23 March 2023 , 21:10
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A restaurant chain with the tagline "Great Burgers & Rude Service" have hit back after a diner was caught on camera calling a waitress a 'fat sl*g' before being chucked out for body shaming.
Teenager Jack Keith visited the Greater Manchester branch, in Prestwich, on Friday with his family but the party was ordered to leave after just 10 minutes.
Karen's Diner offers its "rude" experience in more than 15 locations across the world, with six being in the UK. According to the company's website, patrons "will be greeted and waited upon by rude waiters and forced to play a variety of games".
In the footage, which has since gone viral, the in-character waitress heard 17-year-old Jack calling her a "wh**e" under his breath, the Manchester Evening News reports.
She tells him "not to mumble it because you're a p***y" and when he says it more clearly she hits back to say "you can't pronunciate [sic], that's embarrassing".
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However the exchange quickly turned sour when she asks his age and he quips back "how old are you, you fat sl*g?".
The angry waitress immediately tells another member of staff then returns to the table to declare "you're out, all of you, it's in the rules. He's ruined it". The family had to pay the £25 drinks bill and leave due to the house rules about "no body shaming".
Jack was ordered to leave after just 10 minutes (Kennedy News and Media)Despite admitting he's not proud of the comments, the teen has lashed out at the restaurant chain questioning why staff "can give [abuse] but can't take it".
However Karen's Diners firmly hit back at the family and said it is "sad that a minority of customers need reminding as to how to behave" but they have "no choice but to cater to the minority" by putting up house rules.
A spokesperson for the restaurant said: "Sadly we are unable to personally explain to every customer that calling a waitress a 'fat sl*g' is very directly 'body shaming' and that is why we hand out the House Rule cards.”
Jack, from Ulverston, Cumbria, said he was "shocked" when the waitress told them to leave and claimed his family "didn't have time" to read the rules.
"It was just in the moment and that came to my head so I thought I'd throw that at her. I understand that they think it's against the rules," he said.
"It said 'no body shaming' but I couldn't think of anything [my insult] would have come under because she wasn't fat. She was your average female build so I don't know why she took it to heart.
"We didn't have time to read the rules. They just threw them at us and it was a really loud atmosphere. There was a lot going on.
"Some of the insults they gave to my grandparents were pretty next-level. Karen's Diner is a crazy idea and I probably wouldn't go back."
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The family left Karen's Diner without issue and chose to eat at a nearby cafe instead where they discussed the incident.
Jane, Jack’s mum, says a staff member threw the rules on the floor upon entry and made her pick them up before showing them to a table.
Teenager Jack was at the restaurant with his grandparents (Kennedy News and Media)She admits they didn't read the rules and is keen to emphasise the importance of making sure customers do before the experience begins.
Jane said: "When you're there and you see the way they speak to you it leaves you quite shell-shocked. She was quite in his face and Jack doesn't like that really. He doesn't go out looking for trouble and he's quite a quiet lad.
"Before you sit down they should show you the rules and make you read them in front of you. They don't make it clear enough."
Jack's brother Josh Keith, who was also at the meal, posted the video on TikTok where it's been viewed more than half-a-million times.
Jack commented on his brother's post and said: "Please let me state that I'm not proud of this. It was just [said] in the moment and I'm not a bad person."
Social media users are split on whether the teen is out of order with his abuse or if the waitress should accept it as par for the course.
One commented: "Just because they're supposed to be rude waitresses doesn't mean you can call them a fat s**g. They're still people at the end of the day."
Another agreed and said: "They take the p**s but avoid using things like that as it could genuinely hurt somebody's feelings. Hey ho lol."
A spokesman for Karen's Diner said: "[In response] to the allegation that Karen’s staff can 'give it, but not take it'. If the 'Take it' referred to is simple 'body abuse', then the statement is quite correct.
"Karen's Diners will not condone seriously offensive abuse either 'given' (which can be grounds for dismissal as all our staff are obliged to work within strict behavioural guidelines) or 'take it' as we will always take every stance to protect our staff from unacceptable behaviour.
"It is sad that a minority of customers need reminding as to how to behave. We spend days teaching our staff how to be rude and funny. Offending anyone is never funny.
"We have loved being rude to over 50,000 people in Manchester and we thank 99% of them for being such fun."