An Ontario eatery has been targeted by supporters of Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who likely mistook the establishment for the Virginia restaurant the White House press secretary was asked to leave on Friday.
The negative comments on the , are likely due to the two restaurant鈥檚 similar names. because she works for U.S. President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile in Collingwood, Ont., the Olde Red Hen鈥檚 Facebook page has been inundated with angry comments and bad reviews.
鈥淗ope you go out of business you liberal trash. Clean up this dump,鈥� commented Thomas Collins, whose Facebook profile indicates that he lives in Maryland, on Sunday.
鈥淚 wonder how long before the Red Hen slop house folds and goes bankrupt?,鈥� wrote Albert Holland.
鈥淪hame on you,鈥� wrote Connie Szczepanik. 鈥淏igots and hypocrites!鈥�
The case of mistaken identity did not go unnoticed by a number of users who rushed to advise others that they are directing their comments at an unrelated Canadian business.
Diane Smith, the owner of the Collingwood business, said she was initially baffled by the avalanche of Facebook notifications that started on Friday night. She called her restaurant to make sure everything was OK. The staff was equally confused.
鈥淢y phone lit up with notifications,鈥� Smith told CTV News Channel on Monday. 鈥溾�楧on鈥檛 go to this restaurant.鈥� 鈥楾heir political views aren鈥檛 right.鈥� 鈥業 won鈥檛 eat in a place like that.鈥� I didn鈥檛 know what was happening.鈥�
A quick internet search revealed the root of the problem. She asked several users to remove their erroneous comments from her page.
鈥淭hey were all Americans. We had to straighten it out,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淢y restaurant was really attacked about bad service.鈥�
People from both sides of the border expressed support for The Olde Red Hen, and apologized for the abuse from others.
鈥淢any of your comments are posted on the Wrong Red Hen! If your (sic) ever in Collingwood, Ontario, stop in, you wouldn鈥檛 be disappointed!,鈥� wrote Sue Clements, whose Facebook profile says she lives in Collingwood. 鈥淚 work at The Old Red Hen in Collingwood, This restaurant has been around for 80 years, Great food and service! Busiest place in Collingwood.鈥�
鈥淚 apologize on behalf of my country. I hope Canadians realize this is a minority,鈥� wrote Steve Guillot from Plano, Tex.
Smith hopes the online chatter about her restaurant will turn to the fresh ingredients and 鈥渙ld school diner鈥� charm. She鈥檚 grateful to her real patrons that came to her defence online.
鈥淚鈥檓 very blessed that the customers and our loyal fan base, they were very supportive of us,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y husband has been in the business for 50 years. He takes pride in quality and customer service.鈥�
against the Lexington, Va., Red Hen restaurant on Monday, tweeting, 鈥淭he Red Hen Restaurant should focus more on cleaning its filthy canopies, doors and windows (badly needs a paint job) rather than refusing to serve a fine person like Sarah Huckabee Sanders. I always had a rule, if a restaurant is dirty on the outside, it is dirty on the inside!鈥�
Business and travel review websites Yelp and TripAdvisor are combating misleading reviews of the Red Hen.
, citing 鈥渁 recent event that has attracted media attention and has caused an influx of review submissions that do not describe a first-hand experience.鈥�
Yelp said it started a 鈥渃leanup process鈥� on Saturday, noting that some posts may be removed. . The population of Lexington, Va. is 7,042, according to 2010 census figures.
Another Red Hen restaurant impacted
Collingwood isn鈥檛 the only city to have the reputation of one of its restaurants mistakenly fouled online.
A New Jersey establishment, also called the Red Hen, reportedly received at least 600 phone calls threatening the restaurant and its staff.
