Commentary by Jeff Worrell

So, the waiter did not refill your ice water. Combine that with only four choices on the kids menu (none of them vegan), you just couldn’t help yourself. The only responsible thing to do is fire up your laptop and warn fellow citizens both near and far: You will never step foot in that disgusting establishment again and neither should they.

While I see the value of customer reviews in the proper forum, there is nothing civil about unleashing a torrent of negative comments motivated simply by the need to punish, harm or to exact a price.

First, remember there are real human beings behind every restaurant or business serving our community. Owners, managers and employees are working their behinds off, especially in these unpredictable, tough economic times. Discovering empathy and walking a short distance in their shoes is a great first step to keeping things civil.

Before publicly declaring the chef doesn’t know the difference between pork butt and a leg of lamb, could you reach out to the business directly and share your opinions? Give them a chance to make things right, or, at the very least, to consider your point of view and see something of which they were unaware.

It is certainly valid to point out what went wrong, but also mention the things went right. Maybe the service was slow, but the food was amazing. Or perhaps the ambiance was lacking, but the staff was super friendly.

So, the next time you’re tempted to publicly rant that the chef’s special tasted like dishwater, try adding a pinch of civility and help the recipe become just a little more palatable.