Petty to boycott local restaurants due to this?

[Wife226]

We are quite fortunate to have a really good selection of restaurants where we live. Two are under the same ownership but are different themes etc.

One in particular recently re-opened after a refurbishment and there has been a string of local ‘influencers’ and I use the term lightly putting up posts of them eating there (multiple courses) with it being clear that they were given it for free.

They also did similar with their other restaurant in the summer.

Is it petty to no longer visit them as a result? I would resent paying full price whilst the ‘influencer’ (PT with 2000 followers) gets it all for free.

Some people do things that are not your cup of tea. Not usually a revelation to most adults.

I don’t think there is anything wrong with not going because you don’t like their advertising policy

I get recommendations from friends & family or read reviews. Is that not normal? I don’t go to something just because some is paid to advertise it just like I don’t buy something just because it’s in an advert.

Come on, "not your cup of tea" ain't sane washing that insanity down, unless its laced with large doses of ketamine and a heavy sprinkle of lemming seasoning

"different hobbies and interests / horses for courses" doesn't intersect on the 4D Venn diagram of thousands of people driving from the 4 corners of the UK for bantered sausage and chips 😆

'influencer' is a catch all term that covers a huge variety of content. I don't follow people who's content is all about shopping or luxury brands or whatever but I do follow people who make funny skits, or share their experiences with travel or musicians or artists etc - and a lot of them do advertising as a way to make a living. It doesn't bother me at all if a food reviewer I enjoy watching gets a free meal in exchange for an honest review - why should it? If you only view the job of content creator as someone who sells shit then you're not watching decent content.

So you are socially influenced, just in a different way. You clearly think it's a superior way. I imagine there are very few people who go and buy things purely because it's in an advert - but even if they do, that's not morally wrong or anything to look down upon. It's just the way they do things.

I think this needs a bit more editing.

I don't ever think it's petty to boycott something to uphold your beliefs and values.

I don’t think it’s completely new, a lot of people feel they need guidance. I used to work in a well known high street fashion shop (pre social media) and we would often dress the mannequins in stuff that wasn’t selling because some would buy whatever outfit was on the mannequin. When I left London to go to university in another city I found the uniformity of dressing quite strange. People actively wore the same things as their friends which was not the done thing back home.

I don't know your age but I can quite easily find examples of people following "influencers" through generations and, dare I say, centuries. Are you honestly saying to me that you have never, not even as a teenager, looked at a celebrity for an inspiration when choosing a hairstyle or a prom dress, never bought a single branded food item, never checked Which before buying a domestic appliance? Every fashion icon from King Louis the 14th to Grace Kelly can be considered an influencer. What's crazy is pretending you are somehow exceptional and unique when you know perfectly well that you are influenced by things and people around you just like any other person on planet earth.

Every time you buy an M&S coat, you are not being unique or expressing individuality. You are purchasing an item that a buyer in M&S head office thought would be suitable to stock for the season based on catwalks and other cultural influences. Which is their whole bloody job and they do it so well, you don't even notice that you are participating in the exact same influencing culture that you despise so much.

YANBU. It really puts me off when companies do this.

Why have people totally lost the ability to think for themselves? Make decisions for themselves. Express individuality. Why do people just want to do what everyone else does just because some some person on social media tells them to?

Do you think that everyone who sees something on social media rushes off to do or buy whatever the influencer is telling them about?

Or do you think some might try it and put it on their social media
Some might try it and tell a few friends
Some might try it and not like it
Some might think 'I must try that' and never get around to it
Some might think 'looks good, but too expensive for me'
Some might think 'not my thing, not interested' and scroll past.

Because people are individuals who like different things.

@Whyarepeople I don’t think it’s superior but I think it’s more likely to be honest so it is of more value to me. Again I don’t think that’s a unusual approach, I didn’t grow up with social media.

This is just advertising in 2026. Obviously you can choose to eat there or not. But had they put up a billboard or a radio campaign you probably wouldn't be considering a boycott. Is it just because you feel the influencers get it for free while you pay? It is still costing the restaurant.

If it was me and I liked it I would still go.

I wouldn't boycott because of influencer freebies, but I wouldn't think kindly and would be more likely to patronise a competitor.

Its just a modern way of advertising.
Would you be annoyed if the restaurant paid for an old fashioned TV ad, or an advert in the local paper?
I dont see how this is any different. Its just that the payment for the advert is by way of a free meal.

Sergeant Pedantic of the Editing Police says "not allowed"

Edited to add edited to

Edited again to add edited again

Edited again again to add 'face, bothered"

Absolutely! Anyone who has ever bought a cook book from a 'brand' is being influenced. Whether from a person - Delia Smith, Jamie Oliver - or a place - River Cottage, Leon - it's because you have been influenced by their content! Honestly I find it so ironic... people have been influenced since time began.

A restaurant near us had a popular social influencer visit and do a clip and it has been booming ever since.

James Dimitri is his name, he has a massive following.

If I had a restaurant, I would ask him!

I would prefer NOT to go to a restaurant which has to bribe idiots to advertise it. A good place will surely have its own genuine reviews, and as the dimmest person knows, 'influencer' reviews are ALWAYS positive, therefore completely meaningless IMO. Same with the Amazon 'review of free product' - just fuck off, let me see the actual reviews from people who paid for the thing.

I guess the point of any advertising is to get the name of the product seen. I don't really understand influencers but obviously some people are making a living from it (or getting enough free stuff to live off) and businesses feel they are worth encouraging.

So are you resentful that someone young is getting a meal?

What are you offering that the restaurant should give you a meal?

I love eating out but these days it’s hard to get good value and I appreciate places that serve great food. I wouldn’t boycott somewhere for this if the food and service were otherwise good.

Glad to hear about your husband’s Big Job though, thanks for sharing!

I always thought people were critical of social media influencers because they often lie or don’t declare things. A false review of a product doesn’t help me

Unless you're very old, you grew up with TV, radio, magazines and billboards. I find it very unlikely that you have never once had your opinion or taste shaped by any of the media you've consumed throughout your life.