Many customers would be throwing fists if they were served a literal vegetable at their favorite restaurant. However, for one influencer in Nevada, who shared a post on TikTok after being served an entire tomato in place of the regular bread basket, this was unexpectedly exciting in the most bizarre and dystopian way. And now, because of her reaction, her social media followers are roasting her, just like you would a whole tomato.
The TikToker, Cassidy Miller, filmed herself at the LPM restaurant in Las Vegas. She says on video, “Okay, so we’re at LPM in Vegas and they give out tomatoes and lemon as your little bread at the table. Which is great for me because I’m gluten-free, so this is, like, iconic.” Cassidy then filmed herself slicing up the tomato. She squeezed lemon over it, then finished her ‘dish’ with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Because influencers can never do mundane tasks normally, her eyes widen in excitement and pleasure from the first bite. She expresses, “Wow! So fresh, so good,” to her now over 5 million viewers. Many were shocked that something so simple could get a reaction out of someone.
The comments that followed were hilarious, with a mixture of people clearly finding it confusing, cringey, and downright funny. Someone commented, “If someone brought me a tomato in place of bread, I would contact my lawyer immediately.”
Another said, “They gave y’all a Great Depression snack.” One joked about eating tomatoes over a sink while they kids screamed about Lunchables. Another asked, “Wait, I’m actually so fascinated by this video, is this a joke?” It does have a dystopian-esque feel to it. And then to go as far as to post a video that doesn’t feel genuine.
Some followers were so shocked by the video, they shared their contempt for influencers. User @sarbaaboobear said on her TikTok video, “I just watched an influencer get served a tomato, salt and lemon as an appetizer, and she did that wide-eye chewing thing as if she was eating caviar. I’m so mad right now I can’t even explain it.”
It poses the question: Why are influencers paying exuberant amounts of money for regular, everyday things? It isn’t the first time social media influencers share weird, performative content. Take the lavish travel experiences and out-of-touch cooking videos. So many excessive amounts of food are just produced and wasted!
Luckily, LPM isn’t just serving tomatoes and lemon to customers and calling it an experience. The CEO of the restaurant and bar, Nicolas Budzynski, commented, “Every guest is welcomes with a complimentary presentation of fresh tomatoes, lemons, and signature olive oil, and salt and pepper in addition to warm baked baguette – a gesture that reflects both generosity and authenticity. In the tradition of Mediterranean family meals, guests are invited to prepare their own simple tomato salad at the table, and we wanted to create a unique way to reflect that and welcome guests into LPM’s home.”
Taking a closer look at their menu and seeing oscietra caviar, sliced octopus, and many other delicious dishes shows us that you won’t be eating a mere tomato at their restaurant any time soon.