I've said it before: https://www.reddit.com/r/RhodeIsland/comments/ueoxm3/ri_food_fights/i6osm6x/

Quoting again.

There's several threads on this already which I linked below, there's even more if you look around.

TLDR: The owner is an ass and very exploitive. I'll copy my reply from another thread below.

https://www.reddit.com/r/providence/comments/s06e77/anyone_has_bad_experiences_w_food_fights/

https://www.reddit.com/r/providence/comments/g964xp/jim_nellis_tells_the_entire_story_of_ri_food/

-Restaurants do not get any monetary kickback.

-Restaurants are deceptively told that "90% of customers order something else with the coupon" to entice them to participate. This data is from end of month voter surveys where coupon users are asked "Besides the <insert food item>, did you order anything else? We consider toppings as something else, too." So if a coupon user visited 20 places and ordered an additional item at only one, they answer 'yes' to that question and are counted in that 90% figure.

-They don't seem to respond to issues in their issue ticket system or at the very least, it takes several weeks to months. They have always responded to emails I've messaged them about if I found an error on their event page or within an email itself, but seemingly have never have gotten a response back if I have a question or an issue about the event/my ticket purchase.

-They appear to pressure restaurants to participate through social media. Observe their "X place is nominated" in their Instagram posts, you then get a flood of people tagging that restaurant begging them to participate. These restaurants aren't getting a kickback from RI Food Fights as far as I know so they may sell at a loss.

-They might ban you from future tickets sales if you leave negative reviews on google, yelp, or social media for the restaurants that participated in the monthly Food Fights event. Likely because restaurants don't want/didn't expect negative reviews from the event and then later may not participate again which is bad for the RI Food Fights company. Maybe the owner promised them good reviews and is only looking out for his business, I don't know, but this is a competition, not everyone gets a trophy nor should they, the good places deserve to be recognized. There's many, many low quality places that participate that practically spit in your food, don't give a shit, have you waiting hours for a tiny serving, won't honor the ticket, or even outright will try to charge you tax/tip/etc.

-They may ban you from their social media page for leaving anything remotely negative on said page about a restaurant. An example, saying "place X was better than Y" in one of their posts congratulating Y for winning a monthly event. However, they constantly shit on Del's so it seems hypocritical... and wait, isn't this a competition?

-From my view, the winners of the monthly events are usually places you'd never guess would win, questionable methodology on who wins in my opinion and others I've spoke with.

-Owner has a personality to say the least. Friends and I have had mostly negative run-ins with him, he seems arrogant and passive aggressive. Other people have opinions on him as well: https://www.reddit.com/r/providence/comments/g964xp/jim_nellis_tells_the_entire_story_of_ri_food/

-According to my own reputable sources (and more posts from people on here), he makes threatening/angry phone calls if you post publicly about an issue or concern. This goes along with leaving a restaurant a negative review, the man will call you if he finds out.

-Not all restaurants that participate are located in RI. I've seen people call him out on social media for it and suddenly their comments are gone, i.e., he blocked them.

-Whenever an event is canceled or moved, he will send an email saying it's moved and sometimes he'll include, "let us know if you want a refund or want to keep the tickets." No one I know has gotten a refund that requested it this way.

-Speaking of emails, he sends a lot. I've gotten up to 6-8 emails per day from him with the same exact content. Sometimes he'll send up to 3-4 within a few minutes with the same content as well.

-He steals images on social media and doesn't always give restaurants photo credit.

-Experience by a restaurant owner:

"sorry if this is TLDR. I've worked with them as a restaurant and it's a pretty awful experience. They don't give the restaurants any money or kickback, but encourage them to give substantial menu items away for free on the promise of "90% of customers order at least two other paid items" when in reality most people come for the free item and don't read the terms. We had people leave negative reviews on our restaurant because they couldn't redeem 2-3 coupons with only one person (rules are 1 coupon per person.) They also dont advertise it as "a great way to try new places" they advertise it as "great value" which is very different than how they pitch it to us. When we confronted them about it due to our small business losing tons of money on this venture, they were super rude and short and talked to us in a way that we were certain they've had these convos before. They are a business looking out for themselves only. That's why some restaurants only give away a small offer like a coffee or a single slice of pizza. Once you experience it, you know not to go in giving away mid to high cost items. It is common to still participate as the restaurants often dont want to rock the boat by saying no due to fear that the guy who runs it will drag them so they comply within the boundaries of what is realistic to protect their business. Its honestly so disheartening to experience first hand when the initial expectation is that they are supporting the little guys. Not the case." https://www.reddit.com/r/providence/comments/s06e77/anyone_has_bad_experiences_w_food_fights/hvq1cno/

-Experience by customer:

*"Bought a RI Food Fights monthly coupon pack, but never got any information about how to get it.

The only method of contact available was email, so I sent one. After a few business days, never got a response.

Made a tweet that @‘d RIFoodFights, just asking about pickup procedure.

Dude was instantly in my DMs, threatening me to take down the tweet. Didn’t answer the question, totally ignored that, was only concerned about making sure I took it down.

Asked my question again, he said to call him. So I did, and he threatened me again over the tweet, said that I can only get an answer from him if I delete it. So I did, and he blocked me immediately.

Used another Twitter account to ask the same question. He called me back ASAP, with a blocked number; threatening me again.

He told me to go to Pizza Js to pick my vouchers up. Ok. Went there, Pizza Js had no idea what I was talking about. Manager called him, and all he did was talk shit about me to the manager, and didn’t give any useful information at all.

Eventually he ended up telling me to come to his house to get them. I showed up, and he was fucking pissed off about it. Swearing, huffing, puffing, more threats about Twitter. Trying to guilt trip me hard for making him go so far out of his way. At this point this was over a week of not getting the tickets, which would expire within another week or two — but he really was trying to frame me as a bad guy for “pestering” him about wanting to get the stuff I paid him for.

Guy is a complete jackass.

After I got the tickets, two different places refused to honor them. One said they never had a deal with him ever, and it was a fraudulent coupon. Another place said they had a deal with him, but it wasn’t for what the ticket said. He wouldn’t answer calls from either of them.

Talked with one of his former business partners from a different venture, they had similar things to say about him. Spoiled little narcissistic brat that throws temper tantrums if asked to do anything at all.

Got some friends that own/run a few local bars and restaurants. They all say the guy does the same act with them — guilt trips, whines & cries his way into getting them to donate free food/drink to his business, which he then sells for a profit. Doesn’t benefit the businesses at all.

Everyone I’ve known that has interacted with him, has agreed that he desperately needs a solid punch to the face. Won’t change anything, he’ll forever be a narcissistic crybaby, but he still has it coming."* https://www.reddit.com/r/providence/comments/s06e77/anyone_has_bad_experiences_w_food_fights/hs4gcvo/