Netizens were baffled after hearing how an owner of a ramen shop in Japan placed a bounty on the heads of two people who left a negative review for their restaurant.
Despite TOYOJIRO, a Jiro-style ramen restaurant in Kyoto, Japan, being one of the top-rated ramen joints in the area, a group of customers left negative reviews about their food and experience.
After the one-star rating was left for future customers to see, the restaurant’s owner took to social media to place a bounty on the heads of those who’d publicly criticized his food.
“I saw your post, and you seem a bit weird,” the owner said on Instagram. “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.”
His threat continued: “We run a planned business, so if you get in our way, we’ll get in the way of yours too.”
Although the owner said there was room for forgiveness, his warning described what would happen to the group if they didn’t come forward and make things right.
The owner of TOYOJIRO offered 100,000 yen for any information on the two people who left negative reviews.
TOYOJIRO owner offers 100,000 yen for information
“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,” the owner said. “If he does that, he’ll be killed right away. This kid is so scared. He’ll really do it, so he’d better just come back and eat.”
The owner also asked social media users to give him any information they had on the two men who left a negative review, offering them 100,000 yen ($662) if they had useful knowledge about their whereabouts.
Instagram: toyojiro.toyotaReviews on Google for TOYOJIRO.
A post about the situation went viral on X, garnering over 33M views, with many ramen fans baffled by the owner’s comments about his customers.
“I like Jiro-style ramen, but I don’t want to go to a place like this and I don’t recommend it,” wrote one on X.
“The owner’s comments are damaging the store’s dignity and reputation. If they took it seriously, they would be perceived as a better store. I think it’s a shame because it’s such a good restaurant,” commented another.
Despite the backlash, it’s unlikely this incident would make ramen any less popular anywhere in the world. The dish is a staple in Japanese culture that’s even becoming increasingly popular in the US. Just last year, 7-Eleven convenience stores across the states began selling Japanese-style foods like onigiri, bento, ramen, and more.