If you’re looking at someone’s Twitter feed and seeing Tweets like “The soup at Joe’s Soup Shack and Hat Store is the worst!” or “I didn’t order a dead fly with my turkey pot pie! #worstdayever” (because you can’t complain on Twitter without a hashtag), chances are that these Tweets were written before the person even left the restaurant about which they are griping.

Twitter’s Eimear Lambe was speaking in London last week and revealed that more than half of the platform’s users get info on restaurants from others on Twitter.

The good news for restaurants is that it’s mostly positive PR, with 72% of eatery-related Tweets leaving thumbs-up feedback.

But when customers are unhappy about their meals, they use Twitter to complain about it — right now.

According to Lambe, “78% of those who leave a negative comment are still in the restaurant while doing so.”

While this could cause some awkward tension if the server is also checking Tweets and seeing that you’ve insulted him or his workplace, it’s also an opportunity to be proactive.

“This means that if you are monitoring your Twitter feed, you have the opportunity to nip it in the bud and actually go over and solve the customer’s problems and turn it into a positive interaction,” explains Lambe.

[via Eater]

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