Regretting Ribfest in Toronto

DO NOT GO TO THIS FUNNEL CAKE TRUCK!
Making racial generalizations against your customers is not acceptable.

Just two days ago, we posted about Toronto Ribfest, an event we’ve attended loyally and loved for over five years. The good news is, the people who run the rib stands are fun and friendly and the ribs are still delicious.

However, this year we were sorely disappointed for three reasons:

1) New this year, there are members of the Rotary Club of Etobicoke that block your way at the entrance, making everyone feel like it’s a requirement to make a donation to the club to enter. Considering Ribfest is touted at having no entrance fee, this solicitation feels rather hypocritical. If the donation is voluntary, it shouldn’t feel mandatory. Simply pointing people to the plastic pig that accepts donations would be much less confrontational. Even the family behind us complained, calling it false advertisement. The rotary member started back-pedaling and claiming the donation was voluntary. If people are making the assumption it’s not, your tactics are too aggressive. Please reconsider.

2) While economic times are tough, the lemonade stands don’t seem understand this. We LOVE the lemonade at Ribfest, and it was already steep with a Small costing $3 and a Large going for $5. However, this year, they’ve significantly raised the prices with a small now going for $4, and a large for $7!! We find this outrageous.

3)  Lastly, we were taking some photos of the sights and planned on blogging about the ribs of course, and the delicious funnel cake. But it seems the one of the employees (man on the left below) thought taking photos at Ribfest was a serious offense. He became belligerent to a member of our party, pretty much refused to serve us, and then to add insult to insult, he spat out: “And one more thing, it’s always the Orientals who are taking photos.”

We feel this was uncalled for, and treating your customers in this manner is completely unacceptable. Spread the word.