A customer named Chelsea Bartley wrote in 2-star review last week that she had a decidedly unappetizing experience at Imagine Vegan Cafe in Memphis, Tennessee — specifically that a "bare butt naked baby" with dirty feet "was running around, stood up on a table ... and bent over to show me [her] butthole" during her meal.
Image source: WMC-TV video screenshot
That didn't sit well with the cafe's owner, who happens to be the mother of the 22-month-old girl in question. But not for the reason some might expect.
Kristie Jeffrey hopped on Imagine Vegan Cafe's Facebook page, called out the customer by name and sent a warning to any other detractors.
“I’m about to start calling out names and pictures of people who leave us bad reviews, especially when it deals with our children," Jeffrey wrote. "You will no longer be allowed to come and dine at Imagine. We do not need or want your business. ... This is going to be fun!!!! You've throughly [sic] irritated mama bear!!!!!!!!!!!! We’re starting with Chelsea Bartley.”
Jeffrey added: "For anyone who reads this and instantly is scared this might affect our business, I cannot begin to tell you how much we do not care. Haters are not welcome at Imagine!!!!"
The post generated thousands of reactions, WMC-TV reported — but the station added that a few hours after its story ran about the dust-up, the post was deleted.
But here's a screenshot:
In fact, as of Friday afternoon, the cafe's Facebook page appears to be down as well.
But Jeffrey did speak on camera to the station and didn't back down from her position, noting that Imagine Vegan Cafe "has been a very family-oriented restaurant from day one. We've had crayons, kid menus, toys."
In addition she told the station her four children are often in the restaurant during business hours. Jeffrey told WMC that while her daughter didn't have a diaper on at the time of the incident noted in the 2-star review, she believes much of it is exaggerated.
"It was summer and it's hot," Jeffrey told the station about her daughter. "She does what a baby does, and she ripped it and she ran."
Image source: WMC-TV video screenshot
Here's the full text of Bartley's review:
On the real, I eat here all the time. I still probably will bc I like to go out and there are few options available to me BUT y'all listen During my visit, a bare butt naked baby was running around, stood up on a table with its black theyre so dirty feet, and bent over to show me it's butthole. I wish I was exaggerating. This is like while I'm eating, and it's the owners kids? An older kid came over and started like yodeling and staring at me during my meal. I was SO uncomfortable. Like I get it's a family establishment and kids do weird things but naked baby was running around for like 15 minutes while all the workers started are just standing to the side talking and laughing over it.And for my food, I can heat up a tofurky sausage just as well and in under half the time.
Jeffrey told WMC it would have been better if Bartley made her complaints known in person so it could have been handled, but the vegan cafe owner isn't sorry about what the establishment stands for.
"I would actually rather not have their business, because it states it very clearly on our menus — on our website — this is what we are about," she told the station. "If you can't do vegan, then don't come here. If you can't do children, don't come here."
