When Keith Lee visits major U.S. cities, his 14.5 million TikTok followers expect him to provide unbiased reviews of trendy restaurants. Lee’s trip to Atlanta offered exactly that — plus a lot more. The food critic’s takes on local dining customs have ignited a debate about Atlanta food culture and sparked a conversation about the power of the “Keith Lee effect.”
Lee, a former MMA fighter, has gained widespread influence thanks to his honest opinions, his no-nonsense rating system, and his insistence that he should be treated like a normal restaurant patron. His namesake effect refers to the traffic and sales boosts that go to the eateries he endorses. After Lee teamed with Chipotle on a special creator menu, the chain’s sales went through the roof.
Since breaking out on TikTok, Lee has taken his show on the road by visiting trendy establishments in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, and Detroit. But things didn’t go so smoothly when Lee headed south. In videos discussing restaurants like The Real Milk & Honey and Old Lady Gang, Lee criticized confusing ordering systems, long wait times, frustrating rules, and excessive surcharges.
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Lee also took issue with The Real Milk and Honey when the brunch spot offered to let him cut the seating line because of his significant following. Other celebrities backed up his experience. On Instagram Live, Cardi B said she can “barely order in Atlanta restaurants” without dropping her name.
Singer and Real Housewives of Atlanta cast member Kandi Burruss, who owns Old Lady Gang, thanked Lee for stopping by. The owner of The Real Milk & Honey had a sassier response in a since-deleted tweet: “Who’s Keith Lee?”
In his own response to the contentious video, Lee reiterated that he does not want star treatment from restaurants, and he condemned fans who had made death threats toward the owners of the negatively-reviewed establishments. “Don’t leave hate nowhere,” Lee said. “If you would like to have your own personal experience at any of these restaurants, I encourage you to go.”
@keith_lee125 Atlanta Food Tour Recap 💕 would you try it ? 💕 #foodcritic ♬ original sound – Keith Lee
Lee’s fans have been showing up in droves at his favorite Atlanta eateries. During his trip, he left a glowing review at a Caribbean restaurant called Juci Jerk. Massive crowds have flocked there ever since, so the Keith Lee effect is still very real.
After Lee’s departure from Atlanta, some local residents are hoping that his explosive visit will lead to changes in the city’s dining culture. At the very least, some great responses are already emerging from the situation.
