Negative press gets worse when a business fights back in public. Amy's Baking Company in Scottsdale, Arizona is the standard case: after a Kitchen Nightmares episode aired on May 10, 2013, the owners attacked critics on Facebook, Reddit and Yelp, then said their accounts had been hacked. The four mistakes below show what to do instead.
Last updated: October 23, 2026
What happened to Amy's Baking Company in May 2013?
Amy's Baking Company went from a local restaurant to a national case study in three days. The Fox reality show Kitchen Nightmares aired the episode on May 10, 2013, and host Gordon Ramsay decided the restaurant and its owners, Samy and Amy Bouzaglo, were beyond help, according to PR Daily.
The owners first posted a thank-you to customers on Facebook the day after the broadcast. Their next post, written in all capitals, told critics they did not know good food. By Monday evening, May 13, a screenshot of the page had reached the Reddit community r/cringepics, and the couple turned on Reddit users and on Yelp reviewers. NBC News later reported that the restaurant, which had a few dozen mixed Yelp reviews before the episode, drew almost 1,000 negative ones afterward.
Which mistakes turned negative press into a crisis?
Four mistakes turned one bad broadcast into a multi-platform crisis: attacking critics on the company's own page, arguing with anonymous users, deleting posts and blaming a hack, and having no single approved voice. The table pairs each with a response that works.
| Mistake | What happened | Better response |
|---|---|---|
| Attacking critics on the company page | All-caps posts insulted customers who disliked the food | Answer one legitimate complaint with facts, once |
| Arguing with anonymous users | The owners turned on Reddit users and Yelp reviewers | Ignore personal attacks and baseless accusations |
| Deleting posts and blaming a hack | The owners said their accounts had been hacked after the posts spread | Show evidence of a breach, or own the posts and say what changes |
| No single approved voice | The owners wrote the public replies themselves, in real time | Name one spokesperson who approves every public statement |
Why is attacking critics on your own page the worst response?
Attacking critics on your own page is the worst response because every post on a business account becomes public evidence that anyone can screenshot. The Bouzaglos' all-caps post reached Reddit within three days of the broadcast, which turned a TV segment into a story about how the owners treat customers.
A business that disagrees with a review can reply once, with specific facts, and leave the rest of the thread alone. The reply is written for the next customer who reads the page, not for the reviewer.
Why does arguing with anonymous users make coverage worse?
Arguing with anonymous users makes coverage worse because each reply creates a new post for critics to share. One person's time is finite, while a crowd on Reddit or Yelp has far more of it, so the business loses every exchange by volume alone.
The reviews on Amy's Yelp page show the scale. NBC News counted almost 1,000 negative reviews after the broadcast, against a few dozen mixed ones before it. A business that sees personal attacks or baseless accusations should stop replying and keep the factual record in one place, such as a single statement on its own website.
Does deleting posts and claiming a hack protect a company?
Deleting posts and claiming a hack does not protect a company, because screenshots already exist by the time the posts come down. PR Daily reported on May 15, 2013 that the owners said their social media accounts had been hacked, after the posts had spread.
A hack claim needs evidence the public can check, such as a confirmation from the platform or a security review. Without that, it reads as an excuse. If the posts were the company's own, a short acknowledgment and one concrete change does more to end the story than a denial.
Who should speak for a company during negative press?
One named spokesperson should approve every public statement during negative press. The Bouzaglos wrote their own replies in real time, at the moment they were angriest, and each reply became a new headline.
A spokesperson, whether an employee or an outside adviser, adds a delay between a reaction and a post. That delay is the main control a company has over its own record. See crisis communications for how a response plan assigns that role, and executive media training for preparing the person who answers reporters.
How should a company respond to negative press instead?
A company should respond to negative press by deciding whether the complaint is legitimate, answering once with facts, and routing every press inquiry through one person. Silence is not the goal, and neither is a fight. The goal is a single clear record that a reporter or customer can verify.
- Sort the criticism into legitimate complaints and personal attacks before replying to anything.
- Answer legitimate complaints once, in writing, with the facts and any fix.
- Correct factual errors in coverage by sending the reporter documents, not opinions.
- Respond to press inquiries quickly through the named spokesperson, as covered in the media relations guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the biggest mistake when handling negative press?
The biggest mistake is replying to critics in public while angry. In the Amy's Baking Company case, the owners' own posts became the story, larger than the original episode.
Should a business delete negative comments?
A business can remove abusive comments on its own pages, but it should not delete legitimate criticism. Screenshots outlast deletions, and removal can look like concealment.
Should a company respond to every negative review?
A company does not need to respond to every negative review. Legitimate complaints deserve one factual reply, while personal attacks and baseless accusations are better left unanswered.
Is all publicity good publicity?
No. The Amy's Baking Company case shows attention can damage a business when the attention is about how its owners behave. Coverage only helps when the story reflects well on the company.
When should a company bring in a PR firm for negative press?
A company should bring in help when coverage spreads across several platforms, reporters start calling, or the owners cannot stay out of the public replies. An outside spokesperson adds the delay and discipline that the first hours need.
