A woman has gone viral after putting a restaurant and a famous food influencer on blast. In the multi–part series, TikTok user @mijachicana began by explaining how a restaurant she drove past, ‘Tacos in the Street,” was finally opening. So, during her lunch break, she and a colleague decided to check the eatery out.
Because it was the grand opening, there was a queue to get into the establishment. However, the TikToker says she was prepared to stand in line because it is a small business. She also wanted to support them. Outside, she saw the food critic David Elder, host of the TV show Texas Eats.
When the pair is finally at the front of the line, Elder walks in. She notices that the restaurant pushed out food just for him and set him up at a table while everyone else waited. Unimpressed with the aesthetics, the critic asked to move to an already-occupied table. The second owner got a table full of customers to move to accommodate Elder.
While this was all going on, @mijachicana says she and her co-worker were still standing in line. They wait another 10 to 15 minutes before they’re finally able to order. The colleagues were sat near Elder, who was apparently asking for more food because, allegedly, his wasn’t hot enough.
The TikToker says she then sees restaurant staff taking food meant for other customers and giving it to him. Then, Elder’s friend arrives. The creator says that Elder asked for food for him, and he was served straight away, while others were kept waiting.
@mijachicana Replying to @simplyjustroutines ♬ original sound – mijachicana
The TikToker got tired of waiting
TikToker @mijachicana then notes how an elderly woman, who has been waiting outside for over an hour and is still waiting, offers her table to them. Frustrated by the situation, and their lunch break nearly over, @mijachicana and her friend decide to leave. While the restaurant offered a drop off, @mijachicana says that, at this point, they “got the ick.”
They were then offered a gift card, but the TikToker’s friend called out the owner for making those customers move for Elder. She also noted that only 2 to 4 orders came out to actual customers, and that for the past 45-50 minutes, they have been catering solely to the influencer.
While the second owner remarked that this was a $100 gift card, @mijachicana said she wasn’t interested. She argued that the influencer wouldn’t be coming every day—but these customers will.
For the TikToker, their treatment “speaks volumes.”
The saga has amassed over 100,000 views.
Commenters were baffled
Commenters were shocked at this chain of events. “Uh oh,” one wrote. “I don’t like this ONE BIT!”
“Life of a food influencer,” another remarked. “Not surprised.”
Most tellingly, a third commenter claimed this behavior is typical of Elder.
“I was just talking to a friend today who had him come to their restaurant and was kind of surprised as to how the restaurant has to pay for all of the food…and he doesn’t just order one or two things but ordered a LOT of food,” they wrote. “Like I get he’s doing a review for them and it’s all about the advertising…but to just order a copious amount of food knowing you’re not paying for it is kind of crazy.”
Elder responds
In a follow-up video, @mijachicana shared a screenshot of a purported comment from Elder himself, which she claims was “dirty deleted.”
“Hold on hold on…… I arrived to a scheduled agency film shoot through Giant Noise that was
coordinated with Tacos on the Street for their grand opening in conjunction with KSAT 12 to report on their menu and how people can enter to win a large giveaway, kindly traded tables of equal size with a group who kindly agreed to move and I’m getting hate, y’all are wild,” the comment read. “I’m literally just [doing] [….] my job.”
In subsequent follow-ups, @mijachicana reiterated that she blames the restaurant as much as Elder.
She added, “I said what I said without having to dirty delete it… unlike Mr Texas Eats.” She also denied claims she was ‘clout-chasing.’
The Mary Sue reached out to the creator via TikTok comment. We also reached out to Elder and Tacos on the street via Instagram direct message.
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