Watch: Fresno Chinese restaurant owner’s viral insults draw crowds

April 22, 2024

A Fresno restaurant owner’s expletive-filled interactions with customers have gone viral on social media.

Key points:

Chinese restaurant Mark’s Kitchen has been a Fresno establishment since 1972.
Owner Helen started swearing at customers in a good-natured way behind the counter over a decade ago, according to the SF Gate.
Her popularity exploded last year when videos showcasing Helen’s colorful commentary started emerging on social media.
Helen often uses catchphrases, like “bomb ass sh*t,” to describe their food offerings.

The details:

- Helen’s foul-mouthed service began as a way to stand out in Fresno’s restaurant scene and evolved into a full-blown act.
- She often records customers’ reactions to her insults and posts them on the TikTok account @heakpo.
- Customers who want their orders not too spicy may get mocked for being “boring.”
- She tones the cursing down when kids are present.
- In one TikTok video, she is seen telling police officers: “Remember, you don’t like that sh*t, get the f*ck out.”

In addition to the quality of the food, Helen’s performance has become one of the restaurant’s undeniable draws.
On Yelp, most customers agree that the food is “bomb ass sh*t” and praise Helen as “bold, funny and sweet.