Karen's Diner
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Theme restaurants |
| Founded | 2021 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Founder | Aden Levin and James Farrell |
| Products | Hamburgers, chicken wings |
Karen's Diner is an Australian-American[citation needed] chain of theme restaurants. The restaurant is known for advertising a deliberately unpleasant dining experience, and staff are instructed to insult customers throughout their meal. The restaurant's name came from the internet slang term Karen, used to describe an older white woman perceived as entitled or excessively demanding.
History
[edit]The chain was established in Sydney, Australia in 2021 by Aden Levin and James Farrell.[1] It is a theme restaurant based around the concept of an unpleasant dining experience where customers pay for employees to insult them.[2][3] The restaurant was originally planned to be a six-month pop-up restaurant at World Square.[4] The restaurant's concept initially drew a mixed response, raising concerns about whether the environment of mutual insults could expose employees to abuse by customers.[5]
The name Karen's is a reference to the use of the name Karen in internet memes to describe a stereotypically rude or entitled middle-aged white woman.[6][7] Staff are instructed to put on an abrasive persona and comically ridicule customers during their meal.[8] Customers are expected to return this behaviour by acting rudely towards the staff.[9] However, customers and staff are prohibited from using insults based on racism, sexism or homophobia.[10] Many of these exchanges include profanity, and people under the age of 16 must be accompanied by adults.[2] Patrons who have ID showing that their name is Karen can receive a free drink.[11]
The restaurant is based around American diners in the 1950s, and the menu features hamburgers and chicken wings.[12] It became a popular source of content for social media, particularly on platform TikTok, as customers posted videos of their interactions with staff.[13] The chain has opened locations in the United Kingdom, the United States, Indonesia, and New Zealand.[14][15][16][17] The chain expanded to New Zealand, opening a restaurant in Mount Eden in August 2022.[18]
In August 2022, the restaurant drew controversy after a video allegedly showing a staff member at a Brisbane location behaving inappropriately went viral on TikTok. In the video, the server makes inappropriate remarks about an underage patron and accuses her father, who was dining with her, of being a pedophile.[19][20] A spokesperson for the chain claimed that an investigation had been launched and that stricter training protocols would be introduced in response.[3]
In May 2023, Viral Ventures (Australia), a company which owned most of the chain's Australian restaurants, went into liquidation.[21] In July 2023, Viral Ventures NZ also went into liquidation.[18]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "The Perth restaurant where you PAY for shocking service". PerthNow. 8 June 2022. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ a b "'Sit down and shut up': my lunchtime ordeal at Karen's Diner". the Guardian. 24 July 2022. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ a b Glennon, Nicole (8 August 2022). "A popular dining chain famous for its rude staff is coming to Dublin". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ Bolles, Scott (12 July 2021). "Karen's Diner to bring attitude and American comfort food to World Square". Good Food. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ Sharples, Sarah (26 November 2021). "Concerns raised over Viral Adventure's Brisbane restaurant Karen's Diner". News.com.au. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ Dalton, Angus (2 July 2022). "Parents beware: Kids are pranking Mum and Dad with Sydney's rudest restaurant". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ "Karen's Diner in Sydney, Australia serves an alternative rude dining experience". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ Farrington, Dayna (16 August 2022). "Restaurant where you're paid to be rude to customers is hiring". BirminghamLive. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ Grove, Alex; Blackledge, Richard (3 May 2022). "'I went to UK's first Karen's Diner and was astounded by the rudeness'". WalesOnline. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ Jankowicz, Mia. "I went to a 'Karen' diner, where being rude and disrespectful is elevated to an art form, and got completely roasted by the staff". Insider. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ "Unleash Your Inner Karen At This Hilarious Restaurant With Terrible Service In Sydney". Secret Sydney. 26 October 2021. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- ^ Maher, Alannah (15 February 2022). "This rude dining experience full of Karens is now open in Melbourne". Time Out Melbourne. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ Friel, Mikhaila. "What it's like to work at TikTok-famous Karen's Diner, where the staff are paid to be rude and swear at customers". Insider. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ Hughes, Circe (11 August 2022). "Karen's Diner is Coming | Eat & Drink". London On The Inside. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ "Burgers with a side of abuse – Karen's Diner is coming to Dublin". LovinDublin.com. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ "Karen's Diner Set to Cause Mayhem in Denver | What Now Denver". whatnowdenver.com. Archived from the original on 10 July 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ Hendry-Tennent, Ireland; Tapper, Melissa (1 October 2022). "Waitress at New Zealand's first Karen's Diner reveals customers want them to be more 'ruthless'". Newshub. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
- ^ a b Taunton, Esther (6 July 2023). "How rude: Company behind Karen's Diner goes into liquidation". Stuff. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ Khalil, Shireen (1 August 2022). "Karen's Diner waiter accused of making 'vulgar' remark to teenage girl". news.com.au.
- ^ "Karen's Diner Apologises After Waiter Called A Customer A 'Paedo'". www.ladbible.com. 29 July 2022. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ Muroi, Millie (9 June 2023). "Doesn't pay to be rude: Karen's Diner restaurants close as owner goes bust". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 September 2023.