The UK restaurant, known for being deliberately cruel to customers, plans to change its name to “the world’s rudest Indian restaurant” after closing earlier this year.
Karen’s Diner, an Australian-American chain, first opened in Sydney before opening branches across the UK.
He met with infamy as his staff were deliberately rude to customers, even calling a grandmother a “dumb bitch” and a father dining with his 8-year-old son a “dirty ranga” and a “moron.” ‘.
Now the venue plans a return ‘with an Asian touch’ and looking for Indian restaurants willing to train their staff to be “rude” to customers as part of bold plans to return to the high street.
The infamous restaurant, which was previously an American-style restaurant, hopes to transform existing Indian restaurants into a theatrical dining experience that rebrands venues as Karen’s Bombay.
Having tried to remodel Indian venues in Birmingham and London, the brand aims to become “the world’s most badass Indian restaurant”.
It comes shortly after the infamous venue announced it would close its doors at each of its six UK restaurants after falling into liquidation last year while owing £400,000 to creditors.
Showon Group, which invented the brand for Viral Venture UK, is behind the move and has said it has the rights to operate and resurrect the brand thanks to a deal with Karen’s Australian parent company.
The UK restaurant, known for its deliberately rude staff, plans to relaunch its brand with a new Indian concept: Karen’s Bombay (pictured)
Karen’s Diner, operating under Viral Ventures UK, is now looking for Indian restaurants willing to train their staff to be “rude” to customers as part of bold plans to return to the high street (pictured, Sheffield venue )
The company reportedly holds the franchise for its only remaining restaurant in London Angel.
Now, the theatrical entertainment company that helped create the bold restaurant concept is abandoning its old restaurant brand to relaunch it with an Indian twist.
The group’s creative producer told The Cater: “When our Diner customers stopped trading, we were left to our own devices.
“The Karen’s experience is loved by millions of people around the world and we felt now was the perfect time to bring our unique style to new groups of diners.”
Participating restaurants will receive a license from Karen’s Bombay, allowing them to trade under the Karen name.
Restaurants will not have to pay a licensing fee, but will be required to commit to a 7.5 percent share of all gross sales to licensors.
A spokesperson for the company told Birmingham Live: “When our customers stopped trading we were left on our own.
“Karen’s Experience is loved by millions of fans around the world and we felt now was the perfect time to be rude to new congregations of diners.”
Participating restaurants will receive a license from Karen’s Bombay, allowing them to trade under the Karen name. Pictured: Location of A Karen’s Diner
Restaurants will not have to pay a licensing fee, but will be required to commit to a 7.5% share of all gross sales to licensors. Pictured: location of Karen’s restaurant
It has not yet been revealed when Showon intends to open its first restaurant Karen’s Bombay.
It comes just months after the infamous brand plunged into liquidation, closing all six locations across the country.
Viral Ventures UK owes more than £400,000 to its creditors, according to its most recent accounts filed with Companies House.
The restaurant became famous because the staff were deliberately rude to customers, and some clips went viral of the staff going “too far”.
A grandmother was left mortified last year after her waitress called her a “dumb bitch”, while a father visiting an Australian branch of the restaurant was called a “pest” in front of his 14-year-old daughter.
The appointment follows the filing of a winding up petition by a creditor, according to Restaurant News Online, whereby a hearing is held to determine whether a company is insolvent and unable to pay its debts.
Jeremy Charles Frost and Stephen Patrick Jens Wadsted of Frost Group Limited, insolvency practitioners regulated by the Association of Insolvency Practitioners, were appointed joint liquidators on Monday.
Viral Ventures UK, under which Karen’s Diner operates, is believed to be handing over £400,000 to its creditors, according to its most recent accounts filed with Companies House (pictured: a waiter at A Karen’s Diner).
Karen’s Diner branches in the UK, where staff are intentionally rude to customers, went into liquidation last year (pictured: the location of a Karen’s diner)
Frost said via Restaurant News: “It’s always a challenging time when a company, especially one with the reach of Viral Ventures, is forced into liquidation.”
He added: ‘We understand the disappointment and concern, especially for those with deposits for upcoming shows. “Our priority is to guide those affected through this process and ensure the necessary actions are taken.”
In June last year, viral brand TikTok announced it was reconsidering UK expansion plans to focus on pop-up summer events across the UK, including Blackpool and Liverpool.
Following the news, Karen’s Diner’s summer pop-up tour is unlikely to go ahead, with the group recommending customers contact their banks to get money back for prepaid tickets.
A website has been created to support customers and all those affected by the news of the liquidation.
The restaurant chain was inspired by the Internet trend of calling someone who always complains or gets angry with hospitality staff ‘Karen’.
The chain’s website described it as “an interactive restaurant and absurdly fun experience”: Rude waiters serve you and force you to play a variety of “stupid games.”
However, the brand had faced a number of controversies recently, including when far-right commentator Katie Hopkins hosted a guest appearance at the chain’s Prestwich branch in March, sparking anti-racism protests outside the restaurant.
That same month, Karen’s Diner in Brighton Marina closed its doors after high traces of drugs were found on the premises.
The restaurant chain stopped trading the franchise after a high cocaine reading was found on a changing table following a police investigation.
As well as significant traces of drugs found, including MDMA, heroin and ketamine, Sussex Police also found the restaurant had breached licensing and safety regulations.
Police investigated the branch after a customer filed a complaint about a joke about a child, according to The Argus.
The force subsequently requested that Brighton and Hove City Council review the license amid safeguarding concerns.
The branch opted to cease trading a day before a formal hearing was to take place before a panel of three councillors.
A representative for Karen’s Diner told MailOnline: ‘HHaving investigated and studied the findings of the Brighton and Hove Licensing Unit, we have decided to terminate our franchise agreement with the Brighton operators.
‘As of Monday 4 March, Karen’s Diner will no longer operate at The Marina.
‘Our restaurants are meant to offer tremendously fun experiences and never to offend.
‘Clearly the restaurant has operated outside of our guidelines and this is unacceptable.
“We take this opportunity to thank the thousands of people who have had the courage to visit us and we share their disappointment in announcing this closure.”