CARRBORO, N.C. (WNCN) – Luna Rotisserie and Taproom in Carrboro has mostly stellar reviews online. Of 150 or so Google reviews, the restaurant has an average of 4.5 stars.
One review stuck out as abnormally low. About six months ago, an account named “Mama Loula” left a review saying Luna Rotisserie and Taproom is “full of satanic activity.”
The reviewer, calling their party “free breathing humans,” seemed to allude to a lack of service due to not abiding by a mask mandate that was in effect.
“If you like freedom, go elsewhere,” the review said.
Luna Rotisserie has since leaned into the 1-star review by printing shirts based on it. Anthony Kofler, who is the co-owner and general manager of the Carrboro location, said shirts were originally made and given to the staff as a reward for working through tough times during the pandemic. He said they deliberated for about two months after the review was left before making the shirts.
Since then, Luna Rotisserie has been selling the shirts online. Kofler said customers quickly expressed interest in them. Demand skyrocketed when they popped up on social media and went viral.
The shirt features the entire review, with the “satanic activity” phrase pulled out and highlighted. It also has a devilish figure wearing a facemask with the restaurant’s logo on it.
There have been a handful of other negative reviews referencing the mask mandate, but the supportive reviews more than outnumber them. One even made sure to reassure those looking for a dining spot that the chicken is not, in fact, satanic.