A small family-run Vietnamese restaurant in Ancoats has hit out at ‘blue tick’ influencers and others after being inundated with requests for free food in exchange for ‘exposure’.
The owners of Manchester restaurant Viet Shack shared an Instagram post where they publicly blasted ‘full & semi blue IG ticks, influencers, public figures and foodies’ for haranguing them and claimed they receive over 50 such messages a week.
The post then went on to call out an especially offensive message from a former Love Islander, who allegedly sent them ‘a follow up with an ☺️ emoji to remind us to re-read the previous DM stating that you came in 8th place’.
Owners barely pulled any punches as they wrote: “Bro, you came in on 11th and even Boohoo blocked yo ass for asking for free skinny jeans + velvet boxers. If that’s you, then we suggest to STOP READING RIGHT NOW!”
They did, however, blur out the blagger’s Instagram handle – but warned they wouldn’t be so kind next time.
It serves a selection of famous loaded fries, alongside Vietnamese-style steak and fish fusion dishes.
Viet Shack first opened inside Arndale Market in 2015 before opening a restaurant in Ancoats in 2018. / Image; Viet Shack
The post continued: “Here it goes… From what we see, we definitely both do have some things in common. All that Gucci, LV & Prada stock you flex on your page, & some of our ingredients are definitely all from the Vietnamese market, but thats as much in common as we have!
“Please stop asking for “COLLABORATIONS” which was a word widely used by world saving, bare foot or flip flop wearing artists + philanthropists. But is now sadly a synonym used for GIVE ME FREE STUFF via social media.
“We are a small family business, that’s just spent most our savings this year on a new toilet that flushes properly, new chairs + marble tables.
The famous duck ‘quack’ fries at Viet Shack. / Image: Viet Shack
“The old IKEA ones dissolved almost as fast as Lindsay Lohan’s music career (yes, she released an album.. and yes, 1 track was actually decent, and yes that track is on our playlist… and so what? she was good in Mean Girls, and we all know y’all watched it recently on Netflix.)
“In conclusion, STOP ASKING FOR FREE SH*T and just come help and support ya locals. Can’t you see there’s a crisis and there’s favourite spots closing down due to financial deficiencies?
“The next time anyone sends us one of these requests, we shall not be using the blurring tool so expertly.
“Ps, no offence to all other blue ticks, influencers, public figures, foodies or other Islanders that’s genuinely here just to eat and enjoy Lindsays Lohan’s music. We love you and promise to start buying really good toilet roll soon if we make enough money, instead of the extra vegan toilet rolls that may make you flinch a bit mid wipe.
“PPS, no doubt some are gonna come at us heated and offended…. In our defence, on paragraph 2 – we did say STOP READING NOW!”
Viet Shack’s fans were quick to pile on in the comments, with one person writing: “Well said, and glad more independents are calling this behaviour out! Piggy backing on someone else’s hard graft is just rude and lazy IMHO … I’m not an influencer, just an ordinary person who enjoys good food and spreads the word like normal folk do. See you soon.”
Another person said: “This is up there with one of the best posts I’ve seen on Instagram! It’s so cringy watching these people expect free products, and more insulting to the rest of us that they honestly think we believe they ‘use’ and ‘love’ these products and brands! Well done for calling this out! Hopefully more will follow.”
A third added: “Amazing! I’m gonna eat here more just because of this post! … and the duck fries! Xx”
Feature image – Viet Shack
Eats
Northern Quarter favourite The Pen and Pencil announces massive 10th birthday party and huge offers
Daisy Jackson
The Pen and Pencil, an absolute staple for brunches and drinks in the Northern Quarter, is celebrating a major milestone this month with a huge party and some unbeatable deals.
The bar and restaurant will be marking 10 years on Tariff Street in September – and it’s only right that we all pile in to celebrate with them.
This spot is one of the city’s original bottomless brunch venues and is similarly famed for its happy hour offerings, and opened in 2015 to bring a taste of Manhattan to Manchester.
Pen and Pencil took its name from the infamous New York City bar that was seen in Mad Men.
And now as it turns 10 years old, it’ll be throwing one big party on Saturday 27 September, featuring 10 hours of DJs, free pints of Red Stripe at 10pm, and a special bottomless brunch offering.
Those DJing on the day will include Drag Race UK’s Banksie, as well as Les Croasdaile, Mark Hogg, Danny Ward and A Deeper Groove.
Pen & Pencil has amazing deals for its 10th birthdayPen & Pencil is a Northern Quarter OG
The Pen and Pencil 10th birthday party will kick off from 2pm and run until late – but if you can’t make that one, there’ll be celebrations all week (and, indeed, month) long.
On Tuesday 23 September, you’ll be able to play for double prize money in The Pen and Pencil quiz, as well as enjoying happy hour drinks all night.
Then on Friday 26 September, it’ll be an all-night happy hour, with free tequila shots at 10pm and music from DJs Nev Johnson and Gareth James from 7pm.
All September long, there’ll be 50% off food every Monday, two-for-£10 cocktails every Wednesday, £10 burgers every Thursday, happy hour all night on Fridays, 10 dishes for £10 and two bloody Marys for £10 on Sundays, plus DJs on Fridays and Saturdays.
There’s a new colourful art installation outside the venue inspired by the bar’s New York roots.
Owner Kevin Connor said: “We’re really excited to be celebrating being part of the Manchester community for ten years!
“New York’s Pen and Pencil was a classic steak and cocktail joint, and we’re proud to have created our very own iconic Northern Quarter hangout. We hope everyone will join us in celebrating ten years on Tariff Street.”
Walk-ins are welcome for The Pen and Pencil 10th birthday party on Saturday 27 September, but booking is encouraged – book your spot HERE.
Featured image: The Manc Group
Eats
Manchester restaurant to give out FREE katsu curries to people called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’
Emily Sergeant
In what is a small stroke of genius, a restaurant chain has decided to give out free katsu curries to anyone called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’.
Throughout September, award-winning restaurant chain Banana Tree – which has a Greater Manchester site down at Salford Quays – is shining the spotlight on its popular katsu creations, and as a clever way of celebrating National Katsu Day on 27 September has announced a pretty unique giveaway.
That’s right – the restaurant will be serving up katsu dishes to people called Kat, Sue, and every delicious variation of the names in between.
Anyone named Kat, Katie, Katherine, Sue, Suzy, Susan, Suzanne – or close enough to qualify, the list goes on – can head to their local Banana Tree restaurant, and all they’ll need to do is show proof of name and they can enjoy a free katsu dish of their choice, worth up to £16.75.
The chain’s kastu lineup includes three star dishes.
First there’s the much-loved Katsu Curry, as well as the all-new Katsu Burger, which is made from either a crispy chicken or veggie fillet, spicy mayo, puffed noodle crunch, and a drizzle of Katsu sauce tucked into a soft Shokupan bun with a side of salt n pepper chilli chips.
Then there’s also the intriguing newcomer, the Katsu Carbonara – which is described as being a daring East-meets-West mash-up and ‘unapologetically’ Banana Tree.
Banana Tree is giving away free katsu curries to people called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’ / Credit: Banana Tree
With each of these dishes usually priced around the £16 mark, the giveaway isn’t just a way of marking National Katsu Day, but it’s also a way to sample the some of the restaurant’s biggest crowd-pleasers entirely free of charge.
To avoid any confusion on who makes the cut, Banana Tree will reveal the full qualifying list of name variations on Instagram soon, so keep your eyes peeled.
“Our Katsu range is one of our proudest creations, so National Katsu Day felt like the perfect moment to have some fun with our fans,” a Banana Tree spokesperson said ahead of the giveaway.
The free katsu offer is available for four days only from Monday 22 to Thursday 25 September, and you just need to head to the Banana Tree website to sign up to the Big Flavour Club here.
Georgina Pellant -
8th March 2023 
