If you have a reservation at Red Medicine in Los Angeles, you might want to consider showing up. Over the weekend, the top restaurant took to Twitter to out no-shows.
Also, big thanks to Carlos MacManus, Colin Rolfs, Allison Joyce, Sam Java, Daniella Brown, and Matt Lopez for no-showing btwn 730p-930p.
— Red Medicine (@redmedicinela) March 24, 2013
All the nice guests who wonder why restaurants overbook and they sometimes have to wait for their res should thank people like those below.
— Red Medicine (@redmedicinela) March 24, 2013
@Dom_in_ic all of them? And do you have to ruin all of my fun every time?
— Red Medicine (@redmedicinela) March 24, 2013
LA's Red Medicine outs no-shows on Twitter http://t.co/4nmE9GhaZu
— Eater (@Eater) March 25, 2013
Red Medicine managing partner Noah Ellis shared his frustration with Eater:
The assholes who decide to no-show, or cancel 20 minutes before their reservation (because one of their friends made a reservation somewhere else) ruin restaurants (as a whole) for the people who make a reservation and do their best to honor it. Either restaurants are forced to overbook and make the guests (that actually showed up) wait, or they do what we do, turn away guests for some prime-time slots because they’re booked, and then have empty tables.
After @RedMedicineLA Twitter-shames no-shows, a customer responds. http://t.co/fgEEff4vxM
— Grub Street (@grubstreet) March 26, 2013
One of the no-shows told Grub Street, “I got a call from my mom saying my uncle had passed away and it was the last thing on my mind to call and cancel our reservation.”
So, was it the right thing to publicly call people out for rudeness or was this an unprofessional social media blunder? The tweets drew both cheers and jeers on Twitter.
Totally agree with the @redmedicinela to "Tweet You Out" when you no-show a reservation… Bold.
— Lou Lobsinger (@LouLobsinger) March 27, 2013
OMG, this restaurant has balls! I want to eat at RED MEDICINE in Beverly Hills BECAUSE of this: @redmedicinela #fbhttp://t.co/T8SgEZNy3L
— Ellen Douglas (@alwaysellen) March 26, 2013
https://twitter.com/huzainitoshi/status/316828618217095168
@redmedicinela love the story about your restaurant and the reservations tweets. AWESOME!!! I wanna come to a place with some 'tude!
— Jessica (@bozobarr) March 27, 2013
https://twitter.com/leavingcelestia/status/316807134585176064
@redmedicinela What your company is doing is shameful. You must really hate your customers. You and @Bioware @BioEvilChris should team up.
— HisShadowX (@HisShadowX) March 27, 2013
https://twitter.com/hbguide/status/316786053786779648
Would @RedMedicineLA feel regret if they saw an obituary for one of the no-shows? Accident report? #ExtenuatingCircumstances #2WrongsNoRight
— Garidin Winslow (@Garidin) March 27, 2013
@redmedicinela Tip: Stop using your customers names on your twitter page if you don't want to be on the next season of Kitchen nightmares.
— Dave Bohr™ (@OnIineTraining) March 27, 2013
Did Red Medicine open itself up to a prime trolling opportunity?
@redmedicinela Watch how many no show's you're going to have now this coming Sat. by opening this can of worms. It will be intentional now.
— Dave Bohr™ (@OnIineTraining) March 27, 2013
https://twitter.com/Paulos_guy/status/316611706325446656
https://twitter.com/Puffington_Host/status/316656219202932736
Hi, @redmedicinela. I'd like to make a reservation for all of Twitter, this Saturday at 8 PM under the name "Alex Hidell" … thanks.
— Jenny (@Jenny_IDLYITW) March 27, 2013
Join the conversation as a VIP Member