Vegans Not Welcome Here

“The friendly and generous reception and entertainment of friends, guests and strangers.”
It's possible Hunter Valley burger restaurant Tuk Tuk, owned and fronted by Mr Mark Clews, may have misread this definition of hospitality when they took to social media to publicly shame a vegan customer late last week.

Numerous Facebook posts were made in the Tuk Tuk Facebook page which ridiculed the customer's “tie dyed shirt” and that it “didn't matter that it was made in a Chinese sweat shop”. The posts went on to further comment on the customer's lifestyle choices claiming that she had been dissatisfied at the lack of vegan options on the menu, concluding with a snide remark about the customer's acceptance that the falafel pattie she ordered would be cooked on the same grill as meat products, seemingly to degrade her choice to be vegan by painting it as false.

When the angry messages from vegans and non-vegans alike began pouring in to Tuk Tuk's inbox another Facebook post was made in response to an irate commenter claiming vegans were akin to Nazi's and that their “veganism was inspired by some tragic childhood event, or a divorce, or a car accident, or some crap.”

Many customers have written in to Mr Clews to express their disgust at his attempt at public humiliation, and have sworn off the establishment, providing a slew of angry reviews on Trip Advisor.

Mr Clews has claimed that he has received death threats and that his actions were inspired by the customers hostility at the time, saying he thought she was going to cause trouble. Mr Clews has also argued that Tuk Tuk is “basically a temple of meat” and that they cater to a certain target group which does not include vegans.

Time will tell whether Tuk Tuk's rudeness will be their demise.

By Erin Lawson