Food blogger says free meals are standard after $300 bill dispute
A New York City-based food blogger allegedly dodged a $300 dinner tab in New Orleans, claiming influencers eat for free — and doubled down on the assertion when a spat with the owner went viral.
Married couple and owners of Pulcinella in New Orleans’ 7th Ward, Bella Blue and Andrew Principe, say fashion blogger Diane Kronstad, who runs the site Fashions Digest, contacted them in advance on Instagram to arrange a review.
“Are we expected to pay something? Comp food? Drinks?” Blue asked the influencer in direct messages shown to People.
“No payment necessary for this visit,” Kronstad allegedly responded from what appeared to be the Fashions Digest Instagram account. “Just need to select from the food and drink menu to review and shoot photos/reels. There will be two people: myself and a content creator.”
That created confusion between the blogger and the restaurant that spiraled into an unpaid bill, a bad review, going viral and accusations about who is right and wrong.
Kronstad told The Independent that there’s more to the story.
“This particular visit was agreed to in writing as a hosted dinner. But from the moment we arrived, there was a lack of communication. The owner failed to introduce themselves or make it clear prior to ordering that only dessert would be comped, a standard in the restaurant business called a food limit,” Kronstad said in a statement.
“When the bill came, the energy turned hostile. Multiple staff members and the owner confronted us. He ultimately told us to leave (which he later admitted in writing), and then followed us outside, yelling at us before taking the tip,” she said.
In an Instagram video addressing the viral incident, Blue said Kronstad and an “older gentleman” dined at the restaurant on the day they agreed upon, but refused to pay the $290 tab. They then skipped out, and the dispute went viral after a restaurant employee aired out their frustrations on social media.
That led to a response from Blue, and now Kronstad has responded, saying free meals are the norm.
“Coverage isn’t comped — it’s earned,” Kronstad told The Independent. “Restaurant coverage isn’t about a free meal — it’s about a fair exchange: exposure for hospitality, content for experience. That’s what I’ve done professionally, with integrity, in New York and beyond.”
The incident started when Kronstad came to the restaurant after sending the private message. Blue claimed she responded by asking about the payment expectations and whether they would need to make the meal free.
Blue, in a follow-up post after the visit, shared an image showing the conversation and the Fashion Digest account saying “no payment necessary.” It then added that food just needed to be selected to review and four people would attend.
Kronstad and a guest arrived at the restaurant and promptly ate and left without paying the $300 bill.
Principe told People that he paid the discounted bill and tipped the server himself. He claimed the diners agreed to leave a tip when confronted, but initially tried to leave without doing so, only returning to leave a 10 percent cash tip after he stopped them outside.
“We tipped $30 in cash — all we had on us,” Kronstad told The Independent.
“If you’ve been to my restaurant, you know that for two people to rack up a $300 bill, you have to order a lot a lot of stuff, because we work really hard to keep everything very comparably priced and accessible to everyone,” Blue said on Instagram, nothing that the dining duo ordered multiple drinks.
“Oh, the golden part is that as she was leaving, she was like, ‘Is $300 a lot for you?’” Blue claimed the influencer asked the small business owners.
Kronstad then allegedly left a two-star review calling the food “average” and commenting on the location. Principe responded to the review by saying he had filed a police report.
The incident then went viral when a restaurant chef posted about it online, and it gained traction on social media.
Kronstad allegedly told Blue that the restaurant owner had misunderstood their Instagram conversations, and she meant that there was no additional fee for the blogger to show up and review the food.
Kronstad told People she often contacts local restaurants offering free reviews without charging for them.
“There was no introduction from the manager or owner, which is typically how these types of visits begin — especially when it’s known that I’m there to cover the experience,” Kronstad wrote in her statement to the outlet. “If someone had come by to set expectations or even just say hello, I’m confident the confusion about billing and hosting could’ve been avoided.”
Kronstad said she was surprised to learn that only the dessert was comped, claiming she wasn’t told beforehand.
Kronstad added she’s received thousands of abusive messages and argued the situation should’ve been resolved with a simple conversation.
“I want to end by saying this: I love discovering local restaurants. I respect the work that chefs, staff, and owners put into creating beautiful dining experiences,” Kronstad concluded her statement to People. “I’m not sharing this to stir controversy, but to defend my name and the integrity of what I do—and to speak on behalf of many other content creators who navigate these blurry lines every day with care, respect, and professionalism.”
Blue concluded her Instagram video with advice for bloggers or influencers who want to work with restaurant owners.
“If you’re going to reach out to places and solicit them to hire you, be transparent about what you’re expecting. If we ask you the questions, just answer the questions clearly so that there’s no confusion,” she said.
For her part, Kronstad ended her statement to The Independent, claiming she reviewed two other New Orleans restaurants without incident.
“This work takes effort, trust, and mutual respect. When that foundation breaks down, it’s important to speak up — not just for myself, but for every creator navigating the often blurry lines of brand partnerships. Influencers and content creators deserve fair pay — not free labor,” Kronstad wrote.
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