A restaurant owner was totally over influencers trying to snag a free meal and clapped back hard in a detailed response.
It might seem like a no-brainer that a shoutout from an influencer could be beneficial for restaurant owners, especially if all it costs is a meal or two.
But think again. This Aussie restaurant owner’s reply might just stop influencers in their tracks when it comes to requesting freebies for promotional posts.
Indeed, his response could make influencers think twice before trying to nab a free dining experience in exchange for some online exposure.
Elle Groves, along with her pal Annie Knight from the Two Teaspoons account, reached out to an unnamed eatery hoping for a complimentary meal.
In return, Groves promised to feature a glowing review on her social media platforms.
However, it’s worth noting that Groves and Knight’s Two Teaspoons account has garnered just 7,000 followers, while the restaurant they reached out to boasts a solid 23,500 followers on Instagram. Looks like the restaurant might not need their help as much as they thought.
The spicy exchange was brought to light by food critic John Lethlean in 2022 through screenshots he shared.
“Hey guys! My friend and I have a food page together – @twoteaspooons – and saw your restaurant and thought it looked amazing!” Groves penned in her message.
“We would love to come and try it out in exchange for some stories on our personal accounts, and a post and stories on our food page accounts.
“Would you guys be interested in doing this collab? If not, we completely understand. We can’t wait to hear from you XXX”
The restaurant owner could have simply declined, but instead, he chose to deliver a scorching retort.
“Hey, Elle apologies for the delay…I’ve been grappling with how much rage to demonstrate/throw in your direction,” the owner began.
“But it’s even worse when COVID is still very much a thing, affecting small businesses like us devastatingly for two years now.”
They continued: “Maybe give it a year or so and see how the business landscape looks, and see if you can amass enough followers for your ‘collabs’ to actually be of benefit to the venues you approach so naively, instead of them being only of benefit to you.”
That response was nothing short of legendary.
Despite the backlash, Groves defended her actions in an interview with the Mail Online, insisting she never explicitly asked for free food and that it’s typically up to the establishments to decide what they want to offer.
Still, maybe it’s time for influencers to reconsider their strategy and perhaps just pay for their meals when planning to review them?