Elgin restaurant Scribbles has hit back after YouTubers Butlers Empire claimed they were “robbed” when having a meal there.
The Lincolnshire family, who have more than 60,000 subscribers to their channel and initially called Elgin “a village”, visited several places while staying in the Moray area.
During their stay, they stopped in at Scribbles on Elgin High Street and condemned “ridiculous” prices on the menu.
However, the restaurant has now hit back arguing energy bills trebling, food costs increasing 15% and high street business rates leave it with no other option to survive.
What did Butlers Empire think of Scribbles?
Butlers Empire ordered a bacon and monterey jack burger, a hot and spicy pizza and two baguettes for their meal out.
However, the group mainly drank tap water with their dinner – describing the drinks on the menu as too expensive.
After the meal, the family described the £15.50 burger as not “value for money” and the pizza as “very expensive”.
Complaints were also raised about “oily” chips, an issue the restaurant says it would have fixed had it been highlighted to staff at the time.
Scribbles has since shared the YouTube video from Butlers Empire themselves, highlighting the immense pressures the industry is facing in Elgin and across the UK while asking reviewers to “be mindful” about what they say.
In a social media post, owner Faith Houlding said staff had highlighted the video because they care about the business they are proud to be part of.
She added: “I eat out when I can with my family, so I know our menu prices are comparable with Moray wide businesses both for takeaways and table service, our drinks are considerably cheaper by far and compared to the big brands it is like night and day.
“Scribbles should be judged as a restaurant on its food offering but of equal importance is the service – personal service from a friendly team who care.
“If our town centres are continually run down and businesses too, without considering the efforts made, the trading conditions, without injecting optimism and positivity then there’s not much left.”
Support for Scribbles
After Scribbles shared the YouTube review from Butlers Empire, they were inundated with support from regular customers in Elgin.
Many praised the business for supporting the local economy and offering competitive prices for the area.
One said: “(They) have absolutely no idea what it must be like to run a hospitality business in the current economic climate. Dreadful review based on poor knowledge of the industry.”
Another posted: “We always rate you 10/10. You’re our little boy’s favourite place to eat and do incredible dairy free options for him.
“Oh, and I’ve been a customer as long as you’ve been open. We will always pick you first.”
A third wrote: “We come for lunch fairly often and we always bring family and friends here because the restaurant is ideal for all and the choice is good.
“We recently had a table of six to dinner with you, and we felt it was good value, good food and as always lovely staff.”
Where else did Butlers Empire visit in Moray?
Butlers Empire is a YouTube channel from Martin Butler and his wife Sharon with the rest of their family also making appearances at times.
Their videos feature a mix of reviews as well as their own home cooking.
During their trip to Moray they also had a cooked breakfast at Hopeman Sands coffee shop, grading it 9.5/10 for the meal – while being bemused about what red pudding and king rib is on the local fish and chip shop menu.
They also described The Beach Hut in Lossiemouth as a “hidden gem” and praised the haggis burger from Humble Burger in Elgin as a “treat”.