Blogger Sued By Restaurant For Bad Review

Streisand effect in 3...2...1... by Even+on+Slashdot+FOE · 2011-02-01 09:59 · Score: 4, Insightful

Oh wait, I'm fairly certain it has already started. Too bad I'm not going to Kuwait so I can snub these people. Still, they have all the bad publicity they could ever wish to avoid.

Re:Streisand effect in 3...2...1... by bradgoodman · 2011-02-01 10:08 · Score: 1

BIG-TIME Streisand Effect! This is like the third or fourth place I've seen this posted today!!
Re:Streisand effect in 3...2...1... by reub2000 · 2011-02-01 10:14 · Score: 4, Funny

Slashdot effect in 3...2...1...
Oh wait, I'm fairly certain it has already started.
Re:Streisand effect in 3...2...1... by cowboy76Spain · 2011-02-01 10:37 · Score: 1

Whatever...
I somewhat doubt that they worry about what you or me think about them, their only trouble is the Streissand effect in Kuwait.

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Re:Streisand effect in 3...2...1... by BluBrick · 2011-02-01 10:41 · Score: 1

I'm going to snub these people whether I go to Kuwait or not. No way these folks are getting any of my hard earned (dinars? riyals?). Nuh-uhh!

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Re:Streisand effect in 3...2...1... by Mitchell314 · 2011-02-01 10:45 · Score: 1

That's what they want. Front page global advertisement.

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Re:Streisand effect in 3...2...1... by drinkypoo · 2011-02-01 15:26 · Score: 1

They have Benihana restaurants here in the states, too. And in other places. Why not just avoid them?
Your posting style looks familiar. I wonder who this is a later account for?

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Re:Streisand effect in 3...2...1... by Francois_DXB · 2011-02-01 18:53 · Score: 1

It was on the radio yesterday in Dubai, the blogger was interviewed telling his side of the story. The commentators were making fun of the manager. And definitively the business travelers from Dubai to Kuwait were a target market for this restaurant. So, I say Streisand Effect indeed.
Re:Streisand effect in 3...2...1... by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 20:34 · Score: 0

>Too bad I'm not going to Kuwait so I can snub these people.
For a modest donation of $20 I'm willing to explain to you how you can avoid doing business with this restaurant from the comfort of your own home even from across the globe. Indicate below if you're interested and I'll PM you.
Re:Streisand effect in 3...2...1... by arisvega · 2011-02-01 23:57 · Score: 1

Balls to them!

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Re:Streisand effect in 3...2...1... by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 23:58 · Score: 0

Too bad I'm not going to Kuwait so I can snub these people.
You're not going to Kuwait and so you can't not go to that restaurant? What?
Re:Streisand effect in 3...2...1... by mcvos · 2011-02-03 00:05 · Score: 1

They have Benihana restaurants here in the states, too. And in other places. Why not just avoid them?
The other Benihana restaurants might not agree with the lawsuit, and they can't stop it either. The Benihana franchise might kick the Kuwait restaurant out of the franchise for damaging their name, though. Boingboing had a short interview with them where they suggested that this might happen.
Re:Streisand effect in 3...2...1... by drinkypoo · 2011-02-03 02:41 · Score: 1

Pretty sure it WILL happen if enough people boycott them. Tricky to make it happen though.

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I'm for free speech and all by TommydCat · 2011-02-01 09:59 · Score: 4, Funny

but... those dudes have really large knives!

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Re:I'm for free speech and all by Opportunist · 2011-02-01 10:52 · Score: 2

So? They always make the same mistakes, they bring knives to a gunfight...

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Re:I'm for free speech and all by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 12:02 · Score: 0

And over here we have idiots with guns.
Re:I'm for free speech and all by mhajicek · 2011-02-01 18:39 · Score: 1

So did Bishnu...
Re:I'm for free speech and all by jtnix · 2011-02-01 18:41 · Score: 1

I went to a Benihana in Atlanta, Georgia (US) after a day at Dragon*Con a few years back and it was alright. 3 stars.
Sue me for that, bitchez!

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She blinded me with science, she tricked me with technology. ~ Thomas Dolby
Re:I'm for free speech and all by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 23:50 · Score: 0

The blog is mightier than the knife
Re:I'm for free speech and all by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-05 14:12 · Score: 0

Only fagots participae in gunfight.

Eh, it was probably right by jandrese · 2011-02-01 10:04 · Score: 4, Insightful

Benihana isn't bad, but it is badly overpriced for what it is. Unless you're lucky to get the chef who really knows how to put on a show it's simply not worth the premium over all of the other Japanese steakhouse options. The food is alright, but unexceptional--you're paying mostly for the show. If the show isn't outstanding, the whole thing tends to be a waste of time.

This also means reviews for those Steakhouses can vary quite a lot, depending on who the reviewer got that evening.

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Re:Eh, it was probably right by Dunbal · 2011-02-01 10:18 · Score: 4, Insightful

You're missing the point - it's not about the food, it's about them thinking they can silence any criticism by suing. Whether or not you like Benihana, taste is subjective and opinions are usually protected speech in countries that still believe in free speech. He doesn't have to like Benihana, and he sure is allowed to tell the whole world that he doesn't like it - whether Benihana likes it or not. One would expect a chain with a halfway decent customer service/PR department to try and address the issues, not launch lawsuits. IN MY OPINION Benihana behaved foolishly, and I certainly will never eat there because of this. There are plenty of other, less pretentious restaurants. I'm sure this will cost them far, far more than $15,000 worldwide.

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Re:Eh, it was probably right by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 10:29 · Score: 0

(looks up on internet) Oh, so it's an American chain restaurant, like McDonalds or Burger King or Taco Bell? Since when are they known for their food?
Re:Eh, it was probably right by Fallen+Kell · 2011-02-01 10:33 · Score: 3, Informative

That said, I don't think the show had changed since it the places have opened. You get the shrimp tail flip to the chef's shirt pocket or hat, the onion "volcano" from oil/water, the "egg roll" joke (at least in English speaking ones), the beating fried rice heart (assuming you ordered the fried rice, same with the egg roll since it is normally when they are cooking the fried rice), and then you get some salt/pepper shaker tapping/flipping, and maybe some skilled knife-work....

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Re:Eh, it was probably right by Moryath · 2011-02-01 10:43 · Score: 3, Informative

They used to do a lot more.
I remember when they'd do the flame-flash with the meat. (Cam'ron, Can't Hurt My Style, "Flame it like Benihana's...")
The juggling with various ingredients to make the fried rice.
A lot of it is skilled knife-work, no question. Then again, ever time I've gone with friends to Benihana, the food's been wonderful.
YMMV by location and by chef, of course. And that pretty much holds for any Teppanyaki place.
Re:Eh, it was probably right by wiredlogic · 2011-02-01 10:45 · Score: 1

it's simply not worth the premium over all of the other Japanese steakhouse options.
Or even options that serve real Japanese food.

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Re:Eh, it was probably right by Mister+Whirly · 2011-02-01 10:48 · Score: 2

Yes because everyone knows that every American restaurant is the same quality as every other one. And you named 3 fast food franchises, Benihana is a sit down restaurant - hardly in the same category. Nice try at drumming up anti-US sentiment though.

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Re:Eh, it was probably right by mattack2 · 2011-02-01 11:00 · Score: 1

Are Benihana restaurants company owned or franchises? *Especially* if they're franchises, it seems unwise to punish the entire chain (including other franchises, if that is indeed what they are), for the actions of one particular store.
Re:Eh, it was probably right by jandrese · 2011-02-01 11:07 · Score: 3, Interesting

Does Kuwait even have protected free speech? I know it's pretty liberal by Middle Eastern standards, but that's not saying much.

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Re:Eh, it was probably right by lostmongoose · 2011-02-01 11:41 · Score: 2

It's plenty fair to punish the whole chain. If the corporate HQ allows a franchise to act like this without having their franchise license revoked, then you boycott the whole chain. It's like boycotting Activision. You don't just boycott Activision's own stuff, you boycott any devs who sign up with them for publishing too. You choose to do business with an entity of questionable ethics, you suffer the consequences. In this case that would be any franchisees as well as wholly owned locations.
Re:Eh, it was probably right by Wyatt+Earp · 2011-02-01 12:35 · Score: 1

Kuwait is not liberal by Middle Eastern standards. Bahrain, the UAE and Israel are liberal by Middle Eastern standards, Kuwait is moderate, but still pretty conservative.
They are liberal on religion though, allowing Churches and Synagogues.
Alcohol is outlawed.
Worst on Human Trafficking by the State Department.
Eating and drinking in public during daytime in the month ramadan is banned.
Women are also prohibited from jobs that "contravene with public morals" and that require women to be in otherwise all-male environments.
Homosexuality and cross-dressing are treated as crimes and signs of immorality.
Re:Eh, it was probably right by Firehed · 2011-02-01 12:55 · Score: 1

Yes, they are.
Which I only know after searching Wikipedia to figure out what the hell everyone was talking out, the uncultured slob that I am.

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Re:Eh, it was probably right by hurfy · 2011-02-01 13:13 · Score: 1

There are apparently 2 "chains"
US, Central and South America are a diferent chain, and didnt seem too impressed.
The other HQ had no comment yet. Benihana of Tokyo (in New York!) The name alone is.....well nm
pretty entertaining comment section...i hope their lawyer eats A LOT of food....doesn't sound like many others there plan to :O
Re:Eh, it was probably right by zonky · 2011-02-01 13:27 · Score: 2

He implied that the chicken was tasteless- fine. He said it was becuase it was undercooked raw, which now means he's accused Benihana of trying to poison/kill people. Which is certainly not so fine.
Re:Eh, it was probably right by starfishsystems · 2011-02-01 13:38 · Score: 1

One would expect a chain with a halfway decent customer service/PR department to try and address the issues, not launch lawsuits.

Agreed. And... it's a restaurant chain. That shifts matters considerably, in my opinion. I can understand how a single small restaurant can feel itself exceedingly vulnerable to criticism. Fair criticism and fair praise are how a restaurant becomes known, so any decent restaurant will welcome both, but unfair or malicious treatment is another matter. It can really hurt real people.

A restaurant chain, on the other hand, is not at all the same as a hardworking chef or two and a few staff. It's a corporation, not part of the neighborhood but parasitic of it. As a matter of personal taste, I despise such places. And I can see no valid reason why that point of view should not be protected speech.

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Re:Eh, it was probably right by mattack2 · 2011-02-01 13:39 · Score: 1

I asked an either/or question, and you answered "Yes".
(According to Wikipedia, the parent company does franchise, as well as own some stores.)
Re:Eh, it was probably right by mrmeval · 2011-02-01 16:09 · Score: 1

They are on the low side here. We have several great teppanyaki places here. The only thing keeping benihaha from obscurity is their past reputation, their name, that they had deep pockets when they picked their location and yuppies who have no taste.
There two locally owned teppanyaki places local to me and one fantastic sushi place. I love locally owned businesses as they pay taxes to local government and are a part of the community. In all three of those restaurants I am greeted by name if the server knows me and I've never gotten a bad meal.
You have to go look for them rather than stop in the mall's choke and puke outlot area or the faux trendy areas with 'upscale' chains that slop mystery sauce and near dehydrated veggies in a wok and serve it too you without having too much of the cooks sweat as an added awesome sauch.

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Re:Eh, it was probably right by Meski · 2011-02-01 16:41 · Score: 2

Another SLAPP case, then.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_lawsuit_against_public_participation
Re:Eh, it was probably right by arivanov · 2011-02-01 18:59 · Score: 1

It does not matter how much you cook a spoiled chicken you will still be sick. You get sick from the toxins which are already in the meat at that point. Most bacterial toxins are not destroyed by normal cooking (and especially japanese style cooking which is quite "gentle"). Cooking is there to kill parasites - various flatworms, etc, not bacterial toxins.
Similarly, you can eat as much as you like half-raw chicken. If the meat is fresh from a poultry which runs proper hygiene and a farm which runs a proper hygiene to western health standards you will not get sick. You will get constipated as hell, but not sick.

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Re:Eh, it was probably right by Belial6 · 2011-02-01 19:17 · Score: 1

The point of a franchise is to associate your business with all the other businesses with the same name. Of course they have to take the good with the bad.
Re:Eh, it was probably right by Dunbal · 2011-02-01 20:34 · Score: 1

Ahh, so you want all of the benefits of being associated with a brand name, and none of the problems. Where was this fantasy world again?

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Re:Eh, it was probably right by noidentity · 2011-02-01 20:45 · Score: 1

I wish I understood anything you wrote in your post. I'm missing some context it seems.
Re:Eh, it was probably right by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 23:47 · Score: 0

Alcohol is outlawed.
Motherfuckers!
Worst on Human Trafficking by the State Department.
tl;dr
Eating and drinking in public during daytime in the month ramadan is banned.
only fatties care about this one
Women are also prohibited from jobs that "contravene with public morals" and that require women to be in otherwise all-male environments.
women should stay at home and make babies anyway
Homosexuality and cross-dressing are treated as crimes and signs of immorality.
As they should be, god hates fags
Re:Eh, it was probably right by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-02 00:42 · Score: 0

Are Benihana restaurants company owned or franchises? *Especially* if they're franchises, it seems unwise to punish the entire chain (including other franchises, if that is indeed what they are), for the actions of one particular store.
Franchises reap the positive benefits of the company name. They get advertising, reduced rates with suppliers due to large bulk purchasing agreements, and widespread name-brand recognition. The downside is that when the namebrand gets bad press, it affects your local franchise as well. But that's part of the risk you take when you license a franchise- you can always just open up on your own standing.
So really, I can't find any reason to shed any tears over the franchise owners' "plight". They are supplying the parent company revenue, so a boycott of all stores carrying that name IS entirely appropriate.
Re:Eh, it was probably right by TheMidget · 2011-02-02 01:01 · Score: 1

He said it was becuase it was undercooked raw,
Couldn't he just have handed it back to the chef, so that he puts it back on the grill for a couple more minutes?

he's accused Benihana of trying to poison/kill people
well, it's not as if they had tried to serve him German chicken ... would have been far too expensive to haul it all the way from Germany to Kuwait.
Re:Eh, it was probably right by serialband · 2011-02-02 04:37 · Score: 1

Benihana once hired talented chefs. I remember ages ago, their chefs juggled food with their spatulas and really put on a show with how quickly they cut the food. The food was decent, but you went there to see the chefs perform. Now, they hire just any plain old chef. They just bang their spatulas together and fake it. Entirely obvious to my kids at 6 years old, who asked me why they were just banging their spatulas together. It's no longer worth the price of admission.
I guess it's expected since there aren't that many chefs that can do that, and the number of Benihana's branches have grown.
Re:Eh, it was probably right by PachmanP · 2011-02-02 05:45 · Score: 1

hey are on the low side here. We have several great teppanyaki places here. The only thing keeping benihaha from obscurity is their past reputation, their name, that they had deep pockets when they picked their location and yuppies who have no taste. There two locally owned teppanyaki places local to me and one fantastic sushi place. I love locally owned businesses as they pay taxes to local government and are a part of the community. In all three of those restaurants I am greeted by name if the server knows me and I've never gotten a bad meal.

You have to go look for them rather than stop in the mall's choke and puke outlot area or the faux trendy areas with 'upscale' chains that slop mystery sauce and near dehydrated veggies in a wok and serve it too you without having too much of the cooks sweat as an added awesome sauch.
Gah! Pretentious much?

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Re:Eh, it was probably right by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-02 11:37 · Score: 0

I made the mistake of getting sushi at a Japanese steakhouse one time (might have been a Benihana, even, don't remember for sure) - fish eaters are 100% second-class citizens at those restaurants. The chef even told the table that my girlfriend and I wouldn't be getting the little samples of meat shared amongst the table before the main courses were finished, because I hadn't ordered my main dish from the grill. Then when my roll came they had forgotten to cut it... although that's probably the fault of an inexperienced and anxious waiter, no big deal.
Bu the rudeness of the chef because I was in the mood for sushi (we'd actually been looking for a sushi bar to have lunch at but all the ones we found were closed on Mondays) was pretty inexcusable in my opinion. And the price was pretty outrageous too. I really prefer spending $30-40 at a sushi bar and having enough top-class food for 3 people to spending $50 for two people, getting food no better if not worse, and being treated like dirt for it.
Re:Eh, it was probably right by CtownNighrider · 2011-02-02 11:42 · Score: 1

So how does it compare to nations the US decided were bad enough to invade?
Re:Eh, it was probably right by Wyatt+Earp · 2011-02-02 12:42 · Score: 1

Iraq under Saddam was a lot worse than Kuwait.
Ethnic cleansing
Poison gas attacks
Killing of political foes
No opposition political parties
Honor killings
And other things like torture of national athletes who failed to win.
In Afghanistan, civil war, destruction of historical sites, public execution of LGBT people, execution of non Muslims.

As long as the review was honest... by errxn · 2011-02-01 10:09 · Score: 2

...Benihana really doesn't have any room to complain. On the other hand, if the blogger was pulling a Deadspin vs. ESPN move, they *should* go after him.

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The Wrong Way to fix this by RobertLTux · 2011-02-01 10:14 · Score: 1

If "we" wanted to get nasty about this we could just go ahead and 1 write actual letters to the corporate office in protest 2 boycott the place 3 do both

Now what should have been done is the operator should have contacted the blogger and then sorted it out privately
(hint comp a meal and figure out if its a product/training issue).

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Re:The Wrong Way to fix this by gknoy · 2011-02-01 10:24 · Score: 1

You could DOS them with physical mail (but probably shouldn't), but very few of us live in Kuwait so a boycott might be less effective.
Re:The Wrong Way to fix this by Dogtanian · 2011-02-01 10:45 · Score: 1

You could DOS them with physical mail (but probably shouldn't), but very few of us live in Kuwait so a boycott might be less effective.
If you were really serious, you'd move to Kuwait and *then* boycott them. ;-)

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Re:The Wrong Way to fix this by shawb · 2011-02-01 12:18 · Score: 1

Benihana is a chain. There's a good chance you can boycott locally.

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Re:The Wrong Way to fix this by TheMidget · 2011-02-02 01:13 · Score: 1

few of us live in Kuwait so a boycott might be less effective.
It's a worldwide franchise. So, boycott it where you live (if you have one in town), and then send the corporate office a letter why you are doing so.

I ate there by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 10:16 · Score: 0

Their Khlav kalash is terrible but they do serve a good crab juice.

Re:I ate there by Opportunist · 2011-02-01 10:54 · Score: 1

Yes, but the man's room is really far away and there's always a line or it's out of order.

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Re:I ate there by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 11:05 · Score: 0

But good shit.
Re:I ate there by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 17:55 · Score: 0

Expensive shit, too.
Re:I ate there by Sulphur · 2011-02-01 18:48 · Score: 1

Yes, but the man's room is really far away and there's always a line or it's out of order.
The line is out of order?
Re:I ate there by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-02 02:43 · Score: 0

Speaking of shit in a Japanese restaurant, there is a Japanese riddle that goes...
Curry-flavored shit or shit-flavored curry - which would you prefer?

Google cache to slashdotted original by bwintx · 2011-02-01 10:24 · Score: 1

Here.

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Re:Google cache to slashdotted original by bwintx · 2011-02-01 10:28 · Score: 1

Sorry to reply to my own post, but thought I'd also post a link to the Google cache of the review that got the whole 'storm started: Cache of review.

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Re:Google cache to slashdotted original by sconeu · 2011-02-01 10:34 · Score: 2

No way in hell is that libel. That's an ordinary restaurant review.

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Re:Google cache to slashdotted original by reilwin · 2011-02-01 10:42 · Score: 1

The linked videos of his visit are hosted on youtube and in one you can see the poor chef throwing his implements into the air and missing the catch several times.
Re:Google cache to slashdotted original by Progman3K · 2011-02-01 11:05 · Score: 1

Yup, I think the problem is with the clearly-inexperienced chef he was assigned. You can see the guy is new at it.
What do you expect though, newly-opened restaurant and all.
The chefs at that place should watch the video referenced by the article of a super-chef at work, it would show them what to aim for.

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Re:Google cache to slashdotted original by hairyfeet · 2011-02-01 12:05 · Score: 1

Not only that but they don't have a leg to stand on as it is laid out as a standard critique. He points out when it is his own tastes (preferring a stronger sauce for instance) vs when it is just badly prepared (chicken was chewy) or bad ingredients (vegetables left bad aftertaste) .
So frankly unless reviews aren't allowed in Kuwait they don't have a prayer. The review was polite, pointed out where they had done well as well as where they failed, it was about as professional a restaurant review as one would expect from any experienced restaurant critic. After reading it the only thing they'll be able to claim is they don't like the public knowing their food sucks, but that is kinda the whole point of reviews isn't it? To find out what sucks and what is good before laying down your money?

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Re:Google cache to slashdotted original by TheLink · 2011-02-01 16:27 · Score: 1

If that's the review, then the restaurant has done far more damage to themselves by suing.

Nowadays people blog about food all the time. Some are clueless (e.g. blogger doesn't seem to know that the dish is SUPPOSED to be like that :) ). But if you go around suing people who blog normal/stupid stuff you're going to go out of business.

If they falsely accused the restaurant of trying to do something _malicious_ or terribly disgusting that's easily proven false in court AND are getting a fair amount of publicity[1] then sure sue.

But sue this blogger who claims that the chicken is too tough because it's undercooked? I'd think chicken would normally be too tough when overcooked. Unless it ain't chicken... ;)

[1] If they're some obscure wacko with an axe to grind, no point giving them any more publicity.
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Re:Google cache to slashdotted original by hairyfeet · 2011-02-02 00:59 · Score: 1

I was frankly surprised when I read it that they decided to sue THIS particular review, as I was expecting the usual blogger crap (this sux ass LOL!) but instead it is frankly a very well written review. You can tell by reading it the guy has plenty of experience with this type of cuisine, doesn't make a big deal like others here over the chef's lack of presentation skills, and instead simply runs down the quality of the meal from dish to dish in a VERY professional and polite manner. So from the looks of it the ONLY thing they would have to complain about is that it ultimately is a bad review, but that's their own fault for hiring bad chefs and using lower quality ingredients, isn't it?
Oh and as far as chicken goes it usually comes out chewy or rubbery if it is undercooked and tough as leather when overcooked. That is why I tend to stay away from chicken when trying a new restaurant unless the chicken has been recommended before hand, as it is hard for a place to get chicken "just right". It is one of those things like really good BBQ that it takes a good chef with plenty of experience to bring out the texture and flavor without either overwhelming it with spices or ruining the meat by bad preparation. When done right both chicken and BBQ are incredible, but when done wrong they are frankly awful.

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Boycott? by Locke2005 · 2011-02-01 10:24 · Score: 3, Funny

I'd say I was boycotting them in retaliation for this, but the truth is there was no way I was going to pay for their ridiculously overpriced menu in the first place! If I want expensive entertainment, I'll hire a stripper.

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Re:Boycott? by mattack2 · 2011-02-01 11:02 · Score: 4, Funny

Charlie? You're already posting to Slashdot, right out of rehab?
Re:Boycott? by ravenshrike · 2011-02-01 11:10 · Score: 1

He said stripper, not porn star.
Re:Boycott? by Locke2005 · 2011-02-01 11:10 · Score: 1

I didn't go to rehab, I went straight to the "two and a half cocaine-addled womanizers" set today and started working again. And if I wanna eat something that smells like sushi, I'll hire a porn starlet!

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I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
Re:Boycott? by StuartHankins · 2011-02-01 11:21 · Score: 1

Well, he's down to only 1 dancer, so there's a start.
Re:Boycott? by huiwe · 2011-02-01 20:32 · Score: 1

Classy.

anybody read the review? by Skarecrow77 · 2011-02-01 10:24 · Score: 2

Just curious. Everybody assumes it's big bad evil corporation vs little guy. Maybe it really is libel? People can get pretty vicious in their blogs, because they think they are invincible internet supermen.

Re:anybody read the review? by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 10:38 · Score: 0

It's probably not in English. Makes it hard for us to read.
In the US at least, the key to libel is that the statements have to be false, and further, the writer has to KNOW that they're false or display other recklessness. If I say you are a child molester, and you actually are, you can't sue me for libel. However, if you aren't, you need to prove that I made it up; if you were arrested for it but acquitted (or charges dismissed), for instance, it would be hard to make a case for the second criterion. Oh, there also has to be harm caused directly by the statements. These things make libel very difficult: if the business drops, the restaurant has to prove that customers stopped coming because of a false review. That's very difficult to do without rounding up the potential customers and asking them why they stopped coming, for instance.
But that's in the US. Who knows how it is in Kuwait.
Re:anybody read the review? by takowl · 2011-02-01 10:39 · Score: 3, Interesting

I read it before it was /.ed. It wasn't obviously libel: he more or less approved of the atmosphere, said two dishes were alright, nothing great, then laid into them on the quality of a couple more dishes. Of course, I have no way of knowing if he was telling the truth, or being paid by a competitor, but it read like a negative review, not a hate-filled diatribe.
Re:anybody read the review? by imgumbydamnit · 2011-02-01 10:43 · Score: 1

It's a straightforward critique; one ok dish, one mediocre dish, one really bad dish. No hyperbole, no profanity. Color Benihana Streisand.

--
To err is human. To arr is pirate.
Re:anybody read the review? by Opportunist · 2011-02-01 10:57 · Score: 2

Return question, why would he? What does he have to gain from slandering a restaurant chain?
Also note that this is his OPINION. Like all reviews. I might now follow this log because his taste in food matches mine, but what it eventually comes down to is that he states his opinion about the restaurant. Which is, at least in my country, his right to do. If I think your corned beef tastes like corned crap and I write that in my blog, I may well do so. I didn't like it and my opinion is that your food is no good.

--
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Re:anybody read the review? by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 10:57 · Score: 0

Maybe it's defamation of character.
Assuming that corporations are treated as people then shouldn't they have the same rights?
Re:anybody read the review? by JumperCable · 2011-02-01 10:58 · Score: 1

Here is Benihana's General Manager's (Mike Servo) stated case against the blogger:

You mentioned clearly on a detour way on not to go to Benihana and go to Maki or Wasabi or Chocolate Bar and we believe that this is against the law of Kuwait, We respect our rights on not to advertise in your website and if we don’t, this will not mean that we will be hurt by your side and if this done, the court in Kuwait will be in our side to give us our rights.
Re:anybody read the review? by JumperCable · 2011-02-01 11:00 · Score: 2

Here is the original review:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Q4qRyLrkfa4J:www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/my-benihana-experience/+http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/im-being-sued-by-benihana/&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a&source=www.google.com
Mike Servo, the general manger makes comments down below.
Re:anybody read the review? by D'Eyncourt · 2011-02-01 11:18 · Score: 1

I did read the review before its site got Slashdotted and it was a relatively mild rebuke of the restaurant, saying that it was new so it might be understandable not to have everything fully running but since he had other options for Japanese food the reviewer wouldn't be returning, the "Benihana experience" not being enough of a draw. It got a bit more angry in the comments because the manager of the restaurant obviously was attempting to "astroturf" the review with counter reviews supposedly from different people but apparently from the same IP. The reviewer did NOT accuse the restaurant of illegal or unethical practices, only of unnotable presentation of mediocre food.
Also, the legal actions seem to be the responsibility of the manager of the restaurant and not at all related to Benihana of Tokyo as a corporate entity. Cory Doctorow actually contacted their COO in his article at BoingBoing and said exec understandably refused to comment directly about the suit.
Re:anybody read the review? by DerekLyons · 2011-02-01 11:55 · Score: 1

Maybe it really is libel? People can get pretty vicious in their blogs, because they think they are invincible internet supermen.
Return question, why would he? What does he have to gain from slandering a restaurant chain?
You must be new to the interent - around here people are vicious, vindictive, etc... etc.. quite routinely whether they stand to gain in return or not.
Re:anybody read the review? by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 15:59 · Score: 0

Why should it be illegal for him to libel them? If his reviews are inaccurate, people will stop reading them.
Re:anybody read the review? by mallydobb · 2011-02-02 00:01 · Score: 1

the thing is, why didn't you read the review before posting? I did and the review was a fair OPINION, not no libelous in any form or fashion. With a few exceptions those that are really active in the Middle East blogging scene are genuinely nice people and value the power of words, this guy is one of the best ones out there.

--
--- b2b.mallaidh.org | www.mallaidh.org | www.kidsalive.org/article/kahlil-pfaff/
Re:anybody read the review? by TheMidget · 2011-02-02 01:15 · Score: 1

Color Benihana Streisand.
Hehe, would have been funnier if it was undercooked duck , rather than chicken.
Re:anybody read the review? by TheMidget · 2011-02-02 01:16 · Score: 1

If I think your corned beef tastes like corned crap
Doesn't it always?

Google cache to slashdotted review by reilwin · 2011-02-01 10:30 · Score: 1

And the cached review here.

I ate there by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 10:32 · Score: 0

it was actually shit.

Cooks Source vs This by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 10:33 · Score: 0

What does plagiarism have to do with a claim of libel - nerd rage ? As the blog has been slashdotted and there's no way of knowing what the deal is about from the one-sided summary, should I get my ire up for what may well be a legitimate complaint ?

Cached report on lawsuit from blog & review by JumperCable · 2011-02-01 10:38 · Score: 4, Informative

Bloggers article on being sued:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:DeHc7_jwEEQJ:www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/im-being-sued-by-benihana/+http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/im-being-sued-by-benihana/&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a&source=www.google.com

Blogger's original review:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Q4qRyLrkfa4J:www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/my-benihana-experience/+http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/im-being-sued-by-benihana/&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a&source=www.google.com

My Benihana Experience

A few days back I posted about Benihana opening up at the Avenues and yesterday night I decided to pass by with Nat and try it out. The service wasn’t too bad for a restaurant that’s just been open for a few days and the staff were really friendly. The restaurant itself is made up of islands and bars with a grill in the middle of each one. You sit around the grill and the chef will come to your table and prepare the food right in front of you which makes things entertaining. It’s actually why I prefer sitting at the bar in Japanese restaurants in general, since you can talk to the chef and watch them put your dish together. The problem with my experience last night though was with the food, it was disappointing to say the least.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wllrtj-3rV4

We ordered beef negimayaki for starters followed by an Orange Blossom maki and a Hibachi Chicken. The negimaki arrived looking good and was probably the best thing we had there even though I prefer Maki’s negimaki which has a richer teriyaki sauce. The Orange Blossom was very ordinary, wouldn’t order it again. Now the Hibachi chicken which is basically grilled chicken, that was the worst. The chicken was very chewy (I could swear it was undercooked if not raw) and tasted terrible. Even after I had the chef add some more teriyaki sauce in hopes of improving the taste it didn’t work. I tried to dip it into the sauces that came with the chicken but it was hard to figure out if they were actually making things worse or not. Nat only ate one piece of chicken and left the rest while I needed my protein since I’m on a strict diet and forced myself to eat my whole plate (I can do that) but the after taste was really bad. Even the rice and the veggies that came with it tasted bad AND were under cooked. Once we left I considered picking up a frozen yogurt from Pinkberry even though I hate frozen yogurts but I just needed something to get rid of the aftertaste. A few moments later we ended up at Chocolate Bar ordering the gooey chocolate cake (bye bye diet).

\
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAyPBFxNQlw

I shot the two videos above of the chef preparing our meal. Benihana are known for the live shows they perform when preparing your dish so I was expecting to see [This] but ended up with the above . Would I go back to Benihana? No I wouldn’t. Their sashimi and maki’s are pretty cheap (KD1.5 for 5 pieces of Salmon sashimi for example) but there are two other Japanese restaurants at the Avenues, Wasabi and Maki, and I would prefer either one of those to Benihana.

—————————————

Re:Cached report on lawsuit from blog & review by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 10:49 · Score: 0

Looks like the amateur benihana training site
Re:Cached report on lawsuit from blog & review by Sponge+Bath · 2011-02-01 10:53 · Score: 2

He called one dish ordinary and did not like the chicken? That's all?
I had assumed he claimed the Benihana chef had sodomized a goat at the table or something. Is this just a franchise suing or an international corporation? I have a hard time believing this action was authorized by anyone far up the food chain at a large corporation.
Re:Cached report on lawsuit from blog & review by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 10:57 · Score: 0

"(I could swear it was undercooked if not raw)"
It might be that one sentence in parentheses.
Re:Cached report on lawsuit from blog & review by jandrese · 2011-02-01 11:11 · Score: 1

Benihana was the cheap option? I have to wonder where this guy normally goes.

--

I read the internet for the articles.
Re:Cached report on lawsuit from blog & review by JustNilt · 2011-02-01 18:12 · Score: 1

According to the complaint, it's basically the franchisee for Kuwait that's suing, not the Benihana Corporation.
Here's a somewhat prro English translation of what amounts to the complaint in Kuwaiti courts.
http://www.248am.com/files/courtorderenglish.pdf
Apparently bloggers aren't considered journalists in Kuwait, which is how the company is getting away with this. The shortsightedness of this is appalling from a business standpoint. For those who are unaware, Kuwait overall is about the size of New Jersey but something along the lines of 90% of the population live in and around Kuwait City. Nothing like alienating a large segment of your potential customer base, eh?

--
You know the thing about UDP jokes? I don't care if you get it or not.
Re:Cached report on lawsuit from blog & review by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-02 00:50 · Score: 0

He called one dish ordinary and did not like the chicken? That's all?
No, try reading it again.
and broadcasting the video without a proper consent from us

business as usual by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 10:45 · Score: 1

From my experience running several restaurant review sites ( www.foodpages.ca www.foodpage.us, etc..) it seems like the restaurants having various internal issues and problems, are the ones issuing legal threats over negative reviews. I get such threats every day - just got one 5 minutes ago - from a disgruntled restauranteur, although I was not the one who wrote the review, simply the one who runs the site that published it.
I also found out, that some of the restaurants issuing the most threats, are the ones that eventually went out of business. Not because of the bad review - I hope.

Re:business as usual by v1 · 2011-02-01 10:59 · Score: 3, Insightful

Don't feel bad if your review contributes to a restaurant going out of business. If it's a BAD restaurant, it deserves a bad review and deserves to go out of business. You're doing a community service in both your action and the effect it helps bring about.

--
I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
Re:business as usual by TheLink · 2011-02-01 16:37 · Score: 1

some of the restaurants issuing the most threats, are the ones that eventually went out of business. Not because of the bad review - I hope.
More likely because the bosses are not spending their resources on improving the restaurant and instead threatening/suing their customers.
The sort who'd sue their customers are likely to be the sort who'd yell at customers.
That said, some places can actually survive or even thrive despite the staff or bosses swearing at some customers - typically the food is really cheap, tastes good and doesn't cause obvious damage.
--
- Too many replies beneath your current threshold

Dammit. by QuantumBeep · 2011-02-01 10:46 · Score: 1

God Dammit. I love going to Benihana, and now I can't go there anymore.

Re:Dammit. by Ogive17 · 2011-02-01 11:57 · Score: 1

Just going to take a wild guess and assume you probably would never be near the one in Kuwait. Just because the GM of the Kuwaiti Benihana is a jackass doesn't mean they all are around the world.

Don't feel bad if you like the local one.

--
"Action without philosophy is a lethal weapon; philosophy without action is worthless."
Re:Dammit. by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-02 08:05 · Score: 0

Benihana US and Benihana Tokyo are different companies.
The Benihana in Kuwait is owned by Benihana Tokyo. You can still go to Benihana in the US with a clear conscience. But why would you? Their food sucks and costs way too damn much.

Benihana Contact Information by JumperCable · 2011-02-01 10:50 · Score: 3, Informative

Contact information for Benihana in case you want to call and complain:

http://www.benihana.com/about/franchise/contact

Phone: (305) 593-0770

Corporate Youtube account:
http://www.youtube.com/benihana

Corporate Facebook account
http://www.facebook.com/Benihana.Official.Page

Corporate Twitter account
http://twitter.com/Benihana__

Website contact page
http://www.benihana.com/contact-us

Re:Benihana Contact Information by Sarcileptic · 2011-02-01 13:35 · Score: 1

The blogger isn't being sued by Benihana. According to the court order translation, he is being sued by a corporation (Las Palmas Company) that owns many restaurants, including the Benihana franchise reviewed. Of course, Benihana would want to know if Las Palmas is giving them a bad reputation.
Re:Benihana Contact Information by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 14:14 · Score: 0

From Facebook:
Benihana
At Benihana, we continuously strive to improve our relationships with our guests and our community. We take any and all customer reviews very seriously and consider them opportunities for improving our operations and making the customer’s BENIHANA experience more unique, authentic, and enjoyable.
Over the last few days, we have read your posts regarding an alleged lawsuit filed by “Benihana” against a blogger based in Kuwait for posting an unfavorable review of a newly-opened, BENIHANA restaurant location in Kuwait. We hear you and wish to correct any misinformation.
The BENIHANA brand is co-owned by two separate and distinct corporate entities – Benihana, Inc. and Benihana of Tokyo, Inc. We, Benihana, Inc., own, operate and franchise nearly 100 BENIHANA restaurants in states and countries throughout the United States, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. You can find our locations by visiting the www.BENIHANA.com website. Benihana of Tokyo, Inc. owns, operates, or franchises BENIHANA restaurants in various other parts of the world, including, Kuwait. You can view Benihana of Tokyo, Inc.’s locations by visiting www.BenihanaGroup.com.
While we have a shared interest in the BENIHANA brand, we have no control over Benihana of Tokyo, Inc.’s business or legal decisions. Consequently, we cannot comment or opine on the alleged lawsuit filed by Benihana of Tokyo, Inc. except to say that we are never pleased to hear of any BENIHANA customer’s negative experience. We encourage you to share your opinions and comments directly with Benihana of Tokyo, Inc. The company’s contact information is available on www.BenihanaGroup.com.
Re:Benihana Contact Information by mustPushCart · 2011-02-01 16:13 · Score: 1

The blog says:
Update3: Please no one call and harass Benihanna or their employees. You can show your support in other ways. Thank you.

not implying anything, nosiree... by Thud457 · 2011-02-01 10:53 · Score: 1

So, it's an American restaurant like Outback, Olive Garden or Red Lobster?

--

the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Re:not implying anything, nosiree... by PitaBred · 2011-02-01 11:14 · Score: 2

More or less, yes

--
My blog. Good stuff (when I remember to update it). Read it.
Re:not implying anything, nosiree... by moortak · 2011-02-01 12:09 · Score: 1

Similar enough, they have a bit more of a theatrical presentation.

--
Xavier Rabourdin for president 2012
Re:not implying anything, nosiree... by insertwackynamehere · 2011-02-01 14:23 · Score: 1

Your hot pockets and supermarket sushi are getting cold honey!
Your mom wanted me to relay that message to you
Re:not implying anything, nosiree... by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-04 12:59 · Score: 0

Kind of, in that it's a restaurant. The food is generally a fair bit better, they cook the food at your table and put on a show, and the price is quite a bit higher.
Those three restaurants you listed are basically Denny's with a different menu. Benihana at least has better food than Denny's.

good way to destroy your own business by grapeape · 2011-02-01 10:59 · Score: 4, Insightful

Wow, nothing screams "the reviewer must be right" like suing the reviewer. Its probably more likely the place was already having problems and the owner got the bright idea that suing someone would be an opportunity to recoup losses.

Re:good way to destroy your own business by O('_')O_Bush · 2011-02-01 14:52 · Score: 1

I think the astro-turfing attempts by multiple posters making similar posts at nearly exactly the same time intervals from the same IP does a pretty good job of that as well. Check out the comments on his blog.

--
while(1) attack(People.Sandy);

Mike Servo? by Locke2005 · 2011-02-01 11:06 · Score: 1

Is he any relation to Tom Servo of MST3K fame?

--
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.

Re:Sue by TaoPhoenix · 2011-02-01 11:09 · Score: 2

Problem is, we're just on the turning point where stifling lawsuits work.

Your Country May Vary, but it only takes about 3 more dumb laws to make it game over.

--
My first Journal Entry ever, in 8 years! http://slashdot.org/journal/365947/aphelion-scifi-fantasy-horror-poetry-webzine

They killed my puppy! by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 11:12 · Score: 0

Benihana in Kuwait killed my puppy. Pass it on.

Re:They killed my puppy! by JumperCable · 2011-02-01 11:18 · Score: 1

Did they under cook it too?

Lemons into Lemonaide by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 11:17 · Score: 0

Benihana is chopping up a marketing campaign. In some schools of thought, any mention is good marketing.

What does it cost to file a lawsuit in Kuwait?

What does it cost to advertise on the front page of every major Kuwaiti newspaper?

The press again serves the people's right to know -- so they can all line up at Benihana to see if the claim is true.

Benihana says thank you, 248am.com.

When the press learns to distinguish news from hype, perhaps we might return to a society that has an effective Fourth Estate, keeping its eye on the hand in your pocket belonging to the corporate/government power mongers, instead of acting as a prestidigitatorial patsy for the powers that be.

--kwgm

Multiple Benihanas - non-USA ownership by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 11:30 · Score: 1

Benihana, Inc (the USA brand) posted to their facebook page, at http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150150961749305, the following:

The BENIHANA brand is co-owned by two separate and distinct corporate entities – Benihana, Inc. and Benihana of Tokyo, Inc. We, Benihana, Inc., own, operate and franchise nearly 100 BENIHANA restaurants in states and countries throughout the United States, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. You can find our locations by visiting the www.BENIHANA.com website. Benihana of Tokyo, Inc. owns, operates, or franchises BENIHANA restaurants in various other parts of the world, including, Kuwait. You can view Benihana of Tokyo, Inc.’s locations by visiting www.BenihanaGroup.com. While we have a shared interest in the BENIHANA brand, we have no control over Benihana of Tokyo, Inc.’s business or legal decisions.

Re:Benihana (of Tokyo) Contact Information by JumperCable · 2011-02-01 11:36 · Score: 1

It looks like Benihana has another branch for dealing with other international locations.

Additional contact information:
http://www.benihanagroup.com/contact.html

Phone: 212-421-7144

Re:Benihana (of Tokyo) Contact Information by need4mospd · 2011-02-01 11:47 · Score: 1

According to Benihana, that's not just "another branch", it's an entirely separate corporate entity. So Benihana of Tokyo, or the benihanagroup.com contact page would be the correct place to voice your complaints.

There's a better way. by mosb1000 · 2011-02-01 12:01 · Score: 1

If I were the manager I would have written him an email saying his experience was not typical and that he should come back and have a free meal on the house. Suing him seems much less likely to have a favorable result, given the nature of the complaint.

Also, if the chicken was undercooked, why didn't he just ask the chef to cook it longer? He's right there.

Corporate or local franchise decision? by macraig · 2011-02-01 12:39 · Score: 1

I wonder exactly what entity is suing this guy: the Benihana corporation, or just the local franchise owner? At least the stupidity can be contained if it's the latter. If it really is the former, perhaps a global boycott of Benihana everywhere is in order?

They will not have my business by mpmansell · 2011-02-01 12:49 · Score: 1

I cannot imagine that the parent company cannot contractually discipline a franchise should they bring the brand into disrepute.

Unless the brand owner takes action to disassociate itself from this action and withdraw support from this franchise, I will not set foot in any branch or franchise of this company world-wide because I need to know that I can exercise my rights to share my fair opinions without threat of legal action should I get bad service.

Happened to me on a book review by RobertinXinyang · 2011-02-01 12:53 · Score: 5, Interesting

As a teacher I reviewed a book that I tried for one semester in one of my classes. The review was quite mixed. It wasn't terrible; but I definitely had no intention of using the book again. You notice that I am not naming the book here. That was part of the final agreement.

This has definitely put a damper on my willingness to provide honest comments about the books used in my classes. It has also impacted my willingness to experiment with different materials. I pick a safe book used by other teachers and I never recommend experimentation. In a litigious society, the safe way really is the best way.

Re:Happened to me on a book review by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 15:19 · Score: 0

You were sued for a book review in Kuwait, or another country?
Re:Happened to me on a book review by RobertinXinyang · 2011-02-01 16:02 · Score: 1

I wrote the review, and posted it to my blog, in China; but, the suit was filed in California, USA. The grounds for choosing a US court was that the internet is international.
Within China the publisher tried to file a criminal charge of "interfering with a trade good." However, it basically got laughed out along with the admonishment that the standard for a review is not even truth, it was a lower threshold than that. The threshold that I had to meet was that I honestly believed that I was was truthful at the time that I wrote it. Seeing as what I wrote was truthful, there was no way to get the complaint past initial review in China.
Re:Happened to me on a book review by jelizondo · 2011-02-01 16:06 · Score: 3, Insightful

Sorry to tell you, that is the wrong way to go.
I was expelled from school for stating my opinions frankly and I got booted from my last job for the same reason. Between one incident and the other, more than 30 years passed, I will NOT learn to shut up
If you shut up before stronger opponents when you are right, then you have harmed the community where you live.
I always tell my daughters, "Better to live one minute standing up than a century on your knees"
May you live long and learn to stand up. It's not easy but it is what keeps the world from turning into a pit.

--
Be very, very careful what you put into that head, because you will never, ever get it out. - Cardinal Wolsey
Re:Happened to me on a book review by RobertinXinyang · 2011-02-01 16:11 · Score: 1

Just to clarify, in the end I was not out any legal fees and I agreed to remove the review and never mention the author, or publisher, in writing, again. It was still a rather lengthy and annoying ordeal for telling the truth. As it is said, no good deed goes unpunished.
Re:Happened to me on a book review by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 16:55 · Score: 0

I think you have a moral duty to let people know the name of this book that's so bad that they need to silence their critics. Anonymously, if necessary.
Re:Happened to me on a book review by Gaygirlie · 2011-02-01 18:15 · Score: 1

I wish I could mod you up.
I personally live my life by similar rules and I've had to take flak every now and then for being honest, but it has also forced a few entities to straighten up their ways and that is a good thing for all. But then again, here in Finland you quite can't get sued for such small things. If you were trying to sue someone for a slightly negative review you'd just be laughed out of the court room. So with that in mind I understand why the OP feels like he does and there really is no reason to berate him for that. He is entirely entitled to feel differently than us and it is by no means wrong. As unlikely as it is, I do hope one day lawmakers over there learns that people should have the right to voice their opinions without the fear of getting sued.
Re:Happened to me on a book review by syousef · 2011-02-01 18:56 · Score: 1

As a teacher I reviewed a book that I tried for one semester in one of my classes. The review was quite mixed. It wasn't terrible; but I definitely had no intention of using the book again. You notice that I am not naming the book here. That was part of the final agreement.
This has definitely put a damper on my willingness to provide honest comments about the books used in my classes. It has also impacted my willingness to experiment with different materials. I pick a safe book used by other teachers and I never recommend experimentation. In a litigious society, the safe way really is the best way.
You know who suffers when you lay down like this? You and your students.
Best thing you could have done is just worked out how to word the reviews so that it's harder to sue.

--
These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
Re:Happened to me on a book review by syousef · 2011-02-01 18:57 · Score: 1

Just to clarify, in the end I was not out any legal fees and I agreed to remove the review and never mention the author, or publisher, in writing, again. It was still a rather lengthy and annoying ordeal for telling the truth. As it is said, no good deed goes unpunished.
So they annoyed you into submission?
Freedoms aren't something you get without defending them. This is the equivalent of a burglar knocking on your door and pestering you to come in, and so finally after a few hours you just say "Come in and take what you like".

--
These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
Re:Happened to me on a book review by findoutmoretoday · 2011-02-01 20:26 · Score: 1

<quote><p> "Better to live one minute standing up than a century on your knees"</p></quote> Other people agree. When I lost my last job, one of the reasons stated was my habit of kneeling (to spare my back) when looking over the shoulder of someone to his desktop screen. With an Aikido background, I had no problem kneeling, as long as th floor is clean..
Re:Happened to me on a book review by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 23:00 · Score: 0

So, how did the Harry Potter series fared in your classroom?
Re:Happened to me on a book review by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 23:36 · Score: 0

The "safe way" is the cowards way. It's the "I was only obeying orders" way. A turd is a turd you can't polish it. And the emperor has no clothes.
Say what you think, believe what you like, express what you will. Either that or lie down and die like a good little sheep. The meek will inherit a nice coating of gravy on my dinner plate.
Here endeth the lesson.
Re:Happened to me on a book review by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-02 01:11 · Score: 0

As a teacher I reviewed a book that I tried for one semester in one of my classes. The review was quite mixed. It wasn't terrible; but I definitely had no intention of using the book again. You notice that I am not naming the book here. That was part of the final agreement.
This has definitely put a damper on my willingness to provide honest comments about the books used in my classes. It has also impacted my willingness to experiment with different materials. I pick a safe book used by other teachers and I never recommend experimentation. In a litigious society, the safe way really is the best way.
I prefer using my middle finger and an alias.
Re:Happened to me on a book review by TheMidget · 2011-02-02 01:39 · Score: 1

in the end I was not out any legal fees and I agreed to remove the review and never mention the author, or publisher, in writing, again.
You agreed to not mention author, publisher etc. However, your students may. Or your hairdresser, to which you mentioned it casually before that agreement may. Or your wife, or...
And many of these people might plausibly share your IP (your students if the school has one big NAT, your wife if you share the same computer)...
And, as far as I know, Slashdot accepts hotmail and yahoo addresses to create accounts. Or your student (or wife) might just post as an anonymous coward.
Re:Happened to me on a book review by TheMidget · 2011-02-02 02:43 · Score: 1

my habit of kneeling (to spare my back) when looking over the shoulder of someone to his desktop screen
Wow, you must be a pretty tall guy then...
Or did you just mipsel when looking between the legs of someone to his desktop screen... in which case I might understand (if you did it to everybody except to your boss, so he might have felt left out...)

It's the videos by rsborg · 2011-02-01 13:07 · Score: 1

They're doing the equivalent of what you do in the US: claiming copyright/DMCA takedown, effectively because he took the videos inside the Benihana's and then published them.

I honestly think Benihana have done a wrong move here (streissand effect and all), but they may actually have a case against this blogger if he took and published video and that was against the restaurant policies and/or local law.

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Re:It's the videos by Travelsonic · 2011-02-01 13:22 · Score: 1

Against policies =/= against the law in the U.S at least. they'd have one hell of a time perverting the intent/design of copyright and/or the DMCA to fit such a premise.

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If you believe in privacy, and believe you have "nothing to hide" at the same time, you're a goddammed idiot

What's Benihana? by DeathSquid · 2011-02-01 13:26 · Score: 1

Sounds like some kind of crap chain restaurant passing off faux Japanese cooking.

Re:What's Benihana? by __aatirs3925 · 2011-02-01 16:00 · Score: 1

You have no idea. They are all over California and it's overpriced takeout at a restaurant. I've seen some Asians but they weren't Japanese even though their theme is Japanese. I see this a lot in fast food places where they get an Asian to pretend that they are of that race so people feel like it's more authentic. Let me ask you something, what if the next time you went to a Persian restaurant and noticed that the waiter was actually Mexican trying to look Persian? There's a sense of hilarity and obscurity with this scenario and I for one giggle and die a little inside when it happens.
Re:What's Benihana? by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-02 02:57 · Score: 0

The last time I ate at a Benihana was over 10 years ago, when I was living in the SF Bay Area. It was the one near Point Reyes. The food is obviously "designed" for the local market and is not as authentic as one might hope. So in that sense, yes, it's faux Japanese cooking. But I personally liked the food, and even more so the atmosphere. Whenever it was announced we'd be going there, I always looked forward to the experience.
Bottom line, it's not real Japanese cooking but that's kind of its appeal. Oh, along with the cooking show.
Btw, I'm Japanese, and have since returned to Tokyo, where I've reverted to eating real Japanese every day and occasionally non-Japanese dishes "designed" for this market. Go figure.

If you watched the video.... by Technomonics · 2011-02-01 14:26 · Score: 1

... you would have seen the MOST PATHETIC Japanese Steak House presentation I have ever seen. There is no wonder the food was under cooked. The "chef" should never have been given a knife. He dropped his tools MULTIPLE times and did nothing but pound metal on the side of the grill. It is obvious the management of that location location allows CRAP and should be brought to bear for the low quality, low-class presentation. Instead he now got WORLD WIDE ATTENTION to his "CON GAME." Pitiful, VERY Pitiful.

interesting euphemism: Middle Eastern standards by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 15:09 · Score: 0

Don't you mean "liberal by Muslim/Arab standards"? Israel has free speech, gender equality, protection for minorities, debates about gay marriage, as in most western countries.

Re:interesting euphemism: Middle Eastern standards by partyguerrilla · 2011-02-02 01:30 · Score: 1

I'm guessing Palestinians don't count as a minority in your assessment.
Re:interesting euphemism: Middle Eastern standards by hazah · 2011-02-02 04:35 · Score: 1

Palestinians were more than welcome to use the schools, to work, and pretty much do as they please... all that changed once buses started blowing up. When I lived there, just before it all went to hell, about the only difference between "us and them" was the language. They were everywhere, working, making a living, and nobody thought much of it. But like I said, buses started blowing up.

Easiest Snub Ever by Lord_of_the_nerf · 2011-02-01 16:50 · Score: 2

It's like I was a poor student and decided to boycott BMW and conflict diamonds.

Yah. That'll learn 'em.

benihana kuwait? by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 17:02 · Score: 0

critic was probably not informed that the tenderest cut of the camel is the back hump ,not the front,
A Kuwait specialty
Val.

no detail by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-01 18:21 · Score: 0

i know I'm supposed to automatically support the blogger and his "right to free speech without responsibility for the consequences", because he's on our beloved internet and all, but ummm, I'd actually like to be able to judge what the reviewer actually said, and whether it was over the top or defamatory in respect of the culture in place in that location.

Free speech doesn't mean you can say what you like about anyone or anything! no, really!
Freedom doesn't mean you can do what ever you want, without regard to anyone else!

Just because it's a blogger on your beloved internet vs a company in the real world doesn't make the blogger automatically right.

Re:no detail by Vectormatic · 2011-02-01 22:25 · Score: 1

the complete blog entry is posted somewhere above, and basically condenses to:
- first dish was good
- second dish was meh, wouldnt order it again
- third dish was bad, very chewey, possibly undercooked with bad aftertaste. no amount of sauce would help
- teppan yaki chef show was sub-par
Conclusion: there are better teppan yaki/sushi places here, so i will not be visiting bennihana again.
Nothing to bad i would say, he didnt even used words like "sucks" or anything, compared to what normally passes for free speech on the tubes, this guy wrote like a regular shakespeare

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People, what a bunch of bastards

This happened in Kuwait by rsborg · 2011-02-01 18:27 · Score: 1

Not exactly a bastion of free speech.

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Boycotting is stupid by rossz · 2011-02-01 18:53 · Score: 1

Calling for a boycott is damn stupid. Each restaurant is separately owned. If you boycott your local franchise, you are only hurting someone who has absolutely no control or say over what happened.

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-- Will program for bandwidth

BTW, are you Lebanese? by Ecuador · 2011-02-01 22:33 · Score: 1

And he posted a video of a very lame chef "performance".
Then, I assume someone from Benihana started posting very favorable reviews one after the other using different names but the exact same writing style (including full-capitalization of key terms). Then the blogger commented of how it is weird that all those posts have the same IP. Then this Benihana GM guy posts and says his company won't allow this libel, so they are trying to find out how to sue the blogger and tells the blogger to be brave and give his full name and contact details. The most hilarious point is when he closes said post with the phrase:
BTW, are you Lebanese?

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Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Polar Scope Align for iOS

Brazilians, you are sued for your client's actions by h00manist · 2011-02-01 23:17 · Score: 1

I'm a US citizen living In Brazil. There are similar lawsuits. I run a cybercafe here, am being sued for the emails a client sent. Can't locate the client, so I respond for defamation. USD$35,000 asked in damages. Heck selling the whole store and all my personal funds wouldn't pay that. Bloggers here are routinely sued for the comments people leave on their websites. The law is applied case-by-case. Phone companies, car manufacturers, and gun manufacturers, for some strange reason, aren't responsible for the crimes and deaths their much more dangerous products are used for.

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not a journalist by SuperDre · 2011-02-02 00:43 · Score: 0

But the biggest question is, is the blogger in question a real journalist or just a blogger..

There is no such thing as bad publicity... by TheMidget · 2011-02-02 00:48 · Score: 1

Actually, in this case here, the Streisand effect might actually help the "victim". People become curious, and want to see with their own eyes (and taste with their own palate) how bad it really is. Ok, so those won't be repeat customers, but it's still money in the cash drawer...

Improper review by fibonacci8 · 2011-02-02 03:02 · Score: 1

He's getting sued for recommending the competitors instead of writing a professional review of the restaurant itself. By the sound of the lawsuit, that amounts to libel in Kuwait. I hope Benihana wins on this point, the reviewer has clearly acted in an unethical, and damaging, manner. He's also getting sued for displaying Benihana's logos in video footage. In this case Benihana ought to lose soundly because it's their publicly viewable advertising that they want hidden from the public. If the reviewer loses the case, Benihana ought to be forced to remove the offending signage and relocate it where customers cannot view it. If Benihana does win, the reviewer should either need to pay them damages, or correct the review. Granting both would be unreasonable. Free speech doesn't prevent anyone from the consequences of that speech, otherwise it could be abused to prevent the free speech of others.

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Inheritance is the sincerest form of nepotism.

Re:Improper review by anegg · 2011-02-02 04:09 · Score: 1

Did you even read the review? The reviewer reviewed the restaurant, related what he liked and didn't like about the restaurant, then closed out his review with a discussion of what he did after eating the meal to get the bad taste out of his mouth. He only mentioned the competitors as a comparison - i.e., he preferred his experience at those competitors to his experience at the restaurant he was reviewing.
The response from the general manager of the restaurant and the lawsuit sound like they are the result of someone who is used to never being questioned, being questioned. How dare someone publicly discuss the shortcomings of the restaurant? How dare they criticize my place of business? I don't know whether the general manager is right, and such criticisms are against the law in Kuwait, but if they are it looks to be to be very repressive.
Free speech does indeed mean being free to voice your opinion about anything, even if your opinion is distinctly negative, without suffering legal problems as a result. If it were otherwise, all negative opinions could be silenced with the threat of a lawsuit. I have read the review, and it seems even-handed, not a one-sided tirade against the restaurant in question. I'm not sure what you think the reviewer could do to "correct" the review. What part of the review do you think is incorrect - given that the review relates that reviewers experience when they went to the restaurant?

Join the Club by Anonymous Coward · 2011-02-02 04:32 · Score: 0

Big deal, I got sued by a tour operator for posting a forum that their OH&S sucked (And I had proof, it wasn't defamation). Being the sucker I was I defended it and I lost a ton of money in legal fees. It fucking sucks that people can do that to us, it's why I post everything Anonymously now and sometimes through Tor if the entity I'm making an opinion about has a shit ton of money to come after me.

Obligatory XKCD... I mean, errr... by Krater76 · 2011-02-02 06:05 · Score: 1

How we all feel, via PvP Online.

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Blogger Sued By Restaurant For Bad Review

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