The Karen-Themed Restaurant With A Lengthy Waiting List
Do you remember a time when "Karen" was simply a common girls' name? Somewhere along the line, this ordinary moniker morphed into a meme-riddled label for all that is wrong in the Western world. In case you are unfamiliar with this recent definition of Karen, The New York Times says it applies to "a middle-aged busybody with a blonde choppy bob who asks to speak to the manager" and has also come to symbolize "racism and white privilege." The BBC defines a Karen as someone who treats employees in the service industry poorly, may be anti-vax, and regularly plays their white privilege card. This must seriously annoy nice people with the name "Karen." And it all seems so random. Why not Brenda, Lucy, or Sue?
This brings us to a whole new restaurant trend: Karen-themed eateries. Yes, patrons pay good money to be served by Karens (and not the nice kind, either). The Karen's Diner website promises that you will be treated to rude waiters, playing games against your will, and, of course, you can "complain until the cows come home because we literally don't care."
So where can you be granted less-than-stellar service with a side order of abuse? Well, if you want to dine in a restaurant full of Karens, there's some good news: Several locations are now headed to North America. Let's just hope you can get past the waiting list.
The food apparently makes up for the service
While Karen's Diners are currently found in several Australian locations, North Americans are about to experience the joys of being mistreated for themselves. Pop-up locations will be appearing in various cities throughout the United States and Canada. And, while the opening dates are unknown, the company website does reveal that most will be leaving in May 2023.
The cities listed include Vancouver, Cleveland, Houston, Austin, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Chicago. According to What Now Denver, Denver's location opened on September 17 and runs until November 27. The St. Louis pop-up is accepting reservations for October 28 and on at OpenTable. But the waiting lists are said to be lengthy. In fact, Narcity shares that the Toronto and New York locations have had waiting lists since last October.
While visitors can expect poor attitudes and subpar service, what will the food be like? The Daily Hive offers that the "classic diner-style food will make the otherwise dreadful experience worth it." And the '50s-style menu does look appealing, with wagyu beef burgers, halloumi fries, churros, and vegan options. The food may be good, but it won't let you forget where you are — every offering bears a Karen-related moniker. And, as the Daily Hive adds, people who are real Karens (and have the ID to prove it) will get a free beverage. In a world that seems to be hating on Karens, you deserve that perk.