Bad reviews do not mean bad business
By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law
Bad reviews do not mean bad business. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good food and drink; the successful in the food and beverage industry know this. Failures do not.
A client recently pointed out that one of their most commercially successful outlets happens to have some of the worst online reviews in their portfolio.
The reasons for this are rarely just about food. Environment, service, atmosphere, and general feel all matter. People with a bad experience are also far more likely to leave a review (of any type) than those who had an experience that met expectations.
So what does a badly reviewed outlet really mean? Does that automatically even imply poor performance or the inevitable failure of it as a business? Clearly not. Does it mean reviews should be ignored altogether? Not quite, but they all need to be treated with caution.
Review platforms, like most media today, tend to amplify certain voices rather than reflect a balanced reality, leading to us being overly influenced by the loudest opinions, rather than the majority. Most satisfied customers, in fact, say nothing at all.
I have seen this pattern across my career, from retail and distribution to what I do today. Chasing good reviews is rarely a sound strategy. Worse still would be reshaping a business to appease anonymous criticism that may have no relevance to your core customers.
If your USP is spicy food and someone complains it is too hot, yet you are profitable with a loyal following, that review tells you more about the taste of the reviewer than the viability of the business. The same applies to ambience, price point, or concept. Context matters, and one person’s noise is the desired buzz another seeks.
I believe word of mouth remains the most credible endorsement. A recommendation from a trusted friend, colleague, or business contact is worth far more than scrolling through anonymous opinions online; that’s how I ended up at a client’s outlet the other day, taken there by someone whom I had recommended it to many months ago, who had been several times since!
If you need specific input regarding a strategic Hong Kong challenge or related legal matters in the HKSAR you can always DM me and check out my profile at https://www.ajhalkes.com
FoodAndBeverage BusinessStrategy HongKong Hospitality SMB BrandPositioning CustomerExperience Entrepreneurship WordOfMouth Leadership
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