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Restaurant's savage response to influencer's free food request

A restaurant has spectacularly shut down an influencer's request for some free food and led them directly to the police station.

Four Legs is a pop-up restaurant operating within The Compton Arms in the UK, The Mirror reported, and the most recent Instagram post shared by the restaurant is getting quite a bit of attention.

"Been reading a lot about the peasant’s revolt recently. Inspiring stuff," Four Legs, or @fourlegs_ldn, said on Instagram along with several screenshots of a conversation with the influencer.

The influencer reached out to Four Legs over Instagram and asked if it would be possible to get some takeaway in exchange for advertising on his Instagram stories, along with a link to direct people to the restaurant's website.

Four Legs asked if the influencer could pick up the food, to which he said he could, then he asked if he could order food for more people.

"I was wondering (no worries if not) would it be ok alongside ordering food for myself if I could also order for my bubble," the influencer asked.

"Including myself it'll be 5 meals total?"

A pop-up restaurant at the Compton Arms went viral after an exchange with an influencer. Source: Instagram - fourlegs_ldn/Google Maps
A pop-up restaurant at the Compton Arms went viral after an exchange with an influencer. Source: Instagram - fourlegs_ldn/Google Maps

The influencer again reiterated what Four Legs would be getting out of the agreement and said he would be happy to dine in, when it is possible to do so, and share an Instagram post, "depending if I could make this blend with my feed".

In the message exchange, Four Legs then remarks that a feast for five is "quite a lot of food", but asks if the influencer would be willing to do multiple posts.

Eventually the two parties work out a time, with Four Legs telling the influencer to message the restaurant when he is nearby.

"Thanks very much man," the restaurant said. "It's really appreciated."

Restaurant has last laugh on influencer

Later in the correspondence, presumably when the influencer was nearby, Four Legs asks if he can see the police station.

"See it," the influencer says.

"Magic," the mastermind behind the Four Legs Instagram says.

"Go in there and report yourself for crimes against the hospitality industry."

Four Legs told the influencer to turn themselves into police for
Four Legs told the influencer to turn themselves into police for "crimes against the hospitality industry". Source: Instagram/fourlegs_ldn

People over hit back at influencer amid industry 'crisis'

On Instagram, people were loving the exchange, calling it "absolute gold". The post has racked up nearly 30,000 "likes".

Someone tagged the influencer in the comments, to which he responded and said the whole thing had been "blown out of proportion", adding he would have never reached out to the restaurant if he had known this would have happened.

"It’s not been blown out of proportion," someone fired back at the influencer.

"Don’t ask for 5 free meals when the hospitality industry is struggling to stay alive? It’s not difficult. It’s fairly simple and logical. This is the time you pay for your food. And you tip extra."

The influencer agreed with the person, and said the screenshots do not represent his intention and that he is supporting small businesses.

The UK is still grappling with Covid lockdowns and hospitality venues across the world have been severely impacted by the pandemic.

Another person responded to the influencer saying messages asking for a free meal "at the best of time" is a "mild annoyance", however, during a "crisis", it is "especially disrespectful".

"Many have let long time staff members go, have remortgage or taken on more debts to keep open and there you are politely asking for a free meal... you’ve got to see how that looks. It’s bigger than just you," they said.

However, some people were critical of how Four Legs handled the situation.

"Influencer asks for free stuff shock horror. Not really worth mugging him off that badly,"one person said in the comments.

Over the past few years, several establishments have called out influencers asking for a free meal in exchange for publicity of their platforms.

One restaurant in Greece has a genius way of giving away free meals to influencers when asked, but not to the influencers.

The restaurant's "social responsibility policy" means the influencers pay for their meal and the restaurant gives one meal to someone who needs it.

Sadly, as of 2020, not one influencer has taken up the offer.

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