits: Bulat Khamitov / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Firstly it turned out that prams weren’t allowed in the pub, and then there were only 2 high chairs for kids

Image credits: Heidi S

Image credits: Oleksandr P / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Finally the moms were outraged when a server asked them to turn down their kids’ iPads in order to not disturb other customers

Image credits: Heidi S

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

And there was no specialized kids’ menu there, either, so the mom said ‘the kids ended up not eating’

Image credits: Heidi S

2 of the moms left wrathful 1-star reviews on Tripadvisor, thus sparking a discussion online

So, Manchester, UK, present day. Or, to be absolutely precise, one August Sunday, lunchtime. The historic city center, where a historic pub named Sam’s Chop House is located in an old Victorian building built in 1868.

As of today, the pub has four stars out of five on Tripadvisor, based on 1,364 reviews. Quite decent, even taking into account the two 1-star reviews received that Sunday evening. Reviews from the users Heidi S. and Joanne S. clearly identify them as members of the same group who came to the pub with kids.

So, judging by the reviews of the moms, there were 6 adults and 4 children in total, and they came for Sunday lunch. Unfortunately, the problems began literally from the doorway – when it turned out that the pub only had 2 high chairs for kids. Moreover, the staff person said that prams aren’t allowed there.

The parents tried to distract the children with videos on their tablets, but soon the server came and asked them to turn their iPads down – so as not to disturb other visitors. However, as one of the moms claims, other customers were also talking quite loudly.

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In addition, it turned out that the pub does not offer a specialized children’s menu, so, as the mom notes, the children ended up not eating. And the food itself, as well as its presentation, did not impress the customers. But the price, on the contrary, was quite impressive… In general, as both angry moms conclude, they urge everyone to avoid the pub ‘at all cost.’

Image credits: Helena Lopes / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Well, first of all, I’d like to say that the Tripadvisor profile of Sam’s Chop House clearly indicates that this is a classic pub located in a historic building, so it’s not surprising that it would be difficult to fit four prams in there. The profile also indicates that the establishment offers high chairs for children – but, apparently, they simply were not enough.

“In any case, the profile of the restaurant roughly indicates what to expect there, and it would be rather strange to demand from a pub all the features of a classic family restaurant,” says Vlad Ostrometsky, the administrator of UNIT Cafe in Odessa, Ukraine, whom Bored Panda asked for a comment here. “They are simply quite different things.”

“I have had cases in my practice when customers came, like, in the morning, when the pub was relatively quiet – and then, having come back in the evening, were outraged, for example, by a noisy concert of some music band. The question is precisely in the expectations of customers and the profile of the establishment.”

“In the end, if guests want their kids to eat tasty and comfortably, then it would be worth going, probably, to another place. But here, as I get it, the guests wanted to spend time in this pub directly. So there is simply a discrepancy between expectations and conditions,” Vlad summarizes.

By the way, in the response to reviews on Tripadvisor, the general manager of the restaurant noted that they have worked to provide visitors with children with the best experience. For example, they have made some more high chairs available, and presented a special children’s menu too. The manager invited both moms to visit the pub in the nearest future – perhaps they will like this time more.

As for the opinions of people in the comments, the responders were more likely to say that the iPad isn’t the best babysitter while having a family lunch. “I’m glad we chose to go technology free, my kid doesn’t need an iPad to eat or sit still, so much digital pollution,” one of the commenters wrote.

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People also agreed that the profile of the establishment should match the expectations of customers first and foremost. “Takes kids to a restaurant that obviously doesn’t cater for kids and then whinges when they are asked a very reasonable request,” another responder pondered. So what do you think about the situation described? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

People in the comments were very divided but still claimed that an iPad isn’t the best babysitter when having a family lunch

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