TikToker faces legal threat over Ramadan bazaar food "brutally honest review"

Source: Gutzy Asia

SINGAPORE: The conflict between a Ramadan bazaar stall food vendor and TikTok food vlogger "Gunbutt" has escalated to legal warnings.

In the latest development, Gunbutt uploaded a screenshot of a "Cease and Desist Letter" on his TikTok on Monday (25 Mar), with the caption, "the pursuit of complete transparency can be hindered by the potential for negative repercussions from this with wealth and influence. This is why influencers cannot be brutally honest."

The letter accused Gunbutt of "making defamatory and false statements" concerning "Frank On Wheels" stall at Kampong Gelam Bazaar on 11 March 2024.

According to the letter, these statements, posted on social media, have been communicated to the public, posing a significant threat to Frank On Wheels' reputation.

Additionally, the letter claims that Gunbutt's actions have incited hateful comments against the stall owner.

The controversy began when Gunbutt, renowned for his brutally honest reviews, uploaded a TikTok video on Monday (11 Mar), exploring the ongoing Ramadan bazaar at Kampong Glam.

In the video, he aimed to provide unfiltered feedback on some of the offerings available, sampling food and beverages from four different stalls.

Starting with the Cheezy Crab Fries Turkey Bacon by Frank On Wheels, a fusion food stall boasting as "the only smokey fries in Singapore," Gunbutt delivered his critique.

Despite previous viral acclaim on social media, he described the snack as basic fries with cheese sauce and minimal crab stick toppings, unworthy of its price tag of S$11.90.

He further revealed that the supposed smokiness was merely an aesthetic effect from dry ice vapour packed separately.

His evaluation extended to other stalls, with similarly unfavourable ratings given to a Korean cheese toast and keropok lekor, a traditional Malay fish cracker snack.

Only a couple of sweet beverages by the stall Gaosyp x Offday Coffee received positive reviews.

Despite the criticism, Gunbutt's video resonated well with TikTok users, who appreciated his straightforward approach and encouraged more honest reviews of Ramadan bazaars.

As of Tuesday (26 Mar), the video has amassed over 800 thousand views, 28.9 thousand likes, and over a thousand comments.

However, the review proved too much for Frank On Wheels.

Allegedly, the owner of the brand responded to the video with multiple comments expressing dissatisfaction with the negative review.

User "AbayaByKhalishaSg" responded to the critique by stating, "What do you mean by basic fries? So the fries you eat at (the hawker centre) are different? And yes, the smoke is for aesthetics, not for you to eat! I would appreciate (it) if you had come over to let me know (rather than) posting (online)."

Further comments from "AbayaByKhalishaSg" attempted to provide context, explaining that the Cheezy Crab fries were a new product that might still need refinement.

They suggested that the customer should have tried other flavours instead.

The owner also claimed that Frank On Wheels would have gladly replaced the customer's order and recommended alternative flavours if the feedback had been communicated in person during the visit.

In a seemingly accusatory tone, the owner insinuated that the negative review may have been motivated by the desire to generate social media content.

In response to TODAY's queries, the owner of Frank On Wheels chose not to provide a full name and declined to confirm whether the TikTok username "AbayaByKhalishaSg" is associated with the stall.

Instead, the owner expressed a willingness to receive feedback from customers for potential improvements.

"Real, honest reviews are subjective and up to the reviewer's opinion. I have no issue with this," the owner stated.

However, the owner emphasized the challenges of running a business, highlighting the investments and efforts made to serve customers.

They also noted the potential consequences of negative online feedback, stating, "People may not realize the impact of the hatred they create online through faceless reviews. It can destroy businesses."

Criticism has emerged regarding the legal action pursued by Frank On Wheels in response to negative feedback.

One user pointed out that the food stall appeared unable to handle criticism; another user suggested that a simple acknowledgement of the feedback with a "thank you" and a commitment to improvement could have resolved the issue.

Similarly, another user attributed any loss in revenue to the poor handling of public relations by Frank On Wheels, suggesting that taking legal action further exacerbated the situation.

Additionally, a user highlighted that the real threat to Frank On Wheels' reputation was not the negative review itself but rather how they responded to it.