A Manchester restaurant’s Instagram has been hacked – losing them thousands of followers and a key means of communication with customers.
Bada Bing sandwich shop – a Sopranos-inspired takeaway launched in lockdown by Meg Lingenfelter and Sam Gormally – had its social media infiltrated over the weekend.
The couple discovered they had been locked out of their account on Friday (July 2) – and now the account is actually being held to ransom.
A screenshot of the Whatsapp exchange, shared to Eatmcr’s story last night
The couple behind the successful sandwich takeaway project revealed they have received Whatsapp messages from the person who’s logged into their account, asking them for money to have it returned.
However, when they paid the $300 that was requested – the hacker asked for more money.
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A new small business, Bada Bing has only been trading for a few months but had managed to acquire over ten thousand followers in that time.
Now, they’ve had to create a new account @badabing.mcr, which they’re asking people to refollow and share.
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Bada Bing posted this image of Silvio Dante from The Sopranos to their new account over the weekend after their original one got hacked
Although the takeaway is on the food delivery app Food Stuff MCR, a large part of Bada Bing’s business is operated through social media – particularly Instagram.
Whilst orders can be made for click and collect through their website, social media is their main means of communicating with customers.
Bada Bing has contacted Instagram through the usual support channels but have not yet heard anything back about getting their original @badabingmcr account back. A quick look suggests the original account may have been deactivated or deleted.
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Just a couple of the brilliant sandwiches on the menu at Bada Bing / Image: Bada Bing
The duo have not said much publicly on the matter but have shared an image simply stating “The Bing got got. Don’t disrespect the Bing.”
Bada Bing is currently over at The Refuge – having extended their residency there for at least the next couple of weeks. You can find them selling their brilliant Italian American deli-inspired hoagie sandwiches as part of Eatmcr’s street food takeover.
Head down Friday-Sunday between midday and 6pm to show them some love – and make sure to follow their new account, @badabing.mcr.
Food & Drink
Drake-backed Dave’s Hot Chicken is opening in the Trafford Centre
Daisy Jackson
The cult LA-born fried chicken brand backed by Drake is expanding in Manchester once again, this time with a brand-new site at the Trafford Centre.
Dave’s Hot Chicken is set to open its latest location inside the huge shopping centre, bringing its signature Nashville-style heat to The Orient food hall.
Already causing a stir with its first Manchester site at the Printworks, the fast-growing US chain has built a reputation for long queues and a chicken spice level so extreme you have to sign a waiver to eat it (The Reaper is not for the faint of heart).
And now hoardings have appeared at the bottom of The Orient at The Trafford Centre, joining Five Guys, Shake Shack, and Slim Chickens.
The new Trafford Centre restaurant is expected to follow the same winning formula, serving up its famous hot chicken tenders and sliders, available in seven spice levels and served on a slice of bread to soak up all the spice levels.
Fans can also expect a menu packed with loaded fries, creamy mac and cheese, kale slaw, and indulgent top-loaded shakes, alongside refreshing slushers to cool things down after the heat kicks in.
Born in a Los Angeles car park back in 2017, Dave’s Hot Chicken has exploded in popularity in recent years, with Drake becoming a high-profile investor as the brand rapidly expanded across the US and into the UK.
The Trafford Centre opening marks another major step in the brand’s UK growth, following successful launches in London, Birmingham, and Manchester city centre, and signals that the fried chicken heavyweight is only just getting started.
If the scenes at previous openings are anything to go by, Mancunians can expect queues, hype, and plenty of spice when the doors finally open.
Popular Manchester brunch spot Bruncho teases what’s to come with new Northern Quarter cafe
Daisy Jackson
Bruncho has shared a glimpse of what’s to come when it officially opens the doors to its new Northern Quarter cafe.
The brunch spot has had queues down the street since launching on Deansgate, with enough popularity to warrant it opening a second location.
Bruncho is moving into the old Feel Good Club, a huge unit in Hilton House that’s been left empty since the cafe’s shock closure.
And as the clock ticks down to Bruncho’s launch into the Northern Quarter, they’ve shared an exclusive look inside at their very big plans.
The team have now confirmed that the new venue will have a salad bar and vegetarian buffet, as well as coffee raves with DJs at select hours.
New CGIs of the space also show a drastic change from the site’s days as Feel Good Club, filling the giant cafe with wooden tables, hanging pendant lights, plants, and soft textures.
Bruncho is known for its brunch dishes that have a real knack for going viral on social media, including New York-style breakfast rolls in croissant bread; fresh coconut water and matcha served in the coconut; and its absolutely stacked French toasts.
A glimpse inside Bruncho Northern QuarterBruncho will have a vegetarian buffet when it opens in the Northern QuarterHow Bruncho Northern Quarter will look
It’s consistently packed out at its original location on Deansgate, and now it’s taking over a 4,378 sq ft unit in the Northern Quarter too, set to open this June.
Omer Umut Mutlu, owner of Bruncho, said: “Manchester has shown Bruncho so much love, and expanding into the Northern Quarter feels like the natural next step for us.
“Hilton House gives us the space to elevate what we do – more covers, more events, and a new home for the kind of food and atmosphere people will make the journey for.
“We’re excited to bring something fresh to the neighbourhood, with the opening scheduled for June 2026.”
Georgina Pellant -
6th July 2021 
