Roscoe’s Chicken And Waffles Gets Backlash Over Trump Doll
Digital creator Epicurious Expeditions has sparked a social media feud with Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles COO Diana Vara, following the posting of a viral video showing fans how to recreate the restaurant’s iconic dish in their home. After a series of back-and-forth online, some fans are calling for a boycott of the famed chicken spot.
The controversy surrounding Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles blew up for the public when Epicurious Expeditions posted a video on TikTok teaching viewers how to cook Roscoe’s signature chicken and waffles at home, as well as telling watchers to pass on going to the restaurant in favor of doing it themselves.
COO Vare was quick to respond in a now-deleted comment on Instagram. She wrote, “You can copy the recipe, but I guarantee the recipe won’t taste the same.”
But what began the wave to cancel Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles was actually a giant Donald Trump blow-up doll. Epicurious Creations posted about it.
Roscoe’s House of Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles has been a well-known staple for the Black community in Los Angeles. Now they’re facing backlash after videos surfaced of an inflatable Trump doll posted outside the soul food restaurant’s Long Beach location.
Back in November, Epicurious Expeditions posted a video on Instagram showing the blow-up doll for all to see, prompting an overwhelmingly negative response from the restaurant’s predominantly Black fanbase.
Despite Roscoe’s deep-rooted connection to L.A.’s Black community, with Black politicians and celebrities singing its praises and eating at their restaurant locations, the Southern California chain seemed to ruffle a lot of feathers with the blow-up doll and what some thought was an endorsement of Trump.
To add to the discourse, Epicurious Expeditions uploaded a 2022 Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Dec. 3 that revealed multiple health code violations from the chain.
Epicurious Expeditions stated Roscoe’s “has been canceled by the internet.”
“Roscoe’s has been synonymous with Black LA culture,” the TikTok creator told Eater Los Angeles. “I grew up poor, and my mom would scrimp and save any time to take us to a restaurant that was a pillar of the Black community. For them to side with the man who supported the death penalty for the Central Park 5 and turn their back on us like this was painful.”
Vare has since defended the chain against the allegations and drama, though. In a since-deleted comment, Vare claimed that the Seabird Jazz Lounge, which is located next door to the chicken spot, had an event reserved in the space. She states that they were the ones who put the blow-up doll out front.
Vare explained, “The inflatable doll was brought from the LAGOP and URBT News, who hosted the watch party at the Jazz Lounge, which is located right next to Roscoe’s.”
She reiterated that the Trump inflatable was in no way associated with Roscoe’s, rather that it just looked that way due to the proximity of their locations.
Before Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles feud with Epicurious Expeditions, the restaurant had some hard times. The chain has been open for nearly 50 years, and its original owner, Herb Hudson, is still contending with about $27 million in outstanding debt. Through the years, they’ve faced lawsuits and tragedy, notably when rapper PnB Rock was shot and killed at their Inglewood location two years ago. They’ve since closed two of their locations.
Reportedly, though, all the negative repercussions haven’t been getting to the restaurant chain, as Vare claims, “Ya’ll can stay canceling us, but business is up 20 percent.”
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