What exactly are you willing to do for the sake of online “content”? For Tiktok duo Chuck Aquino and Joe Abad (Chuck and Joe), it’s asking restaurants for refills and secretly filling their containers with loads of condiments to bring home.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Philippines, a lot of food chains were forced to shut their establishments and a lot of employees were laid off. Moreover, according to restaurant management software Upserve, the lockdowns gave food entrepreneurs a hard time facing problems with finances, food cost or supply chain issues, and transitioning to a new business model with online operations and delivery. 

When Chuck and Joe filmed themselves abusing the hospitality of a food establishment in the Philippines, members of the Restaurant Owners of the Philippines (Resto PH) were quick to call them out. 

According to Resto PH, such action promotes irresponsible dining and burglary. The statement reads, “Our members have expressed outrage and disappointment over this video, which may encourage others, especially impressionable youth, to emulate the prank.” 

“We wish it to be made clear that we consider what they did as a form of theft; and once promoted on social media, theft no longer becomes petty. Restaurant losses are not casual matters to be used for a social experiment,” they added.

I mean— ???? pic.twitter.com/rzfQSmzuHQ

— good boy ◡̈ (@eboymnl) February 2, 2021

The Tiktok duo has drawn a wave of backlash on social media, prompting them to publish a reaction video on their now private TikTok page. 

“Ineencourage po namin kayo na huwag magtapon at huwag magsayang.”

“Actually hindi naman po siya considered stealing o pagnanakaw dahil wala naman po kaming inuwi na hindi binigay sa amin.”

NON-APOLOGY. It’s really the ugly ones… ???? pic.twitter.com/haDGVXUl91

— good boy ◡̈ (@eboymnl) February 2, 2021

“Gusto lang po naming linawin na hindi po namin kayo ine-encourage na magnakaw, kung hindi ine-encourage po namin kayo na huwag magtapon at huwag magsayang,” the duo said. (“We want to clarify that we are not encouraging you all to steal, but we’re encouraging you to refrain from throwing away food and being wasteful.”) 

Chuck and Joe have also justified their action by saying that the restaurant always provides the condiments for them, which, of course, did not sit well to the Internet.

“Actually hindi nga po siya considered na pagnanakaw o stealing, dahil wala naman po kaming inuwi. Everytime po na kakain kami sa restaurant na iyon, binibigyan po nila kami ng togarashi spice dahil hindi na po puwedeng kumuha ng condiments doon sa condiments section,” they said.

“Actually it’s not considered theft or stealing, because we didn’t bring anything home. Every time that we eat in that restaurant, [the staff] gives us the togarashi spice because we’re not allowed to get condiments from the condiments section anymore.”)

To Chuck and Joe of Tiktok hey hey hey at sa mga Kakosa kong sprak, huwag na pamarisan utang na loob.#InahEvans #RoderickPaulate #BaklangKanal #BarangayQueen #MotherKepler pic.twitter.com/2Fw2rPspQz

— Barangay Queen x Mother Kepler (@InahEvans) February 2, 2021

You know what would salvage the face of Chuck Aquino and Joe Abad?

A permanent deletion of their Tiktok and IG accounts.

— Rodrigo Ang Escobar (@rodrigoaescobar) February 4, 2021

#chuckabad #joesantos #chuckandjoe come on, these restos deserves a better apology. dnt make excuses, its outright stealing, & there is NO humor to find in it. Are you ready to lose your clients? and lose your influence? #togarashi @joesantos @chuckabad #tiktok #stealingisacrime

— Gazini Gray Wurzbach (@GrazziniGray) February 2, 2021

However, for reactors on the video, a “social experiment” that instructs people to “act innocent and do not make eye contact” pretty much suggests how to get away with stealing, or just about any criminal act. And it will never be okay, just by calling it a “prank”. Moreover, apologizing for “humor” that many did not “get” automatically makes it a non-apology, but an excuse for getting caught and called out.

Members of Resto PH called the duo’s video an “attempt at an apology” stressing that they are still disappointed with their actions. More importantly, the organization of restaurant owners are also worried about the lasting influence this “prank” leaves an impressionable audience, especially the youth. 

“While the influencers have an attempt at an apology, it was disappointing,” the group said. “If you truly regret what you have done, we ask you to please delete the offensive video, as a sincere sign of respect for the community you have harmed,” they added.

Posting videos online, no matter how big or small your reach is, must be done responsibly. Always remember that the internet has influenced and changed society in so many ways that one misleading content could affect a large number of people in just a click. 

Read Resto PH’s full statement: