‘We Come In Peace’: Keith Lee Ramps Up Security Before Returning to Atlanta for ‘Redemption’ Food Tour Months After His Reviews Yielded Death Threats
Keith Lee isn’t letting a lackluster experience dining at Atlanta hotspots deter him from giving the Southern food scene a second chance at wowing him.
Months after a disastrous food review stop in Georgia’s capital became the talk of social media, the go-to TikTok food reviewer has announced plans for the “Familee Redemption Food Tour.”
The former MMA fighter, however, is not leaving anything to chance. After telling the good, the bad, and the ugly, about poor customer service at local establishments like Kandi Burruss’ Old Lady Gang in late October, Lee revealed that his family received death threats amid critics claiming he was tearing down Black businesses.
“I can’t win for losing. I understand everybody gonna have an opinion on the situation. You can disagree with me. You can like what I say. Completely understand. I’m ok with that. But when my safety and my family safety are coming into play, that’s where I draw the line at,” he said in a post.
Bearing that in mind, in his March 31 video, where he shared details about visiting cities that earned the poorest reviews, he made it clear that he does not want to encounter similar safety issues. The redemption tour will feature a new selection of suggested restaurants, giving each city a clean slate.
Keith Lee said play with ya mama not with me or my family. We gone mind our business until somebody try to mind ours
We bringing security to ATL pic.twitter.com/ROiKp2nCgd
— Andrew (@MrAndrewRoby) March 30, 2024
“We come in peace. With that being said, we will be protected. It’s people with us that are legal and licensed. We don’t want to have to use them, but we will. My family getting home safe and I mean that with every bone in my body,” said the content creator, who boasts a following of 16.1 million on the platform.
“We getting home safe. We just coming to eat food, meet the people we supposed to meet, do what we supposed to do. Mind our business. Nothing else, nothin’ more.”
In the comments, one person wrote, “Could you imagine if ATL fumbles the bag AGAIN.” A second refreshed Atlanta residents’ memory with, “y’all better remember that his hands are licensed.” While a third individual simply commented, “ATLANTA!!! Why does he have to take these measures just to get some food.”
In a follow-up video, on April 2, Lee slightly walked back plans to start off the multi-stop food trip in Atlanta, citing unspecified business reasons.
“Atlanta welcomed us back with open arms, and I’m thankful. ‘Cause of the last experience, I wasn’t expecting that reception, and I’m thankful. I’m appreciative. I’m grateful. With that being said, the next stop on the ‘Familee Food Tour’ is our first international stop —Toronto, Canada, here we come,” he said.
At the time the video was recorded, the Lee family was in Atlanta, but only for a few days. “So we not gon’ be here that long, and I didn’t feel it was fair to short anybody. If we gon’ do it, we gon’ do it all the way. I truly mean it when I say I’m thankful for the reception,” reiterated the viral food critic.
@keith_lee125 FamiLee Food Tour would you try it ? #foodcritic ♬ original sound – Keith Lee
As a consolation, Lee and friends rented several food trucks to provide the community with food — 500 plates, to be exact — on April 3 at Atlanta’s Selena S. Butler Park with no strings attached. All Lee asked was that attendees practice patience, as he anticipated the turnout being “a lil crazy” and teased that special guests would likely make an appearance.
As for when he will make his official return to the city to dish out a new round of reviews, Lee did not reveal details about the dates of his trips. Atlantans will likely be bracing themselves in the meantime.