Katie Marron was approached by an influencer asking for a free meal at her struggling restaurant. Photo / Instagram
Katie Marron was approached by an influencer asking for a free meal at her struggling restaurant. Photo / Instagram
A "shameless" influencer has been blasted for their free food request after approaching a Melbourne restaurant just weeks before it permanently closes after struggling to survive the Covid-19 pandemic.
Miss Katie's Crab Shack in Fitzroy is shutting its doors for good on July 29 after nine years in business.
Owner Katie Marron alerted customers of her decision to end the "rollercoaster" ride of trying to keep "the Shack alive" due to financial pressures caused by weeks of lockdowns and Covid restrictions.
However, one influencer decided this wasn't going to stop her asking for a free meal, recently contacting the restaurant to ask for A$100 ($110) worth of free food.
Understandably, Marron was shocked by the request, asking "how this would be beneficial to me and my struggling business", pointing out she was just weeks away from closure and that her "posts won't pay my bills".
Attempting to justify her request, the influencer replied: "No worries, I would be able to ask my followers and promote the restaurant and many people would come. But understand if $100 is a lot [to ask]."
The influencer approached the restaurant asking for free food in exchange for a review.. Photo / Instagram@johnlethlean
The exchange between the Melbourne "foodie" and Marron was later shared by Australian restaurant critic John Lethlean who called out the blogger under the hashtag #couscousforcomment.
"Nice overtures here from an influencer (who blocks me, I wonder why) hitting up @misskatiescrabshack and offering what, exactly? Shame. Shame. Shame," he wrote.
Lethlean's followers were quick to slam the influencer over the request, labelling it "tone deaf", but the backlash didn't prompt an apology, with the account instead being deleted.
"Wtf will a review do when it's shut down? I hate these people," one raged.
"Furious. I hate food bloggers that claim one thing but reality is another. I'm devastated Katie's Crab Shack is closing down, and we will fully support how we can before you close," one wrote.
As another said: "This is disgusting… people have no idea how difficult hospitality is."
Others said the free food request was "shameless".
"'Influencers' with nothing but the audacity," one stated.
The exchange was shared by #couscousforcomment where it sparked outrage. Photo / Instagram@johnlethlean
"Freeloader was the word I was looking for to describe these 'bloggers' and 'influencers'," another agreed.
One wrote: "I don't care how many followers somebody has, they should pay their own bloody way."
The shock attempt for free food comes just a few weeks after Marron shared an emotional post on social media about the closure of the Crab Shack.
"No one could have predicted the rocky road ahead," she said.
"Due to the impacts of Covid and rising costs, I have struggled to keep the Shack alive.
"The landscape of the hospitality industry has shifted and it's time to re-examine things.
"I have held on to the Shack for as long as I can as I love her so much, she has served me well.
"But it's time for new beginnings. I must embrace change and move in a new direction. It's time to call it a day.
"It is with mixed feelings I will be saying farewell to my beloved Crab Shack."
However, Lethlean said Marron was "relaunching after nine years as @suzicheeks" which according to the Instagram page is a local bar serving drinks and snacks.
