Food ‘Influencer’ Gets Flamed After Allegedly Trying To Extort A Restaurant For A Good Review

Food Influencer Crushed For Asking For Money To Review Restaurant

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  • A food “influencer” allegedly asked a restaurant for money before writing a review, but was turned down.
  • He then went to the restaurant, trashed it on social media, and is now getting crushed for his actions.
  • Read more news about food here.

A Los Angeles based food blogger slash “influencer” is getting raked over the coals today after he allegedly tried to blackmail a restaurant into paying him for a good review.

According to screenshots published by Corner 17 Noodles & Bubble Tea in University City, Missouri, Antonio Malik (@antonio_eats_la) attempted to extort them out of $100 and when they rebuffed him he tried to trash them on social media.

No, you did not read that wrong. The restaurant is located in Missouri. The food blogger is located in California.

Here’s how it all allegedly went down, according to the direct message screenshots shared by Corner 17 Noodles & Bubble Tea.

“Hello! I wanted to record the food being made and post it on my page. In exchange for $100 off the food. I can come today,” Malik wrote.

“But you know we are in stil?” Corner 17 replied.

“I’m in stl also,” Malik wrote back. “I can come today around 430. I’m from stl, I have family here. I live in LA and here.”

After some silence on Corner 17’s part, Malik messaged the restaurant again, writing, “??”

“Thank you for your offer but I don’t think this collaboration will work for us tho,” the restaurant responded.

Malik then proceeded to give the restaurant a terrible review.

The restaurant fired right back at the troublesome food “influencer”

That’s when the gloves came off and Corner 17 Noodles & Bubble Tea decided to defend themselves on social media.

“We understand that we have a small platform here in the social media, and we don’t get as much voice as other media influencers especially with Asian cuisine,” the restaurant said in a statement. “Most of time the restaurants don’t have any social accounts or time to manage their accounts. An intentionally bad write-up from a large following influencer because of our refusal to accept their collaboration is unprofessional and a such hostile manner can simply ruin their businesses.

“I want to step up because we felt threatened by this media influencer. I want to give a voice to my Asian community that is ok to say no and turn down any promotional offers, no fear to stand up and defend yourself.”

Unfortunately, Malik wasn’t through bothering the restaurant.

Malik’s Instagram account is now set to private, except to his 213,000 followers, whoever they may be.

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Before settling down at BroBible, Douglas Charles, a graduate of the University of Iowa (Go Hawks), owned and operated a wide assortment of websites. He is also one of the few White Sox fans out there and thinks Michael Jordan is, hands down, the GOAT.