Karla (@itskarlabb on TikTok and Instagram) typically visits restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. Recently, she did what she always does and visited a restaurant so she could collab with them and boost them on her social media accounts. However, she unexpectedly left the collaboration in tears. So, what happened in between arriving at the planned collab and leaving the restaurant that caused her so much sadness?
Karla explained she was excited to visit Kis Café (the kis standing for “keep it simple.”) She arrived early for her reservation and greeted the host, who she previously spoke with on Instagram. Once Karla started to film the setup of the restaurant, she heard the host and another guy talking. She said she could hear their entire conversation since they were only 3 feet away from her. They mentioned TikTok, views, and followers, so she knew they were talking about her.
The person speaking with the host was asking about Karla’s TikTok, Instagram, and the number of followers she has. They conversed back and forth about her gaining millions of views, and she heard the guy say that he had too few followers and that inviting her there was a big mistake. He also said her plus 1 was late. But, as it turns out, her husband was meeting her there and he was still on time. Karla said that the whole situation had her turning red and feeling “disrespected.”
The guy talking about her, allegedly the owner, approached Karla and asked if she did any research on the restaurant. As she’s explaining what she knows about the restaurant, she said he stood there with a smirk. Afterwards, he said there was some “miscommunication” in asking her to come. Karla told him he doesn’t know much about her either. So, he stood in front of her, going through her TikTok and loudly playing her videos to embarrass and further demean her.
Karla was further embarrassed when he told her he didn’t think her followers are going to be able to afford the food. He then explains that he’s not trying to be “snobby,” but rather that he’s a James Beard award recipient, and that his daughter has 600,000 followers on TikTok, whereas Karla isn’t yet “on that level.” Karla tells him she feels disrespected and tells him she isn’t interested in collaborating. When Karla’s husband shows up, they leave together and she promises to tell others about her awful experience.
After posting the video, Karla’s comments blew up on TikTok. Even Isa, the restaurant owner’s daughter, left a heartfelt apology. She felt awful about her experience and the fact her father name-dropped her in such a rude way. She responded, “Hi Karla, I’m genuinely sorry you experienced this, the way you were treated is completely unacceptable, and no one should ever feel disrespected or uncomfortable in that way…. I’m honestly really embarrassed you had to go through that. Please know I’m genuinely on your side, and I’ll be having a serious conversation with my dad, and the co-owner involved to make sure something like this never happens again to anyone.” It seems like a genuine response.
Upon closer examination of Kis Café’s social media, it’s clear that they need a better photographer and a more effective way to promote their name. Their restaurant isn’t currently looking like anything special. Maybe Karla could’ve helped with that!
