A woman went viral on TikTok after sharing the story of an uncomfortable encounter she said she had with a married owner of a local restaurant.
Natalia (@natalialately), a longtime influencer based out of Austin, Texas, said that her troubles started after the man, who remained unnamed, invited her to a tasting event. Since she lived nearby, Natalia said she offered to visit the restaurant one day in advance to “check the place out.”
Initially, she said that everyone—and that the place itself—was “super nice.” While Natalia wasn’t planning on having dinner with the owner that night, she said he kept going “on and on” about the restaurant’s food. Eventually, Natalia said she agreed to stay for dinner.
Shortly thereafter, however, she said that things got uncomfortable. As of Friday evening, her video elaborating on her strange encounter with the restaurateur had amassed more than 135,300 views.
What happened over dinner?
Natalia said she believed that she was invited to the tasting event so that she could make a TikTok about it. She said that the owner, however, kept on saying strange things over the course of their pre-tasting meal.
“He starts talking to me like, ‘Yeah. I’m just trying to find ways that we can help each other out,’” Natalia recalled.
Midway through dinner, she said, the owner finally figured out a way that the content creator could “help” him: By joining him on a trip to Mexico that he had planned for “very wealthy businessmen.”
The owner said that, in addition to the many restaurants he owns, he also plans “experiences.” That allegedly entails planning trips and vacations for an “exclusive” group of clients—all of whom supposedly know the owner personally. The owner said he joins these men on their trips, and he insisted that Natalia come on their next venture.
“He’s like, ‘You’d be a great host to go with them and make sure everything’s fine,’” Natalia said. The owner, she added, also offered to pay for her flight and hotel. He said she’d get her own driver, too.
But Natalia wasn’t sold. Shortly after hearing this, she said her alarm bells started going off.
“Even if the job is legit,” she said, “I’m not about to go to Mexico to find out.”
Things got even stranger, she said, after the owner admitted to being a longtime follower of hers. He said that following her content had become an “obsession.” He also confessed to checking her Instagram on a daily basis despite the fact that he was married.
Natalia said she found the entire conversation “weird.” And, in the end, she said that she skipped the tasting event she was initially invited to.
Viewers react
Natalia ended her clip with a PSA to influencers: “If you guys get approached with something like this, please don’t go. Please don’t go to another country with someone that you don’t know. No matter how good the job sounds, I don’t think it’s worth risking your life.”
She said she was “weirded out” by the situation, and viewers applauded her for having the foresight to turn down the restaurant owner’s advances.
“Great advice,” one user wrote. “Glad you’re astute and ok.”
“RUN GIRL and don’t look back!!!” another said.
“That’s actually insane,” a third person added. “Stay safe out there.”
“Very perceptive of you,” a fourth user said.
@natalialately ♬ original sound – Natalia
Natalia’s video also piqued the interest of fellow Austinities, who encouraged her to put both the chef and the restaurant on blast.
“What restaurant in Austin?” read the top-liked comment on her post.
“I’m so nosy and need to know this restaurant (austin girly here),” another comment read.
“Don’t be shy drop the restaurant name,” a third woman encouraged.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Natalia via TikTok comment.
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