HOUSTON – Before 2023 comes to a close, viral food critic Keith Lee shared his personal ranking of the cities with the best cuisine from this year's food tour.
Lee visited eight cities, including Houston, where he increased the popularity of many small businesses.
Atlanta was the only city where his visit caused major controversy due to some negative reviews of his dining experiences.
What happened in Atlanta?
Lee posted about his dining experience and highlighted how difficult it was to order at Old Lady Gang and The Real Milk and Honey restaurants. He noted the inconvenience associated with the unavailability of weekend takeout and the unavailability of DoorDash options. Lee said he was even ignored when he tried to order over the phone.
According to Forbes, after attempting to eat there, Lee was told he would have to wait an hour to enter Old Lady Gang, but was immediately offered a table after his identity was discovered. Lee reportedly refused to be served in front of the other waiting guests, emphasizing that he wanted to enjoy exactly the same service as everyone else.
In the “Real Milk and Honey,” Lee also received preferential treatment after his identification. Lee's review of The Real Milk and Honey has been viewed over 22 million times on TikTok.
The viral criticism of poor customer service in Atlanta caused an uproar and even caught the attention of some celebrities like Cardi B, who seemed to agree with the food critic.
The backlash prompted Lee to address the death threats some restaurants have faced. He stated that he does not condone such behavior and emphasized that his channel is not about bullying restaurants or their owners.
The Keith Lee Effect in Houston
The Bayou City seemingly made up for Lee's dining experience, as he earned the city high ratings for its diverse dining scene.
Local small business owners who have experienced the “Keith Lee effect” are seeing long lines of customers at their door after his reviews were posted on his TikTok.
How did he classify the city?
Lee ranked Houston at No. 2, while New Orleans took first place.
“Speaking of which, almost every place we visited was delicious, Houston was one of those places,” Lee said. “It was a place that carried Houston for me – The Puddery.”
Located at Suite 5517 Broadway St., Puddery is known for serving desserts in a cup.
The store was visited by Lee in November and lines of customers have been streaming to his door ever since. The Puddery's owner, Janel Prator, said her business has been positively impacted and her life has changed since then.
“Since he posted that review, my business has not been the same. It’s been a total whirlwind,” Prator said in the November post on Instagram.
Lee stated that Houston was very close in the race with New Orleans, but was beaten by the city's customer service.
Here's how Lee rated the remaining cities:
1. New Orleans
2.Houston
3.)Chicago
4.) Vegas
5.) LA
6.) Detroit
7.) New York
8. Atlanta
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