When 'influencers only' means regular customers pay full price for half the experience

Picture yourself settling in for a well-deserved meal at a trendy new cafe. You've read the glowing reviews, seen the beautiful photos of signature drinks in elegant glassware, and you're ready to treat yourself.

Then your matcha arrives in a plastic takeaway cup while the table behind you—clearly filming everything—gets the Instagram-worthy presentation you were expecting.

This exact scenario unfolded at The Orange Lantern in Sydney's Haymarket last weekend, sparking a conversation that's been bubbling under the surface of Australian hospitality for years.

What started as three friends wanting to try a new matcha spot has become the latest flashpoint in an ongoing debate about fairness, customer service, and who really deserves special treatment.

The great glassware divide

Mal, Amie, and Dhanvi's experience at The Orange Lantern's grand opening reads like something out of a customer service nightmare. Despite promotional materials showcasing signature drinks in beautiful glassware, these paying customers received their $16 coconut iced matcha in plastic cups. The reason? They weren't influencers.

'When it comes to food content and marketing, studies show visual networks like TikTok and Instagram influence 50 per cent of diners' choices', which explains why cafes are so eager to court social media personalities. But what's the cost to everyone else?

The three 22-year-olds weren't just disappointed about the glassware. They'd arrived at 1pm expecting the advertised 50 per cent discount for the first 100 customers, only to be told the promotion had ended—while watching influencers at nearby tables receive perfectly crafted drinks they weren't even consuming.

The rise of two-tier dining

The Orange Lantern incident isn't isolated. 'Recent studies show that 77 per cent of Gen Z adults discover restaurants through social media, and 72 per cent trust the reviews', creating enormous pressure on businesses to maintain their online image.

But this digital-first approach is creating a dining environment where your social media following determines your level of service.

Consider the Surry Hills restaurant that recently made headlines for including an 'influencer' checkbox on their booking forms. Staff confirmed they 'have a few influencers coming in' and that dishes are 'usually complimentary' for these special guests.

Recent high-profile incidents include Adelaide's Africola chef Duncan Welgemoed publicly naming and shaming a reality TV contestant-turned-influencer who requested a free meal, garnering scores of supportive comments from fellow chefs and hospitality workers.

What this means for regular diners

For many Australians, particularly those who remember when customer service meant treating everyone equally, this trend feels deeply unfair. You're paying full price while watching others receive superior service, better presentation, and often free meals.

'Restaurant owners have admitted in the past to giving influencers special treatment — serving them in a private room, offering their best food, and overall making their experience as elevated as possible'.

Meanwhile, 'the unique service they received can vastly differ from the one regular customers do'.

The psychological impact shouldn't be underestimated. 'Man, some people are just so desperate to feel powerful. Pathetic,' and 'Entitled b**ch needs a reality check,' were typical responses when one influencer gave a restaurant a one-star review solely because she didn't receive special treatment despite praising the food and service.

The business perspective

From a purely business standpoint, the numbers support influencer marketing. 'With influencer marketing booming in Australia, food influencers drive huge engagement (often above 2.5 per cent) across networks like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube'.

Restaurant owners face genuine challenges. During difficult times, it's really not plausible to be giving away tables for virtually nothing. 'We are a small business and in these times we all need to support each other', as one Dublin restaurant explained when rejecting influencer demands.

However, 'If you want to know how a restaurant truly operates on any regular day, and the quality of service it actually provides, look for reviews from regular folks. Normal customers don't have a stake in the matter, so their reviews (both positive and negative) are much more trustworthy'.

When good intentions go wrong

The Orange Lantern's response shows how even well-meaning businesses can stumble. They explained the plastic cups were 'a quick call to help us serve faster' during their 50 per cent off promotion, and they've since returned to serving drinks in proper glassware.

But the damage was done. The message sent to regular customers was clear: your experience matters less than our social media presence.

'We understand and respect that influencers have a job to do, and all we ask is that they give us the same courtesy,' said celebrity chef Kevin Gillespie.

But he points out that 'Many of our guests have saved up to dine with us, maybe celebrating a special occasion, and I don't want their experience disrupted by an influencer's glaring lights and extra requests of the staff'.

The path forward

The solution isn't to eliminate influencer marketing entirely—it clearly works for businesses. Instead, the industry needs to find ways to leverage social media without creating obvious disparities in customer treatment.

Some restaurants are leading by example. 'Limit influencer visits to two people, and offer them one drink per person in addition to their meal. I tell ALL of my clients to operate under this rule to avoid over-serving', suggests one industry professional who works with both restaurants and influencers.

The key is transparency. If a restaurant wants to offer influencer rates or special presentation for social media content, they should be upfront about it rather than pretending all customers receive the same treatment.

For diners, particularly those who value straightforward, honest service, the best defence is research. Check multiple review platforms, look for genuine customer feedback rather than sponsored content, and don't be afraid to ask questions about what you're actually getting for your money.