Customer Finds Cigarette Butts in Delivery Coffee... Owner Says "No Smoking Employees"

Cigarette Butts Delivered with Coffee
"No Smokers in Store" Explanation
Review Can Be Blinded Upon Request

A story has emerged about a self-employed business owner worried that reviews on delivery platforms might harm their business.

A comment posted on a review of a cafe within a delivery platform. Photo by Naver Cafe 'Apeunikka Sajangida' capture

On the 29th, a post was uploaded on the Naver cafe "Apeunikka Sajangida" ("Because It Hurts, I'm a Boss") by a business owner running a private cafe in Seoul, expressing stress caused by a customer's review. The author began, "Today, as usual, I was about to leave after happily reading and responding to reviews, but then this absurd review was posted." The customer who wrote the review gave the lowest rating of one star and wrote, "Why are cigarette butts included together? It feels disgusting, and the smell of cigarettes makes me not want to drink it." Along with this, they attached a photo showing the delivered coffee with what appeared to be a cigarette butt someone had smoked and discarded.

The owner stated, "There are no smoking employees in our store, and I go to the parking lot outside the store to smoke," and added, "The cigarette in the photo is not even the type I smoke. Besides, how could cigarette butts come out inside the cafe?" expressing their frustration. They further added, "Just in case, I checked all processes from preparation to packaging and rider pickup through the closed-circuit television (CCTV), but found nothing unusual."

He said, "I was really upset and called the delivery platform's customer center, and they said they would verify the facts with the delivery rider," and continued, "But they responded by saying they would contact me again between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. tomorrow because the rider is off tomorrow." He lamented, "That cigarette butt-related review is still posted," and "I think tomorrow's business is ruined." Additionally, the owner said, "I first explained the situation in a reply to the customer's review," and asked members for help, saying, "If there is a way to respond in such cases, please let me know."

Other business owners who read the story offered various opinions such as, "Blind the review and write that you will strongly respond if it is a false review," "Check the facts carefully and be sure to respond," and "The rider might have made a mistake while smoking."

Meanwhile, as delivery culture develops, the number of business owners suffering from black consumers (malicious consumers) is also increasing. The leading domestic delivery platform Baedal Minjok has introduced a measure to hide such malicious reviews for 30 days upon the owner's request. In addition, in February 2020, it signed a win-win contract with the National Franchise Store Owners Association to improve the review and rating system.