From Cats to Cockroaches: How Social Media Threatens the Viability of Local Restaurants

“Remove all feral cat crates,” is not exactly something a hungry person would like to see written on a health department notice slapped on the door of a San Angelo restaurant. Additionally, reading a Facebook post with an image of an insect in a plate of food served by a favorite local restaurant with derogatory comments attached from a server who admits to doing "things" to people's food make patrons rethink visiting that restaurant isn't good for business.

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Image is almost everything in the restaurant business, and today, social media and reviews make or break the service industry, especially restaurants. As two derogatory posts spread across social media about two local eateries this week, local residents are concerned about what they'll find when they go out for a meal.

One social media post was a picture of a City of San Angelo Health Dept. notice on the front door of Lin’s Buffet, 4388 Sherwood Way. The orange 8.5" x 11" notice warned Lin's to "Remove all feral cat crates." Lin's is a Chinese food buffet, so the insinuation wasn't appetizing to say the least!

San Angelo LIVE! decided to find out what's taking place at Lin's. 

Sandra Villarreal, director of Health Services, insisted that inspectors did not shut Lin’s down.

“The inspector went by just to check on them and there was a sign on the door that said ‘closed for remodeling,’” she said.

Villarreal also stated that the inspector walked around the premises and “noticed an abundance of cats” and crates, which prompted him to leave the note that stated, “If you plan on re-opening, you must contact the Health Department before any work is done,” with “Remove all feral cat crates,” scribbled at the bottom.

“We have not spoken to the owner. The owner has not called us back,” Villarreal added. However, Tim Condon, who is the head of the San Angelo Restaurant Association, commented on the situation.

“It’s always important to abide by health codes and any responsible restaurant owner or restaurateur is obligated to abide by local health codes,” he said.

According to some recent Facebook posts, it appears that another local restaurant may be breaking some health codes. A San Angelo woman posted a photo of a to-go plate of food purchased from Bonsai Garden, 1801 Knickerbocker Rd. The photo depicts what appears to be a cockroach in the rice. The caption reads, “This is what we found in our food from Bonsai Garden today, a cockroach.”

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The Health Department has also seen this post. Villarreal said, “We got a Facebook posting from someone and I just forwarded it to the inspector and he is supposed to go and check things out.”

She also added that is how they handle any complaint that they receive about an establishment.

Condon, who owns the Lonestar Cheeseburger trailer outside of Eskimo Hut, at W. Beauregard and S. Abe St. claimed that cockroaches in restaurants should not be a common problem.

“If restaurants have pest issues, they need to be addressed instantaneously,” he said. “I pretty much have an outdoor kitchen and we don’t have any issues in any way, shape, or form. Cleanliness is always something that should be a priority in a professional kitchen. If cleanliness is a priority, pest issues should not be a problem.”

Instead of addressing the problem, an employee of Bonsai Garden, Michael Anthony Andros, who was made aware of this Facebook post, chose to respond with a post of his own. He wrote, “On behalf of myself and Bonsai…I apologize to everyone who is heartbroken about the roach that was found today. I guess I wasn’t there today, but Bonsai does have fresh food every day and I am sure it was an accident; or who knows, it could have been on purpose…If you think that’s bad, you should see what I do to your food if you want everything and drink 10 Diet Cokes in 5 minutes and tip $1.50, or don’t tip at all…You tip bad, you get f***ed, and if your service is bad, and the server isn’t busy, f**k that server; but when busy, have f***ing patience or stay your a** at home. Bonsai n***er…Eat it or beat it.”

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Bonsai would not comment on the situation; however, Condon stated, “That’s not what we strive for in the restaurant business. It’s a matter of integrity as we are in the service business. Anyone in one of my restaurants would be immediately fired for that type of behavior.”

According to a follow up Facebook post made by Andros, it appears that he was terminated.

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He wrote,"To all my people out there that has showed me love at work and would request me because of my service...due to the post I posted yesterday and the stupid miserable b***h a**, c**k f**ks that made my post an issue with Go San Angelo, KLST, and media...my job had to let me go. It's nothing personal. It's all business. Holidays coming up and I have 5 boys...my luck, huh. Well I apologize to all my customers. If you're my Facebook friend, my posts are 95% joking around, but that's San Angelo for you. One thing's for sure, 'imma' stay blessed. Reporters, if you are trying to get ahold of me...I'm at where I'm at...I'm 'mic dros baybae'...Bonsai, I love yall. Please share and everyone, tell me how yall feel about this issue."