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PerthNow reported in June 2023 that Fyre’s Google rating fell from 4 to 2.8 after the restaurant’s vegan-ban dispute, then rose to 4.5 amid a wave of positive ratings. Chef and owner John Mountain said the surge overloaded Google’s rating system and was treated as a possible scam—but the reports do not include confirmation from Google or establish Fyre’s current rating.
Why Fyre announced a ban on vegans
PerthNow reported on 20 June 2023 that a vegan customer contacted chef and owner John Mountain before visiting to ask about food options. Mountain said he agreed to accommodate her, mentioning gnocchi and vegetables, but forgot to tell the kitchen while it was catering a private function. The customer later said the available vegetable dish was not filling and cost $32, and argued that the restaurant should offer an actual plant-based meal. These details come from contemporary accounts reported by PerthNow, not independently documented kitchen records. PerthNow’s 20 June 2023 report
Fyre then posted, as quoted by PerthNow: “Sadly all vegans are now banned from Fyre (for mental health reasons). We thank you for your understanding. Xx.” Mountain said negative reviews had hurt the business and that the dispute had become personal. Vegan activist Tash Peterson described the ban as “blatant discrimination”; that was Peterson’s view, not a legal finding. PerthNow’s report
What PerthNow reported about the rating
In an article published on 21 June 2023, PerthNow said Fyre’s displayed Google rating had dropped from 4 to 2.8 on Monday, then climbed to 4.5 after positive reviews arrived. These are historical figures reported at that point in June 2023, not a current score or an independently audited ratings log. PerthNow’s 21 June 2023 report
#1 Best Overall
What Mountain said about Google’s system
Mountain told PerthNow: “The ratings actually overloaded and shut down… because so many were coming in, Google thought it was a scam. It’s back up and working now.” That is Mountain’s explanation of what happened. The reporting does not contain a statement from Google confirming that the rating system overloaded, suspected fraud, or temporarily stopped working. PerthNow’s interview with Mountain
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A separate ratings dispute was reported in 2024
PerthNow reported another wave of negative Google ratings in April 2024 after a separate online dispute. Mountain told the outlet there had been 15 one-star ratings in the preceding 24 hours. This is a later, attributed report; it does not establish that the cause Mountain described in 2023 happened again or show Fyre’s present-day score. PerthNow’s April 2024 report
Quick Recap
Rank #3
What the reports do—and do not—establish
- The 2023 dispute followed a reported failure to provide a vegan meal after Mountain had agreed in advance to accommodate the customer.
- PerthNow documented a sharp sequence in the displayed rating: 4, 2.8, then 4.5 in June 2023.
- The claim that Google treated the rating activity as a possible scam came from Mountain, not Google.
- PerthNow also reported a distinct burst of negative ratings in April 2024.
- The available reporting does not establish Fyre’s current Google rating or current vegan policy.
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