Del Johnson’s Celebration Dampened by Negative Yelp Reviews
Del Johnson, the mother of Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, celebrated the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX victory from her home in Cocoa Village, Florida. However, her celebratory mood was short-lived due to an influx of negative Yelp reviews for her other establishment, Kings Grill in Rockledge, Florida.
The spike in poor reviews began shortly after Gardner-Johnson took aim at Chiefs star Travis Kelce on Instagram Stories, referencing Kelce’s former romance with Kayla Nicole. Swift has made numerous appearances at Chiefs games and is currently dating Kelce.
"Swifties," as Taylor Swift’s fans are known, appeared to be responsible for the initial stream of bad Google reviews and negative Yelp reviews.
"They were going, ‘Oh my god, look at this!’ And the first thing everyone said was, ‘the Swifties have attacked,’" said Delatron Johnson, Gardner-Johnson’s brother.
However, the unfavorable reviews were later removed and Yelp placed an "unusual activity alert" on the restaurant’s page, temporarily disabling the posting of content.
"For Yelp to remain a useful resource to the community, reviews must be based on a genuine, firsthand experience with the business," said a Yelp spokesperson.
Some Eagles fans showed their support by leaving a considerable number of positive reviews for Kings Grill. Supporters of other NFL teams also came to Johnson’s aid, leaving positive reviews despite not being Eagles fans.
Impact of the Reviews
The negative Yelp reviews generated significant attention and became a topic of discussion in the news. Kings Grill received a high volume of attention, both positive and negative, but ultimately the negative reviews were removed by Yelp.
The incident highlights the potential impact of online reviews on businesses, especially in the wake of controversial events. Businesses must be prepared to respond to negative reviews, particularly those that are unfounded or malicious.
Response from Kings Grill
Delatron Johnson has stated that Kings Grill is closed and that the negative reviews are a joke. He has also expressed appreciation for the positive reviews left by Eagles fans and supporters of other NFL teams.
The restaurant has not issued an official statement or taken any legal action in response to the negative reviews.
Conclusion
The case of Kings Grill demonstrates the power and pitfalls of online reviews. While negative reviews can be harmful to a business’s reputation, positive reviews can also be a valuable asset. Businesses should be proactive in managing their online reviews and responding to any negative feedback in a timely and professional manner.
