The Vessel — Restaurant in North Island

Our recent visit to this restaurant was deeply disappointing, not due to the food alone, but primarily because of how a simple concern was handled by the management.

After politely and respectfully raising our dissatisfaction with the meals to the staff, the food was taken away from our table by the server. A few minutes later we were approached by the owner, who responded in an unexpectedly confrontational and dismissive manner. Rather than listening or acknowledging our concerns, we were made to feel as though our feedback (which was offered calmly) was completely invalid.

At no point did the owner attempt to de-escalate the situation. Instead, she argued back and forth with us, and her tone became personal and accusatory, which made the experience uncomfortable and distressing. Alarmingly, she threatened to post our images on social media, an action that felt highly inappropriate, disproportionate, and left us feeling vulnerable and intimidated.

We ultimately agreed under pressure to pay 50% of the bill, despite having barely touched the food. We felt we were left with little choice and simply wanted to exit the situation peacefully. The owner also made an offensive personal remark to my partner when I wasn’t present and told us never to return.

My partner who I was dining with has worked in hospitality for over a decade, she knows the value of feedback and more importantly, the importance of treating customers with respect, even when there’s a disagreement. Unfortunately, that standard was not upheld here.

Update** Response to Owner -

I appreciate your response, but I stand by my review. The wait was nearly an hour with no communication, the food quality was poor, and when we raised our concerns respectfully, the situation was escalated instead of resolved. We ate only a small portion, never asked to take the food home, and certainly never accused anyone of tampering with it. The way we were spoken to was the main reason for leaving unhappy. I hope you reflect on this for...

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