Keith Lee Skewers Atlanta, and Rightfully So

Large metropolitan cities are known for their cuisine and dining experiences, each more unique than the next, and Atlanta is no different, but what Atlanta is known for brings little esteem to the city’s reputation amongst diners. I have personally gone to several restaurants in the city and been quite disappointed that not only did I come out of the house but I also spent my hard-earned coin on an establishment that feels that they deserve my money and they don’t have to earn it.

If you are living under a rock, then you probably are not familiar with the beloved food critic and TikToker Keith Lee, but if you are like the rest of us, then you understand the phenomenon and exactly why Keith has amassed a following of over 14 million followers, on TikTok alone. He is known for his genuine approach to food tasting and is also known to change the lives of small business owners with just one glowing review, but if that review is not positive, which sometimes happens, it may negatively affect the business.

Keith Lee and his family stopped in Atlanta, Georgia, a city known for its fast-paced slowness, its exclusivity, and its ambiance. During his visit, he stopped at multiple restaurants, where some small businesses’ fortunes changed overnight but others were not so lucky and found their businesses the stereotype of what many claim is problematic about dining in Atlanta. Two of the businesses that Keith reviewed are owned by celebrities. One of the restaurants is ‘Old Lady Gang’, owned by Kandi Burrus and the other is ‘The Seafood Menu’, owned by rapper Lil Baby.

What was interesting about these two reviews is that Keith himself did not review the food. Keith did not review The Seafood Menu because he is allergic to shellfish and they were not able to accommodate cooking the fish separately from the shellfish, as he is allergic. Instead, his sister and wife took the reins. Neither of them gave the food rave reviews, which is indicative of what has happened previously in the city when rappers and entertainers open restaurants. The food is usually not the draw, but rather the possibility of seeing an owner come to their restaurant that serves food that they may not have done enough research into seeing if it is just beyond palatable. Kandi Burrus’ restaurant, ‘Old Lady Gang,’ inspired by her mother and friends, did not get the chance to impress or disappoint Keith because the lack of professionalism of their restaurant resulted in him not even trying the food, excuse me, the rules. Long story short, Keith attempted to order the food multiple times and multiple ways and was consistently met with roadblocks that the average customer experiences but were too much for Keith to even wade through. It initially started with Keith attempting to make an online order, which did not go through and was then told that the restaurant does not accept take-out orders on the weekends. Keith had his family members go in and his family was told there would be an hour and a half wait. Once Keith stepped inside the establishment, almost immediately after, a table was made available for him within five minutes.

He politely declined.

However, that was not the biggest part of Keith’s week. While attempting to get food from a restaurant called “The Real Milk and Honey ATL,” Keith also had a similar negative experience that ended in a firestorm. The restaurant stated that it was closed an hour early (during brunch on the weekends in Atlanta when the temperature was in the high 70s/low 80s) to deep clean the establishment, but as soon as Keith walked in and was recognized, a table miraculously became available, which he also declined. However, it was the owners’ response that really took the cake, no pun intended. In a now-deleted Instagram post, the owners scoffed at Keith by saying, “Who is Keith Lee?” in an elitist manner. This clearly made some of Keith’s supporters rightfully upset because asking who someone is, the same someone who has 14.3 million Tiktok followers, is nasty work.

Downplaying his cultural influence is not only inaccurate but really does not bode well for a business’ credibility. What makes matters worse is that a list of rules put in place by The Real Milk and Honey ATL circulated online and the restaurant was understandably devoured by social media. Many of the rules were not only outrageous but were in direct conflict with each other. One of the rules states that there cannot be a party of more than four people, but an automatic 18% will be added to the bill of five or more. How can you not allow more than four in a party but a party of more than that has to pay a mandatory tip? The list also stated that modifications on how the food is prepared were not an option and that essentially, if you don’t like the food, you’re stuck. The rules mention that there is no waiting area for customers and they must not only wait in the car but get this, there is no “table hibernation,” which means that there is a time limit for customers to enjoy their food. What?! I understand that restaurants may be busy but to even put that in writing is an affront to the customer, and well, leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.

Whenever I have made note that dining in Atlanta is difficult, it was met with backlash on social media, so I must say that it has been a bit validating watching Keith say the things that needed to be said about the city’s culture surrounding food. The city has become grass walls, neon cursive lights, and Instagram pictures with food on the side. While many restaurants cannot help their wait times, making customers feel unwanted doesn’t sit right on the stomach. Influencer culture has ruined the dining experience in Atlanta. The food is not a priority to most. Hookah, IG photos, trap music blaring in the background, and bad customer service seem to come before the piss-poor quality of the food, especially for restaurants that cater to an audience that swears they love exclusivity, just as long as everyone else can see.

While I absolutely want to root for Black businesses and want them to win, it’s hard knowing that many see customers as a means to an end and not someone to share an experience and build a relationship with. Atlanta’s restaurants are so busy trying to catch a vibe when the food is the vibe. Keep treating customers like they’re a burden and there will be none leftover.