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A FOOD critic has responded to a TikToker who sparked a huge conversation on the restaurant scene in Atlanta after posing a series of reviews.
Keith Lee highlighted the extreme wait times and sometimes poor service at hyped-up local joints in Georgia’s capital.
Lee has amassed nearly 14.5 million followers for sharing authentic food reviews where he tries takeout in his car.
Last week, he took a trip to Atlanta with his family and had a list of restaurants that he wished to try.
His reviews were mixed, with some spots like Juci Jerk serving impressive food while others like The Real Milk and Honey refused to serve him.
According to the restaurant’s website, it was open, but staff told him they would close early for deep cleaning.
“The customer service was interesting,” the TikToker (@keith_lee125) said in one video.
“While the people were nice, the rules they had set were very unique to me.”
Lee prefers to order takeout, but several restaurants refused and said their services were dine-in only.
But once Lee arrived at some spots, managers would immediately hop into action to try and get the best review.
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Despite having waits of up to two and a half hours, staff would try and seat Lee’s family immediately so they could have the ideal experience.
But Lee refused each time, saying that he didn’t wish to be treated like a celebrity and would rather wait in line for takeout.
Eden Hagos, a critic and founder of the account Black Foodie, said this treatment is part of the self-titled clubification of Black-owned restaurants.
As someone who has been to hundreds of restaurants in Atlanta, Hagos suggested they were becoming tied to the vibrant nightlife scene of the city.
Much like popular clubs, Hagos is noticing that restaurants have people dressed to the nines and standing outside in long lines for brunch.
“There’s bottle service, there’s hookah being offered, there isn’t an option of making reservations… it feels like there’s a bouncer instead of a hostess greeting you,” she said in a video.
“It creates a hype for these kinds of restaurants, but it doesn’t necessarily create a good experience for you as a guest.”
People commented on her video and said they have noticed the trend as well, with some saying the club-like scene is a sign to go somewhere else.
“A nightclub atmosphere in a food establishment signals to me that the food will most likely be subpar and overpriced,” one person said.
Another suggested that the marketing tactics were put into place so guests would post dramatic pictures and videos on social media.
“This is definitely not just an Atlanta restaurant problem, unfortunately,” she continued.
A third person wrote: “There is no reason the music should be so loud that I can’t carry on a conversation with the person in front of me at a restaurant.
“If I wanted to go to a club, I’d go to a club.”