to the editor: The social media “war” over Yerord Mas' basturma brisket sandwich lit a light bulb in me (“'It looks like a war.’ How a $38 Armenian brisket sandwich ignited debate over culture and cost,” July 13).
Social media as used by influencers and content creators to earn income is no longer truly “social.” It's commercial. It's similar to reality shows, which are largely not “real.” But content consumers are free to choose what to watch, and it follows that restaurant patrons should be free to choose what and where they eat without them and the establishment being morally controlled to generate revenue-seeking viewing.
Margins in the restaurant business are notoriously thin even in the best of times, and as a consumer, I prefer that a restaurant maintain quality and not take shortcuts to meet a price. It is the consumer's prerogative to choose where they can afford to eat, not the restaurant's responsibility to cover someone's budget.
Gregorio Sol, Alhambra
