Blogger from Kuwait Sued by Benihana restaurant for writing bad Review on his blog

Blogger from Kuwait Sued by Benihana restaurant for
writing bad Review on his blog

Mark Makhou, a Lebanese national working in Kuwait wrote a negative review about Benihana restaurant branch which is in Kuwait on his 248am.com blog.

What he wrote about this Benihana restaurant on his blog I will reproduce here important parts in short.


Mark wrote on his blog that,

1. The service wasn’t too bad for a restaurant that’s just been open for a few days and the staff were really friendly.

2. The problem with my experience last night though was with the food, it was disappointing to say the least.

3. The negimaki arrived looking good and was probably the best thing we had there even though I prefer Maki’s negimaki which has a richer teriyaki sauce.

4. The Orange Blossom was very ordinary, wouldn’t order it again.

5. Now the Hibachi chicken which is basically grilled chicken that was the worst. The chicken was very chewy (I could swear it was undercooked if not raw) and tasted terrible.

6. Nat only ate one piece of chicken and left the rest

7. I needed my protein since I’m on a strict diet and forced myself to eat my whole plate (I can do that) but the after taste was really bad. Even the rice and the veggies that came with it tasted bad AND were under cooked.

8. Would I go back to Benihana? No I wouldn’t. Their sashimi and maki’s are pretty cheap (KD1.5 for 5 pieces of Salmon sashimi for example) but there are two other Japanese restaurants at the Avenues, Wasabi and Maki, and I would prefer either one of those to Benihana.

After this Benihana filed suit.

Mark received the court order which is in Arabic and he got the court date in March.

Here I will be producing English Translated Court order in short.

In his company said that Mark has used bad language, has published offensive review for unidentified reasons.
He visited restaurant with his wife, has taken photos and videos without permission from any one and he has published them on his website, blog.

He has given bad review for the benefit of other hotels as he has mentioned names of other hotels in this review.
He has published fabricated news about hotel and to get fake popularity.

He has insulted hotel as his website is read by hundreds of people daily.
The facts mentioned in his article are not true; otherwise our hotel would have been inspected and shut down by authorities.

Thus they have demanded KD 5000 for damages.
They will even try to close down his website through court order.
The article has damaged the reputation of hotel.

The local company representing the Benihana franchise in Kuwait has filed claims against the blogger in excess of 5000 Kuwaiti Dinars (approx 18000$).

This case is important for Kuwait bloggers as well as all the Middle East bloggers and all blogger community.

This is related with our Freedom of speech.
Mark has done nothing wrong, what he felt he said that.

If Mark gets punished by Kuwait court then what will happen with other blogger we can imagine?

By suing the Blogger, by suing the customer the restaurant has clearly shown that, we do not think Customer is God.

Mark claims his review was balanced and highlighted both positive and negative aspects of his experience at Benihana.

Mark has done nothing wrong, I am sure he will win the case, and the this company act of suing the blogger will stop other customers to visit their hotel.

The problem with Mark is that he has posted the video about Hotel without their permission, I am not aware about the Kuwait laws, thus only this will give him problem.
Court may tell him to remove the video.

While writing this I thought about a joke –

Wife says, honey I am tired please can we go to hotel, but
Husband loves home made food and he know what will happen if he says, No,
But while they are talking he sees that his beautiful wife is reading about the blogger and hotel news, so he cleverly says
Promise me I will choose the hotel and if you say No, you will prepare the dinner at home. Wife becomes happy and says Yes.

Thus husband says lets go to New hotel on Avenue road, Hotel B.

Immediately wife says no
she do not want to receive court order from Hotel,
I will cook at home but you must help me through out cooking.
Thus they both go to kitchen.

On his blog Mark has mentioned that he will fight the case.

Will you visit the Hotel which will send you a court order for your thinking?

It’s a human nature one person may like domino pizza other may like pizza hut,

I just hope the hotel will discuss the matter with Mark and will withdraw their damages suit against Mark.


Below are the videos which Mark has posted on his blog .





Reality views by sm –
Tuesday, February 08, 2011