SLO BAR Cafe in Bacolod, Philippines, posted on Instagram about how ten students who had just purchased two drinks ended up occupying three tables. Following the expulsion of a group of patrons who had taken up tables without paying for any goods, SLO BAR Cafe caused division among its patrons.
Following the expulsion of a group of patrons who had taken up tables without paying for any goods, the cafe caused division among its patrons. After being asked to leave so that paying customers could enjoy their meals and drinks, the group went online and published a barrage of bad reviews on SLO BAR Cafe. Recirculating screenshots also claimed they had shut the doors without informing them first.
SLO BAR Cafe is a self-serve establishment run by artists that is close to Bacolod’s downtown. It offers carefully made refreshing drinks, gourmet coffee and a rotating menu of largely freshly baked items.
SLO BAR Cafe’s Statement After Kicking Out 10 People
“How do we approach non-paying customers (mostly students) who want to be seated?” the cafe wrote in an Instagram post. “We know that they only want to hang out for free and shoot their personal content, but to what extent must we share our space to please these guests? “It pains us to get a mob of bad Google reviews from 10 unsatisfied kids saying that our staff were rude and that our food was bad when they occupied three tables and only got two drinks. We do not wish to engage but these things will happen again so it may be better to confront them when we can.”
The statement also stated that they trust their lead barista’s actions ‘are always rooted in instinct and respect’ and that she, along with the other two student employees, were ‘doing their best to work, accommodate, and keep the cafe in good condition ‘.
After that, they inquired as to whether the patrons realised the harm that their unfavourable reviews would cause to the company, saying, “Other small cafes would understand.”Any establishment should consider it fundamental courtesy to reserve their limited space for paying patrons.”
Reactions After SLO BAR Cafe Kicked Out Ten People
Several Instagram users supported the cafe by leaving supportive comments in the post’s comment box.
One person wrote: “These students are proof that the customer is NOT always right, especially when they lack basic etiquette and reek of entitlement.”
Celery Coffee Stand, a competing coffee shop, referred to the evaluations as “baseless” and suggested that the café file a Google report about them for “bullying/harassment.”
However, not everyone agreed with the cafe.
Owner of Noon Cafe, John Nikko Danao, told PhilSTAR L!fe: “We cannot force everyone to order. Little sales still matter and we are already happy to see customers enjoying the ambiance of our cafe and we could not take this away from them.”
While Nikaela Cortez from Sibs Cafe said they were ‘still customers at the end of the day’. “Though they may only buy two drinks, and even if ten of them choose to stay, that specific moment can be a chance to attract more customers in the future.”
According to her, her cafe would ‘politely ask’ non-paying patrons to share a table if there was a paying client present.
