Dallas Restaurant Defends $70 Entrée, Experts Criticize Response
Dallas-based restaurant Olōyō defended the price of its $70 entrée on social media, but experts suggest the response compounded the issue. The controversy began when a diner questioned the menu's pricing.
Dallas restaurant Olōyō faced public scrutiny after a video questioning its menu prices, particularly a $70 entrée, went viral.
The restaurant responded to the criticism by defending its pricing, citing the quality and sourcing of its ingredients and its support for local farmers. This defense, posted on social media, was later deleted, drawing further attention.
Industry experts, including Usha Haley, a professor at Wichita State University, described the restaurant's public defense and subsequent deletion as a strategic misstep. Haley suggested that deleting the response reads as a loss of nerve and allows others to shape the narrative.
Karla Marie “Karlita” Cochran, founder of Spotlight Strategy Group, agreed with Haley's assessment. She advises businesses to avoid directly debating prices online and instead use their own channels to explain their sourcing and menu rationale, allowing word-of-mouth to spread.