Karen's Diner is attempting to make a comeback in the UK after all but one of the infamous restaurants in the country closed down.
The chain had opened up several locations across the UK, with their major draw being the incredibly rude treatment the staff would give to customers, as insults aplenty were served up along with the dishes.
While the idea originated in Australia, it spread to the UK in 2022, and several major cities had a branch which would invite bookings and events from people who wanted to eat their meal and be shouted at by the staff who worked there.
However, it seems like the gimmick wore thin as last year. Viral Ventures UK, the company set up to operate Karen's Diner on these shores, went into administration with debts of £400,000.
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Only their London Angel branch has remained open, with the Showon Group running it under a franchise, and according to The Caterer, they have the rights to try and bring the brand back due to an agreement with Karen's parent company in Australia.
While the whole diner thing didn't work out in the UK, there are plans to rebrand Karen's into something Brits are more fond of.
Their attempt to bring back the concept involves turning it into Karen's Bombay, which they hope will end up being 'the rudest Indian restaurant in the world'.
The group told The Caterer: "When our diner clients ceased to trade, we were left to fend for ourselves.
"The Karen’s experience is loved by millions globally, and we felt now was the perfect time to bring our unique flair to new groups of diners."
Now, they're looking for Indian restaurants that are interested in going Karen and providing a 'theatrical dining experience' to their customers.
Under the model, participating restaurants would provide 7.5 percent of their gross sales, and Showon would provide training for the restaurant's front-of-house staff to put on the sort of treatment people would expect from a Karen's place.
While the original attempt to bring Karen's to the UK at first seemed popular, it didn't end up working out very well, so they'll be hoping that Brits who love tucking into Indian cuisine also like to be insulted while eating it.
According to a former manager of Karen's, any prospective employees would need to learn how to handle the interactions.
Mica Young, who managed the Manchester branch of Karen's Diner, said: "I think you need to have the balance of reading people's body language and knowing when they're actually enjoying it, and then kind of back off a little bit when you can sense someone's a bit nervous or a bit awkward."
Topics: Food And Drink, UK News, Business
Joe Harker