A Bengaluru bakery sparked outrage across social media platforms this week after lashing out at patrons who dubbed their creations “overpriced”.
The debate started earlier this month after the ‘exclusive reservation-only’ model introduced by Basque Bakery came under fire. Many on the internet had critiqued the high booking price and the one-hour timeslot allotted to customers to place their orders upon entry. Others turned food critic to opine that the eatery was “overhyped” and its food underwhelming.
“Visited this bakery last Friday. For a reservation or even to enter the bakery (takeaway or dine-in), we had to pay Rs 2000 per person in advance. Unfortunately, the food and items were not worth the price. Overall, we had a very bad experience,” read a comment on their Instagram page.
Basque had reacted sharply to the criticism — telling naysayers that they were “too poor” to afford their confectioneries. One post advertising a high tea experience had also gone viral for all the wrong reasons as the bakery sparred with customers in the comment section.
“The above experience is Rs 16,000. Bet you can’t afford that either…We can’t expect a poor person to understand how an exclusive is all about catering the niche and not a crowd…Bad math, poor, bad vocabulary. Bye,” read a series of comments and replies from Basque Bakery to one individual.
Bakery defends ‘bold’ response to critics
“We understand that our response was bold. However, we are equally aware of the demeaning remarks being made, such as ‘overpriced’ and ‘tasteless’. This is our moment to share our side of the story…A significant number of people visit our store solely to take photographs without making a purchase, disrespect our staff, and then make manipulative claims of rudeness when they are not entertained,” began a lengthy statement from the bakery.
The eatery insisted that “authentic talent was deeply underappreciated and undervalued” in India — levelling allegations of “scam culture”. The lengthy statement also outlined the journey of the brand as it created the “best cheesecake in the world”. The founders insisted that their recent comments been chosen after failed attempts at subtlety — to “preserve the brand and protect customers from unnecessary negativity”.
The statement did not go down well with netizens — prompting fresh outrage.
“I used to be a fan of your tiramisu. Even though it was one of the most expensive in the city. I also recommended your place to a few of my friends. I regret doing that. I don’t wish to be associated with an establishment that calls people “poor” and behaves in a childish manner when confronted with feedback,” fumed one Instagram user.
“Your response was not bold, it was disrespectful,” countered another in the comment section.
“Ah yes the best way to procure a loyal clientele is to insult said clientele and then double down in the name of being an iconic establishment. Y’all are getting torn apart on Reddit,” reminded a third.