A restaurant proprietor rallied his employees and stated 'it doesn't matter' after TikTok star Keith Lee gave the hot-chicken store a low evaluate

Keith Lee is a TikTok-famous meals reviewer with practically 13 million followers.
Lee gave an Orlando-based restaurant low opinions, prompting the proprietor to talk out on TikTok.
TikTok customers have applauded the proprietor’s response and movies of him rallying his employees.

TikTok meals influencer Keith Lee gave a Florida hot-chicken restaurant a low evaluate, prompting the proprietor to reply in a now-viral video.

On Might 18, Lee reviewed the Orlando-based restaurant Hen Hearth, gaining greater than 12.4 million views in simply over every week. Though Lee stated the employees was pleasant and accommodating, he was much less impressed with the meals, giving the “soulful” hen tenders a 5.6 out of 10 as a result of they had been “extra moist and soggy than juicy.” He additionally ranked hen tenders with “meek” seasoning a 3.5 out of 10 and gave a hen sandwich a 3 out of 10.

“Simply because I am not an enormous fan do not imply you will not be,” Lee stated in the course of the evaluate. “You would possibly attempt it and also you would possibly like it. This may be your favourite hen spot.”

He added that he had “zero malicious intent” and dissuaded his 12.7 million followers from leaving hate feedback.

Lee’s opinions usually make waves each on-line and in actual life. Whereas he features tens of millions of views per video, companies that obtain a glowing evaluate see their recognition skyrocket and obtain an inflow of consumers. His less-enthused evaluate of Hen Hearth left a few of his followers shocked, with one individual including, “I like hen fireplace, this makes me unhappy.”

On Google, Hen Hearth has practically 1,000 opinions and a 4.6 common ranking. The restaurant has comparable ranking on Fb with 226 opinions.

One week after the evaluate, Hen Hearth proprietor Kwame Boakye shared a TikTok video of him reacting to Lee’s video. As an alternative of calling Lee out, Boakye applauded his employees and acknowledged that Lee’s criticisms had been “honest.”

@kwamebtv Our closing assembly at @Hen Hearth the night time of the @Keith Lee viral #foodreview of Hen Hearth 🔥 – Our groups work actually arduous and I sincerely consider they carried out to the most effective of their collective skills that day as they do most on a regular basis. On the finish of the day, we have by no means aimed to please everybody – that is inconceivable; as an alternative, we’ve all the time strived to be a wonderful match for all the correct individuals (and fortunately, there are numerous of them). Not everybody will like or recognize what we do, and plenty of criticize it, and a few even hate on it. That is alright—such challenges include the territory in our line of labor. Personally, I stay unfazed by any negativity, however I used to be totally conscious that this specific evaluate (resulting from it is virality and large attain) may simply have an effect on our crew members immediately. That is why it was essential for me to deal with the problem instantly that night time. I made it clear to our superb crew that I wasn’t upset, dissatisfied, or discouraged. Because the proprietor/operator, they’re an extension of me, and their work displays immediately on me. I stood unwaveringly by them, and I wished them to do the identical for each other. I’ve full confidence in what we do, what we stand for, and the continual progress we’re experiencing. As we method our fourth 12 months, we’re extremely lucky to have a unprecedented household of loyal and supportive friends that sustains us. At this level, no single opinion can actually hurt us. No matter their final opinion, we worth and recognize everybody who walks by means of our doorways, whether or not they go to as soon as or 100 instances. Now we have a lot to be pleased with, and there are numerous alternatives on the horizon. We aren’t losing our time dwelling on one less-than-satisfactory evaluate, no matter its magnitude.🔥 A lot love, respect and appreciation to Keith for popping out and attempting us and for sharing us together with his viewers🙏🏿 #keithlee #chickenfire #restaurantlife ♬ unique sound – KwameB

In a second video, Boakye confirmed his kitchen staff sounding dismayed over the evaluate.

“I am shocked,” one staffer stated. “I assumed he was going to offer evaluate. We did a very good job.”

He later seems on display screen to offer the Hen Hearth employees a pep discuss by yelling, “it does not matter what the evaluate was!”

“I stand by this crew. People who had been right here, those who weren’t right here,” Boakye stated. “I do know each single individual did what they had been imagined to do, did their half, and put out the most effective product that we are able to moderately present.”

TikTok customers praised Boakye’s response within the remark sections of his latest movies, calling him a “nice chief.”

“I feel you dealt with it effectively,” one individual wrote. “You gathered your crew to make sure the evaluate didn’t discourage them or have an effect on their work ethic! Nonetheless a win! Good job.”

Representatives for Hen Hearth didn’t instantly reply to Insider’s request for remark.

This month, Lee additionally tried comic Kevin Hart’s vegan restaurant and stated he was “shocked” by how a lot it tasted like hen. He is additionally collaborated with the world’s greatest YouTuber, Mr. Beast, who gave one restaurant proprietor $10,000 in February.