Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) has come under fire for a series of advertisements which vegans and vegetarians have branded "disgraceful".
The adverts, seen mostly at London Underground stations and trains, include taglines such as "Vegetarians, resistance is futile", and "You'll always remember when you gave up being a vegetarian", The Independent reported.
People have taken to social media to condemn GBK's ads, coining the hashtag #gourmetmurderkitchen to highlight what has been perceived to be a flippant attitude towards the consumption of meat.
"@gbkburgers well done on insulting your customers with your awful marketing," another tweeted.
"@gbkburgers Loved GBK but apparently we're not welcome." However, GBK quickly responded to the flood of complaints, confirming they will be taking down "some" of the adverts.
"We've been reading the reaction to our latest advertising campaign and needless to say, we're quite taken aback.
"Our intentions were light-hearted and not meant to cause any offence, but clearly we have, and for that we apologise," GBK said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
