Vegan delivers congratulatory cake to Eleven Madison Park as they bring meat back to their menu

A vegan TikToker sparked a wave of reactions after pulling an unconventional stunt aimed at a high-end New York restaurant that recently brought meat back to its menu.

What’s up with Eleven Madison Park’s new menu?

The menu at Eleven Madison Park has undergone a significant shift. Starting in October, the restaurant began to reintroduce select animal products to its menu—including fish, meat, and honey-lavender-glazed duck, according to its website.

This change comes after nearly four years of the restaurant operating entirely as a plant-based establishment. It’s fair to say that, given Jamie’s response, the move caught plenty of loyal vegan diners off guard.

Humm has said the decision was about creating “choice” and making the restaurant more welcoming to all kinds of diners. In interviews and statements, he’s acknowledged that the strict vegan menu alienated some guests and cut into corporate bookings, which are a key part of the business. The new menu aims to strike a balance by offering both animal protein and a fully plant-based option, both in the same seven-to-nine-course format and price point.

The financial pressure had been mounting for some time. The vegan-only model made headlines when the restaurant first adopted it in 2021, but it also limited its reach. Bringing back dishes like duck and seafood was framed as much as a practical business decision as a culinary one.

There’s also a marketing angle to this. The switch has generated a fresh wave of press for the restaurant—and some criticism, of course, as Jamie’s video shows. But in the end, it’s press, and it’s helping spark renewed interest in the restaurant from critics and diners alike.

For Humm, the shift doesn’t mean abandoning the restaurant’s plant-based ethos altogether. A full vegan menu remains available for anyone who wants it. But the return of meat marks a notable pivot for a place that once defined itself by going all in on plants.

Viewers take the content creator’s side

Viewers who tuned in to Jamie’s viral clip seemed just as entertained by her antics as the staffers at Eleven Madison Park who ended up with her uncongratulatory cake.

“Lmao,” one person wrote, capturing the general mood in the comments. Another declared, “I love you,” while a third echoed the same sentiment, addressing Jamie directly.

A fourth chimed in with, “This rules, love it.”

Not everyone was laughing, though. Some were puzzled by how cheerful the restaurant’s employees seemed.

“Omg, why were they so happy about it?” one person asked.

Someone else jumped in to explain, “They are just trying to pay their bills like the rest of us. I’d be excited for a cake, too, even if it had something nasty about my company on it. Hell, I’d probably agree with whatever was written on it.”

Others raised questions about the cake itself.

“Was this cake made with milk and eggs, cause if so, isn’t that sort of a contradiction?” one person wrote. “On another note? I think I would’ve been happy with receiving a cake like this, especially if it tasted good.”

Then came the backlash from people who thought Jamie’s stunt crossed a line.

“They’re doing better than ever,” one commenter said of the restaurant. “Yum, duck! May they continue their success.”

Another added bluntly, “Animal cruelty sucks. But gotta be honest, the animal activists are all a bit insane.”

The Daily Dot has reached out to Jamie through TikTok and to Eleven Madison Park via email.

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