Karen's Diner Explained

Karen's Diner
Type:Private
Industry:Theme restaurants
Founded:
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Founder:Aden Levin and James Farrell
Products:Hamburgers, chicken wings

Karen's Diner is an Australian-American 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

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] The restaurant was originally planned to be a six-month pop-up restaurant at World Square.[3] 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.[4]

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.[5] [6] Staff are instructed to put on an abrasive persona and comically ridicule customers during their meal.[7] Customers are expected to return this behaviour by acting rudely towards the staff.[8] However, customers and staff are prohibited from using insults based on racism, sexism or homophobia.[9] Many of these exchanges include profanity, and people under the age of 16 must be accompanied by adults. Patrons who have ID showing that their name is Karen can receive a free drink.[10]

The restaurant is based around American diners in the 1950s, and the menu features hamburgers and chicken wings.[11] It became a popular source of content for social media, particularly on platform TikTok, as customers posted videos of their interactions with staff.[12] The chain has opened locations in the United Kingdom, the United States, Indonesia, and New Zealand.[13] [14] [15] [16] The chain expanded to New Zealand, opening a restaurant in Mount Eden in August 2022.[17]

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 paedophile.[18] [19] A spokesperson for the chain claimed that an investigation had been launched and that stricter training protocols would be introduced in response.[20]

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.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 8 June 2022 . The Perth restaurant where you PAY for shocking service . 23 August 2022 . PerthNow . en . 23 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220823013252/https://www.perthnow.com.au/business/small-business/ask-for-the-manager-we-dare-you-karens-diner-set-to-flip-normal-dining-experience-on-head--c-7081018 . live .
  2. Web site: 24 July 2022 . 'Sit down and shut up': my lunchtime ordeal at Karen's Diner . 23 August 2022 . the Guardian . en . 23 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220823004106/https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/jul/24/sit-down-and-shut-up-my-lunchtime-ordeal-at-karens-diner . live .
  3. Web site: Bolles . Scott . 12 July 2021 . Karen's Diner to bring attitude and American comfort food to World Square . 23 August 2022 . Good Food . en-au . 23 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220823013251/https://www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out/just-open/karens-diner-to-bring-attitude-and-american-comfort-food-to-world-square-20210625-h1wqrj . live .
  4. News: Sharples . Sarah . 26 November 2021 . Concerns raised over Viral Adventure's Brisbane restaurant Karen's Diner . . 23 August 2022 . 5 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211205113316/https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/at-work/concerns-raised-over-viral-adventures-brisbane-restaurant-karens-diner/news-story/cc641b6746ee5a76aceff7af067135e7 . live .
  5. Web site: Dalton . Angus . 2 July 2022 . Parents beware: Kids are pranking Mum and Dad with Sydney's rudest restaurant . 23 August 2022 . The Sydney Morning Herald . en . 23 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220823004106/https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/parents-beware-kids-are-pranking-mum-and-dad-with-trips-to-sydney-s-rudest-restaurant-20220623-p5avyk.html . live .
  6. Web site: Karen's Diner in Sydney, Australia serves an alternative rude dining experience . 23 August 2022 . USA TODAY . en-US . 23 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220823004924/https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/have-you-seen/2022/06/23/karens-diner-sydney-australia-offers-trademark-rude-service/7713659001/ . live .
  7. Web site: Farrington . Dayna . 16 August 2022 . Restaurant where you're paid to be rude to customers is hiring . 23 August 2022 . BirminghamLive . en . 23 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220823004924/https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/new-city-burger-restaurant-you-24767973 . live .
  8. Web site: Grove . Alex . Blackledge . Richard . 3 May 2022 . 'I went to UK's first Karen's Diner and was astounded by the rudeness' . 23 August 2022 . WalesOnline . en . 23 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220823004924/https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/i-went-uks-first-karens-23850669 . live .
  9. Web site: 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 . 23 August 2022 . Insider . en-US.
  10. Web site: 26 October 2021 . Unleash Your Inner Karen At This Hilarious Restaurant With Terrible Service In Sydney . 25 August 2022 . Secret Sydney . en-AU . 7 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221007212529/https://secretsydney.com/karens-diner/ . live .
  11. Web site: Maher . Alannah . This rude dining experience full of Karens is now open in Melbourne . 23 August 2022 . Time Out Melbourne . 15 February 2022 . en-AU . 23 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220823004106/https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/things-to-do/karens-diner . live .
  12. Web site: 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 . 23 August 2022 . Insider . en-US.
  13. Web site: Hughes . Circe . 11 August 2022 . Karen's Diner is Coming Eat & Drink . 23 August 2022 . London On The Inside . en-GB . 12 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220812142757/https://londontheinside.com/the-diner-with-deliberately-rude-staff-is-coming-to-london/ . live .
  14. Web site: Burgers with a side of abuse – Karen's Diner is coming to Dublin . 23 August 2022 . LovinDublin.com . 23 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220823004107/https://lovindublin.com/food/burgers-with-a-side-of-abuse-karens-diner-is-coming-to-dublin . live .
  15. Web site: Karen's Diner Set to Cause Mayhem in Denver What Now Denver . 23 August 2022 . whatnowdenver.com . en-US . 10 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220710072424/https://whatnowdenver.com/karens-diner-set-to-cause-mayhem-in-denver/ . live .
  16. News: Waitress at New Zealand's first Karen's Diner reveals customers want them to be more 'ruthless' . 1 October 2022 . Newshub . Ireland . Hendry-Tennent . Melissa . Tapper . 1 October 2022 . 1 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221001114418/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/lifestyle/2022/10/waitress-at-new-zealand-s-first-karen-s-diner-reveals-customers-want-them-to-be-more-ruthless.html . live .
  17. Web site: Taunton . Esther . 2023-07-06 . How rude: Company behind Karen's Diner goes into liquidation . 2023-09-10 . Stuff . en.
  18. News: Khalil . Shireen . 1 August 2022 . Karen's Diner waiter accused of making 'vulgar' remark to teenage girl . .
  19. Web site: Karen's Diner Apologises After Waiter Called A Customer A 'Paedo' . 23 August 2022 . www.ladbible.com . 29 July 2022 . en . 23 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220823004107/https://www.ladbible.com/news/karens-diner-apologises-to-family-lboz-20220729 . live .
  20. Web site: Glennon . Nicole . 8 August 2022 . A popular dining chain famous for its rude staff is coming to Dublin . 23 August 2022 . Irish Examiner . en . 23 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220823004106/https://www.irishexaminer.com/food/arid-40935635.html . live .
  21. Web site: Muroi . Millie . 2023-06-09 . Doesn’t pay to be rude: Karen’s Diner restaurants close as owner goes bust . 2023-09-10 . The Sydney Morning Herald . en.

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