How internet trolls sabotaged a meme-themed restaurant
Catriona Crehan's "Meme Restaurant" was shot down by trolls and the media
© iStock
FOOD trolls
Catriona Crehan and her teenage brother have had their meme-themed dreams shattered. The siblings set up a now-defunct crowdfund for a “Meme Restaurant.” The family-friendly establishment was planned for the Crehan's hometown of Temecula, CA. The menu would have featured an array of meme-themed recipes. As picked up by Munchies, “The Rick Roll” is a red velvet cheesecake that is “never gonna dessert you.” Then there’s the oddly titled “HaramBurger,” a burger that references Harambe, a gorilla that became a viral sensation after being slain at a zoo in Ohio.
However, online trolls were quick to shut down the ambitious project. The Kickstarter had an aspirational goal of raising $350,000, of which only $6.66 was donated after a week. The ominous donations came with ruthlessly mean messages from patrons. That, along with critical coverage from the press, made Crehan pull the plug on the whole operation. Unfortunately, the world may never get a taste of that mythical HaramBurger and memes remain a digital sensation.