A Bristol mum says she felt the famous Karen's Diner was 'shocking value for money' - but she was quick to add how great staff were with her autistic son. The ‘Karen’s on Tour’ diner popped up in Bristol on Sunday (April 23), with customers keen to experience the purposefully rude service it's known for.
The Australian chain, which also has restaurants in the US and Indonesia as well as in the UK, offers an ‘interactive diner experience’ with rude waiters and banter between staff and diners. The 'Karen’s On Tour' schedule has events lined up this summer in Bristol, as well as the Isle of Man, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool and Newcastle offering pizzas and 90 minutes of unlimited drinks.
Bristol resident Carrie Roberts went with her 20-year-old son to the diner’s pop-up at Revolution, but although she was impressed with the "amazing" staff, she questioned the ticket price. She said: “The entertainment was great [but] value for money was shocking at £40 per person, even for kids. We got to share a plate of nachos, which we didn’t expect or want and ordered our four pizzas, they brought two.
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“When 20 minutes later, I asked for the others, they did bring another but for £40 per ticket, I expected one each. The food choice was pizza cheese, pepperoni (or vegan) or nothing else. Said unlimited drinks, there was a choice of about eight, communication was really lacking and online information was not at all helpful,” she added.
The event listing states that a ticket "includes a delicious pizza and bottomless prosecco or select spirits and mixers as well as select soft drinks drinks for a full 90mins". It costs £39.99 plus a booking fee.
But despite being disappointed by the value, Ms Roberts also said: “I took my 20 year old autistic son and they were very respectable of his needs without him wearing his badge. He takes it out with him, but likes to not use it where possible. I was worried for him, but the staff were amazing and involved him without pushing too far, can’t praise them enough for that.”
'We encourage complaints'
Managing director of Karen’s on Tour, Ryan Blackburn, said they had received positive feedback from customers for the pop-up event in Bristol. He said: “It’s really great to hear that her son enjoyed the show, our staff are trained to cater for everyone and for all people from different walks of life. Feedback forms do go out and there is an event manager at every show.”
He added that there were three pizza choices on the menu for the first Bristol pop-up event held last weekend and that there will be new menus for the next two shows in Bristol (July 9 and October 15, 2023). He said they welcome any complaints to be forwarded to them through their website.
He said: “We always encourage complaints at Karen’s. Karen’s is an experience and we want people to have a good time and leave laughing. Every show is different and it is the only show where the participants are more nervous than the actors.”
The ‘Karen’s on Tour’ site promises customers: “If y’all show up in force, we’ll either come as a longer term pop-up or simply stay put for a while until we’ve insulted everyone in YOUR CITY. You’ll be greeted and waited upon by rude waiters who in return are expecting you to give it a full Karen. A place where you can complain until the cows come home because we literally don’t care.”
Earlier this year, a heated exchange at its Manchester Diner went viral on TikTok after a diner was kicked out for being rude, with the clip racking up some 1.8 billion views on TikTok as well appearing in mainstream media. While the diner accused the restaurant of being able “to give it, not take it”, Karen’s Diner management said the patron had broken the rules, namely ‘body-shaming’ during an exchange with a waiter, which is not permitted.
For anyone wanting to unleash their inner Karen, The 'Karen’s on Tour' pop-up events will return to Bristol on Sunday, July 9 and Sunday, October 15. Tickets are on sale.
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