Loyal customer is BANNED from a café after she left a three-star review saying the business charged too much and had ‘issues’ with flies
- Marianne Gannaway thought her review of the Ajuna Eatery was fair and honest
- But when she next visited the cafe with her husband, she was told to leave
- Owners told her she was trespassing and said she was banned from returning
A woman who was banned from one of her favourite cafe’s believes the owners punished her for leaving a sub-par business review online.
While Marianne Gannaway’s Google review of the Ajuna Eatery in Napier, New Zealand, mentioned the great food and coffee, she warned potential customers of a recent significant price increase.
She said she thought the review was both fair and honest, and didn’t think twice about heading back to the cafe one afternoon to grab a coffee with her husband.
But upon making her way to the counter, Ms Gannaway claims she was given a frosty welcome by the owner of the business, before being asked to leave altogether.
While Marianne Gannaway’s Google review of the Ajuna Eatery in Napier, New Zealand, mentioned the great food and coffee, she warned potential customers of a recent significant price increase
Ms Gannaway wasn’t the only one of the opinion the food was overpriced for what she received
‘She told me I wasn’t welcome, I was banned. Then the man who I assume is her husband told me I was trespassing.
‘I was mortified and shocked! When I first walked out I was shaky but thought ”okay… I deserved that. A slap on the hand.”
‘But then I thought no, that’s not right.’
She said the only way a customer could be trespassing was if they were given prior warning of being banned, which she was not.
Ms Gannaway said she showed her initial review to friends to gauge whether they thought she was being too harsh, but they said she wouldn’t.
Her initial Google review described the coffee as ‘sublime’.
Ms Gannaway said she now avoids going to the corner where the eatery is located out of fear they will approach her
‘I love the food here and the coffee is sublime… the best! However it has recently undergone a huge price increase.
‘The sausage rolls are almost $10 – and they’re certainly nothing special.’
But she acknowledged sometimes price increases were a necessary way to keep the business functioning.
‘I understand they’re necessary from time to time, I reckon this is extreme for a place that is thriving… not to mention the annoying fly issue.’
Ms Gannaway wasn’t the only one of the opinion the food was overpriced for what she received.
She said she thought the review was both fair and honest, and didn’t think twice about heading back to the cafe one afternoon to grab a coffee and was told she had been banned
The Ajuna Eatery acknowledged there had been a price increase to reflect supplier costs and higher wages
‘Lazy. The staff were more focused on each other and their cell phones. Food is hugely overpriced, especially for what is received.’
But the cafe appeared to respond warmly to Ms Gannaway, thanking her for her review and ‘valued patronage’ before explaining the need to increase prices.
‘It is in response to the large increase in minimum wage and suppliers raising their prices for us.
‘We have absorbed price increases the last three years but could not absorb these increases,’ they said.
Ms Gannaway told the New Zealand Herald she now avoids going to the corner where the eatery is located out of fear they will approach her.
‘But I do miss the coffee, which is the only thing that I do miss about the place, because it was so good.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ajuna Eatery for comment.