The main flaw I see in this unfortunate incident is this: You have absolutely no proof it happened at Mama’s. Could it have? Yes for sure. There actually are about 10 spaces available to park, which are assigned for local beach access. Guess, only locals know this. It is true, if you’re going to Mama’s you can not use these spaces, you must use Mama’s valet. The point is the public spaces there, so there is public access in the lot .

My guess would be both cars were broke into in Paia. As the saying here goes. “When in Paia, do not feed the hippies” There are a lot of homeless people in that area. Drug use is high. They live on the beaches in that area, they used to live in some of the parking lots as well, Maui PD has made gains in getting them off the streets and lots, but they are still there. They have no problem spotting rental cars. If ones sees a convertible with the top down we locals know you are a tourist as do the thiefs. Usually, it is raining and the top is down, which makes it even easier to spot you. Vans and convertibles are hot targets for car break in here, especially in those areas the tourist frequent. Is Maui any higher crime rate than the Mainland, I do not think so. Most is petty crimes committed for drugs.

Would be the same situation if you left valuables in your car at Disneyland in the morning, then went out to another tourist attraction and left your car parked for hours, you really could not be sure which site had the break in.

These slimy creatures have tools they carry that can get into just about any car by popping the trunk or the door. Could have happened either place, Mama’s or Paia, I vote for Paia.

As a small business owner myself, I found the owners’ letter to be pretty appalling. While I don’t believe Mama’s should be responsible for paying for the stolen items, I also think responding with arrogance and disdain is not the way to engender goodwill. Paragraph 3 is also super condescending (i.e. “don’t even TRY to publicize this, because it won’t work and people will laugh at you and call you foolish, and that’s what we think you are”.) Times are tough right now and Maui is suffering from a major tourism downturn. With so many wonderful restaurant options on the island, I can’t imagine why they would respond in this manner, and to a travel writer no less! Yikes.

I haven’t been going to Mama’s lately, I feel the quality has been going downhill since my first visit. So i’ve been visiting other restaurants on the island. (Just in case travelwrites threatens to support Mama’s in a lawsuit against me for libel, I have to add that i’m stating this as the humble opinion of one diner, not a fact.) But if I ever get the urge again, I will remember that I should not under any circumstances leave ANYTHING in my car because I will get a very offensive reply from the owners if I write to them about it.

I bet there have been more than this incident in the past. Tourists rarely just drive directly to Mama’s and then go directly home. They stop on their way to Hana or go to Paia, etc. If there was one vehicle robbed, the victim might not even suspect Mama’s had a hand in it. I wouldn’t have looked to them first if something went missing from my vehicle knowing how bad Paia has gotten. It’s the fact that both were robbed and they weren’t parked by each other in Paia that’s telling.

As for me, I won’t be visiting Mama’s during my next trip to Maui. My friends and I go there once or twice a year. My one friend likes Mama’s. I’ve already showed her this article and she was appalled. The restaurant obviously disdains the tourists that help keep them in business. You would think the owner and marketing director would have better sense than to expose their true feelings in that response to Christopher Elliot.

Unfortunately, Mama’s doesn’t appear to have learned anything from this, except the power of the internet has lost them some business.