4 min read
A couple of “gastronomy influencers ” proposed to a restaurant that they invite them to eat their best dishes for free, in exchange for advertising them on their social networks with “more than 22,000 followers .” The forceful response of the local went viral and won him a lot of applause among Internet users.
The Topik restaurant, located in the heart of Barcelona, Spain, shared the message with the influencers’ proposal on Twitter. Although the local tried not to reveal their identity, the bloggers introduced themselves as Mikel and Roberta, who run the @foodgordidos profile on Instagram.
The couple stated that their profile is “a great opportunity to attract a new clientele” , and to “promote your site around the world .” They proposed to Topik to make “a post with different photos and different stories (on Instagram) and an article on our blog.”
“In exchange, he invites us to eat your best dishes . Thus, we will take attractive photos and videos to bring clients who still do not know your place or who have forgotten your existence ”, wrote Mikel and Roberta.
The offer did not convince the restaurant, who have been severely affected by the closures during the coronavirus pandemic. In a tweet, the managers of the premises evidenced the “lack of empathy” of the influencers .
“ Have you noticed that there is a current pandemic and that restaurants in Barcelona have a capacity limited to 30% and time limits?” Topik replied.
“We have been losing 50 thousand euros since March ,” that is, just over 1,200 thousand Mexican pesos. “Do you think I still want to invite someone?” He added.
“I have my workers on the Temporary Employment Regulation File (ERTE) without charging, a little please, right? Things are done out of selflessness, without expecting anything in return. May your life go well ”, ends the post.
Sharing the story with its Twitter followers, the restaurant commented: “What you would have to put to work at once… [sic] . My grandmother told this to be lazy ”.
A little please, no? We are losing money day by day, with a capacity of 30% and without being able to work well nights and you ask me to invite you to eat my best dishes.
What you would have to put to work at once ….
My grandmother told this to be lazy. pic.twitter.com/vAee1UfgXq– Topik Restaurant (@topikrestaurant) November 27, 2020
The reactions
Rejecting the “advertising” from the influencers was more profitable for the restaurant. His tweet accumulates more than 6 thousand likes , 2 thousand retweets and 671 comments , the majority of support.
“It’s scary, but it happens because there are those who accept it. Wanting to go home, enjoy, make a long menu, pay the bill and leave a good tip for the team, which makes it into the movies and goes overboard. That is the hospitality industry that must be defended ” , replied one user.
“Well done! The same restaurant with this response has made the same publicity, “ said another tweeter.
“I don’t know if I would be interested in being promoted by bloggers who don’t even know how to write a simple email without making mistakes. It says a lot about how little they review their work ” , noted a netizen.
“I have a lot less followers. But I’m dying to come, eat your best dishes with friends, take photos, enjoy and pay you for your excellent work, ” said one more.
This is how they speak .. small jetas, influencers of what? Come on, why does a kid say it, am I going to go or stop going to a place? Not that they were Tripadvisor and not even that. That they look for a job and learn what it costs to earn a living at the expense of one’s own work and not at the expense of others
– Isbel (@soto_isbel) November 29, 2020
Of course, there were also those who defended the influencers, arguing that “it is a commercial exchange” or that “it is the new advertising.”
And yes, forgive me, but people who make a living offering advertising services is a job.
If you don’t want to see it in the 21st century, you have a problem.
And I do not enter to assess if those in particular are tough faces or if what I would do would be the host.
– ValenCHEnista #LimGoHome (@ValenCHEnista) November 28, 2020
