Restaurant targeted with costly fake orders
Owner says she’s grateful community pushed back on sham online reviews
The owner of a local Vietnamese restaurant is grateful to the neighbourhood’s online support after she said it was targeted by a series of fake orders and negative reviews on the web from people who hadn’t even eaten there.
LAN Restaurant received four large orders costing $350 in total, which no one ever came to pick up, said Lan Nguyen, the restaurant’s owner.
The incidents, which took place over the last two weeks, were a first for the one-and-a-half-year-old Vietnamese restaurant on Queen St. E., near Broadview Ave.
“It’s very rare for someone to order and not show up; it is very difficult for us to be able to deal with this,” Nguyen said Monday. “People in this neighbourhood are really kind and warm-hearted, the neighbourhood has been treating us very well. Many of the customers are my good friends.”
Nguyen said she cannot think of who or why anybody would target the restaurant.
“The restaurant food cost is very high and we can’t afford to make the food and then have people not pick it up,” Nguyen said. “What happened to us is unfortunate to any business.”
Restaurants Canada, a national, not-for-profit association representing the restaurant and food service industry, said the issue of fake orders is not something they have received complaints about. New and old customers began showcasing their support on social media, complimenting the staff and their food, after she posted on Facebook — a move that Nguyen thought would attract little attention.
“People have been so very on social media, telling us that we are an important part of the community,” she said. “After what happened, I find more people are writing us good re- views online; they are taking the extra effort to show their support.”
Local customer Nicole Plotkin said she was saddened to hear what happened to the restaurant and had always enjoyed her experiences there.
“I love food, am in the neighbourhood and like to post when I have positive things to say,” Plotkin said. “I thought it would be good to add to the positivity since the restaurant business can be tough.”