Coronavirus: Model threatens to sneeze on ‘rude’ waitress over poor service

Disgruntled with her service at the Adelaide bar, an influencer hit back with a “joke” about the virus pandemic — and people are not happy.

An influencer disgruntled with her service at an Adelaide bar has been slammed online after “joking” about her waitress getting coronavirus.

Karylle Banez visited Leigh Street Wine Room last Thursday and on Monday uploaded a photo taken at the venue with the caption: “If I had the coronavirus I know exactly who I be sneezing on (@ the rude waitress here ).”

In the comments section, which has since been deleted, Ms Banez added: “I came in so happy and cheerful, then she came over with such an attitude. She legit rolled her eyes when I asked her for the drinks list. Absolutely no need to treat people like that I feel.”

However, not everyone was happy with Ms Banez’s caption, with since-deleted comments slamming her for joking about the deadly virus, which has so far killed five Australians.

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Karylle Banez visited Leigh Street Wine Room last Thursday and posted this photo, with the caption: “If I had the coronavirus I know exactly who I be sneezing on (@ the rude waitress here).”

“I cant believe your words! Disgusting and disrespectful to all the people who are suffering from this tragedy today,” one comment read, according to Daily Mail Australia.

Leigh Street Wine Room owner Sali Sasi said she had been alerted to Ms Banez’s post after receiving worried emails from guests who were “beyond shocked” by the influencer’s post.

Ms Banez’s post was picked up by The Australian’s food critic John Lethlean, who regularly calls out influencers for their questionable actions under his #couscousforcomment hashtag.

Ms Sasi told news.com.au she contacted Ms Banez to apologise for her bad experience and “respectfully asked” her to amend the caption, explaining it was insensitive to the crisis at hand.

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Ms Banez’s post was picked up by The Australian’s food critic John Lethlean, who regularly calls out influencers for their questionable actions under his #couscousforcomment hashtag.

Leigh Street Wine Room shared this post of their exchanged with Ms Banez.

“I thought maybe she is a little bit ignorant and isn’t across it – obviously if you’re making a joke about that you’re not really across the serious nature of (the coronavirus pandemic),” Ms Sasi said.

Ms Sasi is a breast cancer survivor and as a result has a compromised immune system that makes her more vulnerable to COVID-19.

But instead of removing her offensive caption Ms Banez refused, saying her post had been a joke.

“She just wrote back completely blasé, basically like (saying), ‘Who really cares? my followers know I joke a lot and not to take me seriously’,” Ms Sasi said.

Rather than apologising, Ms Banez changed the caption of her second photo taken at the venue to read: “Love getting trolled by people who don’t know me.”

Ms Sasi then responded that she can “only assume my team member had good reason to eye roll you”.

Doubling down, Ms Banez has also changed the caption on the second photo she shared from Leigh Street Wine Room to read: “Love getting trolled by people who don’t know me.”

Ms Sasi has since heard the waitress’s side of the story, with the female employee claiming Ms Banez had come in and announced who she was.

Ms Banez came to the bar for a photo shoot last Thursday.

While Ms Banez was not given any free drinks — as it is not Leigh Street Wine Room’s policy to do so — she was reportedly offered four to five tastes of different wines from the menu.

However, Ms Banez left shortly after doing a photo shoot at the venue, Ms Sasi said.

Ms Sasi said that while the venue was standing by the waitress, the woman understandably “feels terrible” about the situation.

“She is devastated,” Ms Sasi said. “She is already dealing with uncertainty in regards to the workforce because she is a casual and this virus is obviously causing such mayhem in the industry … she feels terrible, she feels like she has let the team down.

“She feels like she has let myself and my husband down. But I know her level of service and I already found it really odd, like that doesn't sound like her.”

#Repost Karylle..."Love cafés getting onto the dinner scene! Fine and Fettle dinner tonight was next level 🤤🤤🤤 " Don't forget to tag & share your Fettle experiences!

Posted by FINE and FETTLE on Friday, 3 May 2019

News.com.au has also contacted Karylle Banez for comment.

It’s not the first time Ms Banez has found herself in controversy. In May last year, she and restaurant Fine and Fettle were criticised for sharing a photo of herself in a white lace bralette at the venue.

Many claimed it was an “inappropriate” option for a restaurant, with others saying the post was “tacky”.

In a statement sent to news.com.au by Fine and Fettle management, the restaurant defended Ms Banez and slammed the trolls who attacked her.

“Karylle is a long-time supporter of Fine and Fettle. She dined at Fine and Fettle on 26 April at our invitation to sample our new dinner menu,” the statement reads.

“The online bullying that Karylle has experienced as a result of her outfit is absolutely unacceptable.

“Fine and Fettle does not have a strict dress code. We do not discriminate against our customers.”