Irish restaurant owner Anthony Gray. Photo / Facebook
Irish restaurant owner Anthony Gray. Photo / Facebook
An Irish restaurant owner whose response to an Australian tourist's negative review has gone viral, says he can't believe the enormous global reaction to their exchange.
Anthony Gray, the jovial and proud owner of Eala Bhan in Sligo, in northwest Ireland, wasn't so happy when he recently discovered a TripAdvisor review from a diner.
The review left by "Graham", an Australian tourist who left his jacket at the restaurant, complained that Gray had yet to post it the 17,000km back to Sydney.
Although not one to normally reply to bad reviews, the outrageous nature of the tourist's claim shocked the restaurant owner - and he unleashed with "both barrels".
Speaking to Mail Online about his fame after his hilarious reply went viral, the good-humoured Irishman said he was amused by all the fuss at his response - and still couldn't understand the Aussie's desperation to get back his black windbreaker.
Gray told Mail Online that when Graham had dined at his restaurant the pair never met, but that his wait staff recalled sharing "banter" and him praising the eatery.
"He came down had a lovely meal, we were chatting to him about beautiful scenery, the waves, the greenery and we had a bit of banter with him," Gray said.
"The girls asked him if everything was okay, he said it was fantastic and superb, but he left his jacket behind and so a few days later he called to ask if we could post it.
"Then, low and behold, we got a TripAdvisor review. I read it and he spoke about my honesty and I took offence - he was being a prat so he got it with two barrels."
Displeased by a three-star review - well below his 4.5 star average - an irate Gray hit back mercilessly with a hilarious diatribe of his own, apologising for not doing "a Joe ninety and hot tailing it up to the local post office to make the jacket a priority".
Within days of posting his brutal reply Gray's comments had gone viral, and the internet applauded the restaurateur for his take-down of the needy Aussie tourist.
TripAdvisor user 'Graham267' left a review (pictured) after leaving his jacket in a restaurant.
And he told Mail Online that despite the international attention, he still couldn't quite understand what was so important about the plain black windbreaker.
"I tell you something, he didn't give me much time to get his precious windbreaker back to him, did he?" Gray laughed.
"Look, everyone makes mistakes, but to command it and then have a swipe at me for my honesty and integrity because I didn't send it back ASAP was a bit much.
"At the end of the day it's just a black windbreaker, but it's not a Dolce & Gabbana windbreaker, I can assure you!"
The furious foodie suspected his response may gain some traction, but he said he never foresaw himself making international headlines.
"I was very surprised. I couldn't believe the reaction. I did think it would get a bit of a reaction, but it's just gone global now," Gray said.
"But one of the biggest things I thought when I wrote the response was, 'If this thing goes global, at least it will show Sligo in a positive light'.
"I'm proud of Sligo and I'm very proud of my county, and I want to promote it at any opportunity and I'm proud to have done that."
Mailing a jacket from Sligo to Sydney using An Post, the Irish postal service, costs at least $40. But although Graham offered to pay, Gray insisted he would cover it all.
And despite giving his most recent Australian visitor both barrels, Gray said his restaurant would always be open to those from Downunder - especially those who take their belongings with them.
"I just want to point out I don't think every Australian is like our mate Graham. I've met a lot of Australians and they're really great people," he said.
