Pittsburgh Restaurant Owner Calls Out An Influencer with 15 Million Followers Who Demands $1800 to Eat at His Restaurant: “We aren’t interested in that”

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jun 11, 2026 11:15 AM EDT

Influencers are often called audacious, and this food influencer's wild offer is a great example of that. 

Fame can go to your head, and that's certainly the case with some influencers. They're making daily videos, sometimes multiple per day, and their fans are constantly hyping them up in the comments section.

There are endless niches for content creators to get into, but they say posting consistently is key. So for the food reviewer type of influencer, eating out at restaurants constantly is basically their second job. 

And that cost adds up quickly! Although a viral video or two might help with the bills, influencers might have to find other ways to pay the bills. 

This influencer has a strange way of trying to make money off their Insta-fame. They have been just messaging restaurants straight-up, asking them for 4-figure paychecks. 

In return, the restaurant gets a handful of videos. Presumably, they'd also get an influx of followers on their socials, and perhaps if they go viral enough, they'd get a bunch of new customers in their stores, too. 

Why did this restaurateur turn down an influencer with 15 million followers? 

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  • Group of friends view footage from food influencer while eating at restaurant, in a depiction by 4 models.
    via Getty Images

    Group of friends view footage from food influencer while eating at restaurant, in a depiction by 4 models.

  • Hey! Im going to be in your area from June 22-25th and would love to stop by and feature your restaurant. I make mukbang videos and have 15M+ followers across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Are you open to me sending over my collab options?
    via troybeck
  • 11:34 AM Here are my packages: Package 1: $1,200 1x Instagram Reel • 2x Instagram Stories Package 2: $1,800 1x Instagram Reel 1x TikTok Repost 1x YouTube Shorts Repost • 3x Instagram Stories I also offer custom packages, Let me know if you have any questions! Oh lol yeah nah, we aren't interested in that Seen 24m ago
    via troybeck
  • YESTERDAY 11:41 PM Hi Troy, my attorney has been trying to reach you. There's a cease and desist in your inbox. Oh, for sure. Your super real lawyer dialing up people at midnight over a tweet during the NBA Finals.
    via troybeck
  • A crowded restaurant full of hungry diners, in a depiction by models.
    via Daniel

    A crowded restaurant full of hungry diners, in a depiction by models.

  • Luckily, for you...a few of my good friends are lawyers...There's no merit to any of what you claim. Stop charging small businesses to eat for free.
    via troybeck
  • Ok, I'll see you in court.
    via troybeck
  • No merit. calling restaurant and dm'ing me saying it's his "lawyer" calling for a "cease and desist” which I find to be rudimentary bulls. Any merit to that?
    via troybeck
  • I'm over here giggling at the thought of a lawyer dialing someone up at midnight because of a tweet for a cease and desist It's definitely what you focus on Yeah that's a fake lawyer bulls Delivered
    via troybeck
  • Influencer snaps a photo of an aesthetically pleasing restaurant meal, as represented by a model.
    via Eaters Collective

    Influencer snaps a photo of an aesthetically pleasing restaurant meal, as represented by a model.

  • After reading through the conversation, there are a few points that could be considered. 

    For example, this restaurant is in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. How can the content creator guarantee that PA residents are going to be the ones seeing the content? He can't. 

    Is that better advertising than just putting up billboards or handing out flyers with coupons on them locally? Probably not. 

    People may see the content, but if people aren’t coming in to buy meals (and maybe post about it themselves!) then it’s probably not worth it for these restaurant owners. 

    Also, paying someone to chow down at your place of business is the exact opposite of what an eatery even does. These places run on slim margins, they really don’t have the kind of money to just waste on an influencer’s video. 

    If an eatery wants to go viral in the first place, they need to have a really photogenic or trendy food item. They won’t have to seek out any hype. It’ll find them. 

    The influencer here was also a mukbang content creator. People are split on this type of content. Some really enjoy watching people gorge themselves on massive amounts of food, often making a mess as they go. Others, myself included, find it hard to stomach. So just by the type of content the food influencer creates, he’s going to be bringing in this hyper-specific audience. It’s perhaps not the most mainstream appeal. 

    It turns out that this guy has messaged other restaurant owners, and the story gets even juicier. 

  • Another restaurant owner weighed in

    @Tallow YO HE LOWERED HIS PRICES ee He sent me this in February.
    via Tallow

  • This guy actually agreed to it

    Hey guys! I live near by and would love to make a video at your Resturant. I have 15M followers across all platforms are you open to collabs? FEB 24 AT 20:59 Would love that
    via Tallow
  • Food influencer holds hand at an awkward angle to get the right photo of a pastry, in a representation by a model.
    via Mohamed hamdi

    Food influencer holds hand at an awkward angle to get the right photo of a pastry, in a representation by a model.

  • MAR 16 AT 00:15 Hey! Thanks for getting back to me. I would love to do a mukbang with your food. Here are my packages, let me know which one you're interested in.
    via Tallow

  • $2500!?!

    Here are my packages, let me know which one you're interested in: Package 1: $1900 -1x IG Reel -2x IG Stories Package 2: $2500 -1x IG Reel -1x TikTok Repost -1x YT Shorts Repost -3x IG Stories
    via Tallow

  • The food speaks for itself, this guy says, no need to pay for positive buzz

    Lol Wasil - you said you'd love to make a video, but you want $2,500 to call us the best? All love, brother, but we don't pay for positive reviews. If someone says we're the best, it should be because they actually believe it. We're always happy to take care of creators with free food for their time and effort, but paying for praise isn't something we do. Be authentic to your viewers. Let them know you're doing ads and not reviews. All love Seen 8h ago
    via Tallow

    Also, "Let them know you're doing ads" is very good advice, seeing as that needs to be disclosed according to FCC guidelines. 

  • People couldn't believe that this influencer operated this way and found it pretty silly

    paz @paz_marceliano He gets like 40 comments and has likes turned off. I guarantee he has his followers and comments botted
    via paz_marceliano
  • Travis J Da... @Travi... "I have 15M+ followers" Cool, so base your pricing off of the portion of those within a 5 mile radius of my restaurant.
    via troybeck
  • Dean @DeanoNet Doesn't this feel super cheap? If 1% of his audience sees the video it's less than a cent per impression.
    via DeanoNet
  • Troy Beck @troybeck No. I spend 0 dollars and have a pretty solid following. I don't need a like from Wales or Brazil, I need to put out good food consistently and connect with people of Pittsburgh who come to my restaurant and spend their hard earned money.
    via troybeck
  • shan @shanbatla Takes the 2 lamest jobs (influencer + food critic) and combines in them into an even lamer job. Yuck.
    via shanbatla
  • REPORT Bretts... @_thegraya... I think I'll pay for my meal and post about it like a normal person.
    via _thegrayarea
  • Morris Nuto... @chefp... "Are you open to me sending over my collab options?" Proceeds to send them anyways. Begging a
    via chefphoteamuh

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