Restaurants Are Scamming You
SNL’s Ego Nwodim is tired of restaurants that care more about the vibe than the food. In this episode, she breaks down how we’ve been tricked into paying for grass walls, neon signs, and mediocre meals. We talk about vibe-first culture, food scams, and why she’s done going to places where “the chef’s story” matters more than seasoning. Credits: Host: Kareem Rahma Guest: Ego Nwodim Creators: Kareem Rahma & Andrew Kuo Camera: Anthony DiMieri & Tian Sippel Editor: Tyler Christie Associate Producer: Ramy Shafi Artwork: Andrew Lawandus
Summary
SNL's Ego Nwodim has had it with restaurants where "the vibe is better than the food." She tells Kareem that these places need a warning sign in the window: "the wall is grass, the food will be trash." She's tired of paying for neon lights and chef backstories when the meals aren't even seasoned properly. Kareem agrees but pushes back on the specifics. He wants white tablecloths, no music, and a large pepper grinder. Ego? She's fine with hip-hop while eating pasta, as long as the food matches the energy. They spar over whether Italian restaurants should play Italian music and whether loud bars are worth the headache. The core take lands hard though: if you can't eat the vibe, call it a vibe center, not a restaurant.
Full Transcript
So, what's your take? Restaurants where the vibe is better than the food need to be fined, shut down, or they at least have to post a disclaimer in the window.
100% agree.
I'm saying you don't go for the vibe. We don't go for the vibe. I'm going for a vibe. I'm going to a bar. I'm going to the club. I'm not going to the club, but someone's going to the club.
That's what vibes are for.
Yeah. I'm here for food because I say you can't eat the vibe. Any restaurant where the vibe is first and the food is second shouldn't be a restaurant.
Shouldn't be a restaurant.
Should be a vibe center.
Yeah, and call it that because I'm telling you like a sign on the wall that just says, "Hey, before you step inside, you should know our wall is grass, the food is ass." Or the—or the wall is grass, the food will be trash.
It's like a B rating. Like when a restaurant has a—but it's it's like the vibe is an A but the food is a B.
Yes. And I'm good. And so people know in advance. I'm tired of people inviting me to restaurants where it's like the vibe it's beautiful in here and the chef did this and that and I don't care. I want to eat good food. I want to eat seasoned food. It bothers me cuz I'm not paying for a vibe.
No,
I'm paying for food,
right? I bring a vibe. I have the vibe. My friends are a vibe. I want good food. I want to have an experience that is good food.
What ruins the vibe?
What ruins a vibe?
I think music ruins the vibe. I think no music should be out loud in all bars and restaurants.
See, okay. I'm I'm not with you on this take. I last night I was at a restaurant and they were playing the best hip-hop and I was like, "This is—this is what is this, Hamilton? You want to listen to hip-hop while you eat a steak freaks?"
It was pasta. Yeah.
What is this? The rose that grew from concrete dangerous vines type of—like no.
They sold me on it though because the food matched the vibe. They have to be equal. The vibe.
What were you eating?
I was eating pasta.
Pasta should be playing like—
What song is that?
Some Italian.
If you're eating pasta, you should be listening to Italian music. I don't—I don't. You're the Jamaican song.
I disagree with that take. Listen a little desol.
I mean, I like that take, but I don't—I feel like Italian—I no, you know, I love Italian music, but I like Italian food more than I like Italian music.
Oh, you like Italian food with hip-hop?
Yes, that's perfect night.
I think the best vibe is is no music, great food, white tablecloths, a large pepper grinder,
bougeois. He take his ass to Italy cuz they're going to play Italian music at the Italian restaurant.
I'm just describing Rome.
Somebody get Karine to Rome, please. Cuz that's not—when there's no music, I'm like, "Okay, this is uncomfortable to some extent." But I I could go if the food and if the chef is going to come out and talk to us, I'm like, "Great, let's have this experience." But when the music is too loud, when people invite me out and the music is too loud, I'm like, I don't feel like yelling at you over a table.
The good thing is we agree.
Yes.
I agree from the beginning.
You were just trying to—
Just the specifics.
Okay, I understand.
We don't agree on the specifics, but we don't have to see eye to eye.
We don't have to see eye to eye, but the take you like.
I like the take. And so dab me up.
That's a take.