Chicago’s Bakeries Fight Back Against Fabricated Reviews Online | Eater Chicago
"Owners Lauren Reese and Elmer Fajardo Pacheco report that, although they haven't seen bad customer behavior, they put measures in place after a non-customer complained about the cafe’s pro-Palestinian artwork: "we don’t expect them to put themselves in a position to defend these causes as their safety is our priority," they wrote in an email, and they told staff that if anyone "harasses them by any means, to get one of us immediately to deal with said person, or to direct them to speak with us." The recently opened Pilsen cafe also posted in early March asking customers to be patient with new employees and placed signage on the workbar, community tables, and dining tables that includes the Wi‑Fi password as well as verbiage asking customers not to engage in video meetings and to obtain consent from individuals prior to taking photos or videos; "Our immigrant community doesn’t need any additional surveillances," they write. Since opening, they’ve had no pushback regarding the policy, and some customers have said it makes them feel safer. The owners frame their approach as elevating their autonomy as producers and distancing themselves from the 'customer always right' principle rooted in capitalism, asking, "Are there enough consumers who are in solidarity with what we’re trying to achieve?" - Lisa Shames
