Imagine this: you’re running a small tea shop, pouring your heart into every cup, when a bad review pops up online accusing you of a health code violation. But then, you discover the shocking truth—it was all fake.
This is exactly what happened to The Tea Hut in Millbrae, California. A Yelp user, identified as “Nat. A,” left a scathing one-star review, claiming the shop needed a health inspection. To add insult to injury, he included a photo of a drink seemingly contaminated with lint.
But what he didn’t count on? Cameras don’t lie.
The tea shop’s owner, Aaron Qian, took to Instagram to share surveillance footage that told the real story. The video shows the man sipping his tea before pulling something from his pocket, dropping it into his drink, and snapping a picture. The evidence was damning.
“Why are you doing this?” the shop captioned the clip, which quickly went viral. In the comments, they revealed, “This guy left two fake reviews at different locations. Thankfully, our cameras caught him in the act.”
The community rallied behind Qian. Support poured in, with customers and fellow small business owners condemning the fake reviewer’s actions. One commenter wrote: “What kind of person does this to a small business, especially in tough times? Glad you caught him!” Another added, “This happens way too often. People lie for refunds or to tarnish reputations—it’s despicable.”
Thankfully, Yelp stepped in and removed the review after the video surfaced. In a follow-up post, Qian expressed gratitude: “One fake review down! Thank you for standing with us. Your support means the world.”
In a statement to local news, Qian emphasized the importance of food safety. “As a small business, food safety is non-negotiable. It’s our foundation for survival.” He also thanked his supporters for shining a light on the incident and helping preserve his shop’s reputation.
The Tea Hut now boasts a 3.9-star rating, bolstered by dozens of positive reviews from loyal customers. This ordeal, while stressful, has highlighted one truth: the power of a supportive community can overcome even the dirtiest tricks.
So next time you read a review, think twice—there’s often more to the story than meets the eye. And if you loved this article, share it with a friend to support small businesses everywhere!
