Yelp Extortionists Threaten Restaurants With Bad Reviews

Yelpers in Sacramento have gone insane with power. According to the Sacramento Bee, some users of the review website have been demanding gift cards, free food and coveted reservations in exchange for not writing bad reviews. Let's explore their tactics.

One restaurant goer demanded a $100 gift card in exchange for not writing a review of Red Rabbit Kitchen claiming the restaurant gave him food poisoning. The restaurant refused his demands; it appears he has not written said review.

Another restaurant, Bacon and Butter, says a group of 16 threatened bad reviews when their (gigantic) table was not seated promptly. Oh, and that was on the first day the restaurant was open. And, lo: they followed through, or at least Stephanie B. apparently did, writing, "I am almost 47 years old and this is the worst experience I have ever had with a restaurant. It reminded me of the cable show 'Ramsey's [sic] Kitchen Nightmares.'"

She continued: "We went on the first day of opening, and it was completely unorganized. I was with a large group of people and it took over an hour for most of the group to get their food... I noticed they were asking other people at different tables what their orders were again and it took them a very long time to get food." Yelpers: not just looking out for themselves, but for everyone else around them.

· Sacramento Restaurants Decry 'Yelp Extortion' [Sacramento Bee]
· All Yelp Coverage on Eater [-E-]