Many hibachi restaurants can be described as a form of dinner theater, but it’s rare to see audience participation go past someone catching a piece of seared beef in their mouth.
This is probably why a 12-second TikTok posted by user Shelly (@keepinupwithshelly) is going viral, amassing 1.2 million views in a day. In the video, a man who doesn’t appear to be an on-duty employee at the restaurant is standing up at the hibachi grill and takes matters into his own hands. Someone off-camera tells him to “go sit down” as he begins to manipulate the rice on the grill with the metal spatulas.
Shelly wrote in the text overlay of the TikTok: “When the chef was taking to long my cousin decided to take over.”
TikTokers who saw the post had a variety of different responses to the man’s actions. Several users on the platform remarked that if they were seated at the same table, they would’ve been frustrated to see someone who wasn’t the chef attempting to cook their food. “Imagine if there was another group at the same table. I would’ve walked away,” one said.
Others claimed they would have been embarrassed had they been in Shelly’s position. “Yeah you getting left at home every next time there is,” another joked.
In the clip, it doesn’t appear that the customer working on the grill did more than move the spatulas through the rice, however, some restaurants may have strict policies when it comes to non-staff members handling food. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a thorough list of recommended safety practices when it comes to restaurant workers, and many establishments strictly adhere to specific protocols in order to remain in good standing with local inspection agencies.
As of this writing, Shelly hasn’t updated her social media accounts with any additional information about the incident.
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