Restaurant chain Karen’s Diner is renowned for offering good food and terrible customer service. But while diners expect staff to be rude, impatient and dismissive, one of the restaurant’s golden rules is that body shaming and sexist, racist or homophobic jokes will not be tolerated.
That’s why when one customer went to enjoy a meal at the restaurant in Brisbane, he ended up kicking off at the staff after they made a joke about his bald head.
The outburst was captured by Bec Hardgrave, who is a health coach in Queensland, and uploaded on TikTok.
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The video has been viewed more than 2.5 million times and has received thousands of likes and comments, but it has received mixed responses.
The video shows Bec and her friends at the restaurant.
In her voiceover she says: “Me and my friends went to Karen’s diner and safe to say I probably won’t come back.
“I know they get paid to be mean to you but it was a little too hectic. They were making offensive comments about people’s appearances and they told my friend she needed to brush her hair. How mean is that?
“They told my other friend that she’s too old and they threw cups at us.”
She added: “They got this group of older ladies to leave, like stand up and leave. They said to leave over the mic and they had an alarm blaring and the ladies actually got up and left, I’m not sure if they paid or not.
“The food was OK but get this, they told this guy he had a receding hairline and this is what he did…”
The video then cuts to a clip of a man shouting at the restaurant staff.
He can be heard screaming: “That’s the one thing your f**king sign says – no body shaming,” while pointing at the sign.
The restaurant’s house rules say: “Karen’s Diner is a unique, interactive dining experience but in order to maintain a shred of sanity here, we have some rules. Breaking these rules will result in your table being asked to pay the bill and leave the venue. You will also be banned from returning to the venue. We want both staff and customers to feel as safe as possible in our venues.”
And the second rule on the list is 'no body shaming'.
But TikTok users were left split over the clip.
“You should all know the risks before entering. If you’re too soft, don’t eat there,” one person said.
While another added: “Literally the guy at the end is in the right.”
“Karen’s Diner needs to end, the whole thing is a mess. They break their own rules and boundaries and then act surprised when people are upset,” said another.
Someone else wrote: “This restaurant is a MESSSS it’s not even about being a Karen it’s literally bullying lol.”
LADbible has contacted Karen’s Diner for comment.
Topics: Food And Drink, Australia, TikTok
Anna Verdon