Pub landlord brands customer a 'Cheap Charlie' after they brought their own plate to take food home from all-you-can-eat buffet - and left a two star review when staff said no!

A Welsh pub landlord has branded a customer a 'Cheap Charlie' after the disgruntled punter posted a bad review of the all-you-can-eat carvery. 

Shaun Griffiths, who runs The George IV Inn in Powys, Wales, was left gobsmacked by a recent two-star review on TripAdvisor from an unimpressed diner.

The customer said that while the food and service were both great, they were unhappy when staff informed them it was not possible to take food home from the restaurant. 

The George's website clearly states that all food must be consumed onsite and customers cannot take food home with them.

After the diner branded the restaurant a 'let-down' in the review, Shaun responded to take them to task.

The reviewer wrote: 'I booked a Sunday lunch, if I had known when I booked a table I wouldn't have booked as I don't always eat my meal and I like to take it home. 

'They said on the menu they don't do take away boxes which is fine but I had a plate which I brought with me and it was still a no.

'Good food but this is a let down and I won't be going back, just a heads up to anyone if they do like to take food home with them.'

Replying to the review, the cross landlord wrote: 'Thank you so much for your review warning other Cheap Charlies that they cannot come to our All You Can Eat buffet and bring their own plates to overfill ours and then take the rest home.

'That is not the type of customer we want, nor one that will enable us to stay in business and thrive. If just one or two of your type heed your advice then you will have made our lives so much easier!

'Your comments about our food and service being very good is much appreciated though, and they will help attract the type of customer we want!

'I'm saddened you could only score us two stars out of five when all our other reviews are fuve-star because we try extremely hard to offer high quality food at a reasonable price and openly print on our menu that our price is for eat in only. 

He continued: 'Let me explain how an all you can eat carvery buffet works.

'1) Go to the buffet and ask the carvery chef to carve you up to three different meats. 

'2) Fill your plate with our huge selection of fresh vegetables, roasted potatoes, honey roasted parsnips, homemade stuffing and even cauliflower cheese if you wish.

'3) Add as much rich delicious homemade gravy as you wish. 

'4) Add your sauces such as horseradish, cranberry or apple.

'5) Take your plate with as much food as you can eat at the table, to your table and enjoy.

'Please note there is NO point six which states you take much more than you can eat at the table and have a free meal at home later with a plate you have smuggled into our restaurant under your coat or elsewhere that I dare not think of.

'If, as you state, you don't eat much then go to one of our neighbouring restaurants that serve plated Sunday dinners and you will be much happier as their portions are more akin to your small appetite and then you will not have the dilemma of what to do with your leftovers as there won't be any!

'On a side note we do provide foil for those customers that maybe want to take some scraps home for their dog. We hate waste here at the George IV Cwmtwrch.'

After Shaun's response began to pick up traction, he spoke out to defend his decision to hit back at the review. 

Speaking to WalesOnline, he said: 'We sell over 800 carveries a week including our midweek ones and we are very proud of our fantastic reputation, so it does hurt when you get a two star review and even more so when that review says the food and service were good.'

'Luckily, 99.9% of our guests are fantastic who loyally support us and the business now employs 26 local people which contributes a lot to the local economy.'