Ramen shop owner offers cash reward to track down men who left 1-star review: ‘I’ll deal with you’ | Trending

A ramen shop in Kyoto, Japan, sparked controversy after its owner offered a cash reward for identifying two customers who left a negative review. The restaurant, TOYOJIRO, is known for its highly rated Jiro-style ramen, but its owner took to Instagram to publicly vent his frustration over the critical feedback. The post, which quickly gained attention, called for information on the reviewers, offering a monetary incentive to anyone who could help track them down. The move raised ethical concerns and fuelled debate over how businesses should handle online criticism. The restaurant shared an Instagram Story, offering a reward of ¥100,000 per customer to anyone who could help identify them.(Instagram/toyojiro) The owner’s now-deleted post included a photo of the two men, along with a reward for anyone who could identify them. According to reports, he also issued a direct warning, saying, “I saw your post, and you seem a bit weird. We try not to treat people like you as customers, so it’s fine. But you should probably avoid eating out. Someday, someone like you will get screwed. I don’t care—just come directly, and I’ll deal with you.” In a further escalation, the restaurant shared an Instagram Story offering 100,000 yen ($662) per customer to anyone who could track them down. The post stated that the search would continue until the reviewers returned to the restaurant and posted a positive review. “The only thing he can do is come back, eat again, and write a good review with a photo. I told him I won’t forgive him otherwise—not even for the safety of his family. If he does that, he’ll be killed right away. This kid is so scared,” the owner wrote. Also read: Chinese influencer claims to earn ₹35 lakh ‘doing nothing’ all day, faces backlash BacklashAfter facing backlash on social media, the owner retracted his statements and acknowledged that he had gone too far. “I know there are pros and cons. For an act that went too far, I’m reflecting on this. I’m looking forward to reflecting and moving forward. Thank you,” he wrote. The restaurant also issued an apology, dancing itself from the controversy. In a deleted Instagram post, it stated, “Our restaurant, which achieved champion status on Japan’s largest ramen site, Ramen Database, just one month after opening, deeply regrets the recent incident we have caused … this incident has resulted in a shameful outcome for us. We are committed to transforming ourselves and becoming a ramen restaurant that is truly supported customers from around the world.” Also read: Crypto trader shoots self on livestream after losing $500 in memecoin investment: ‘If I die…’