The worst way you could ever respond to a social media troll



Contributing Writer
By Patrick (Patrick, Africanus or de:Afrikaaner) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons


The Pigalle Restaurant in Boston recently received a negative review on their Facebook page. In patron Sandy Tremblay’s review, she recounted her meal complaining that her pumpkin pie “tasted like vomit” and that she would rather have given that money to the homeless.

The restaurant’s chef, Marc Orfaly, responded to her harsh criticism in the worst way imaginable. He posted “go f*** yourself” on her Facebook page. 

Orflay futher elaborated by posting that she enjoyed vomiting, addressed her by the perjorative “b****”, and urged her to come back for her money snarking: “sorry if you can afford it, I do not want your money.”

When Boston’s leading newspapers reported this, conflicting opinions and controversy ensued. Social chatter escalated about the crtique and response, with people vehemently supporting “Team Pigalle” or “Team Tremblay.”

Facebook complaint Pigalle BostonThe chef even called critic Tremblay fat, calling her fat and taunting that it would be better not for her not to eat dessert.

In the end, the chef apologized, but for many the damage was done. Many people judged Pigalle Boston without ever stepping through their doors, and Pigalle recently announced that they are closing soon to “relaunch” under a new name.

What do you think? Is behavior like this from a business ever advisable? How do you deal with trolling critics positively?

Sources: BostInno.com and The Boston Globe

(Editor’s note: Nerea is currently looking for a job in social media. As an example of her aptitude, she made a pretty creative social-media related resume video (embedded below).)

This post has been translated from Spanish. 

The original post, “La peor manera de gestionar una crisis en redes sociales,” by Nerea Nieto was originally featured on nereanieto.com

Original Article

Photo By Patrick (Patrick, Africanus or de:Afrikaaner) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Nerea Nieto

Nerea Nieto

I am an Advertising and Marketing Student, passionate about Social Media and Online Marketing. I am the writer of the novel “Detrás de un espejismo” and I manage several blogs. You can find more about me at http://www.nereanieto.com

Nerea Nieto

@nereanieto

Escritora de Detrás de un espejismo, estudiante de Publicidad y Marketing. BU advertising alumnus. Most tweets in Spanish, a few in English.

@einyelg gracias por el RT! – 5 days ago

Nerea Nieto

Nerea Nieto

Nerea Nieto

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  • http://www.biculturalmama.com Maria Adcock

    That’s a really bad way to do business. When you own a business you take the good and the bad and yes not every one will like you or handle things the best way, but as a business you take the high road or else risk getting bad PR like this restaurant did.

  • jimdougherty

    I totally agree, Maria! When I read this I was shocked, and the restaurant was 27 Zagat-rated, so this was a great restaurant that imploded. Thanks so much for your comment!

  • http://www.vintagephotographer.co.uk/ VintagePhotographr

    Trolls of this variety should be loved until they go away. Confuse ‘em with kindness, concern and understanding. I would have thanked the lady, sent her her money back and then baked and given fifty of the same recipe pies to the biggest homeless shelter/organisation in the neighbourhood and published their opinions good or bad.

    Even if you feel like telling the b***** to fo f**** herself, and even if you’re justified, you gain nowt by telling her so and you gain everything by proving what a t**** she is, politely.

    It hurts to do it, it’s time consuming, but it’s the only way. [NB there are other kinds of troll who just need a contract putting out on them].

  • http://www.vintagephotographer.co.uk/ VintagePhotographr

    p.s. I can empathise wholeheartedly with Tremblay’s view without even tasting the pumpkin pie – I’d never have considered ordering it! To me even the supposedly marvellous ones taste utterly vile to my taste buds. I don’t slag off the pumpkin pie industry though, I just politely avoid it.

  • Andrew Healey

    Hi Nerea, I think as soon as the restaurant responded with “Go f### yourself, they lost the argument.

  • dave

    Not a troll! She used her name and didn’t try to hide her identity.

  • jimdougherty

    You may be technically correct, Dave. There is a study out of the University of Wisconsin showing that identification doesn’t curb caustic behavior, so I don’t see anonymity as an important aspect of trolling. And I wrote the headline. If that technicality ruins the article for you, I’m sorry.

  • jimdougherty

    Thanks Andrew! I agree!

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