Nationwide — Trayvon Turner, an African American influencer from South Carolina, has filed a lawsuit against a restaurant in Florence after a viral TikTok video showed him being kicked out while filming a food review. He claims staff escalated the situation and treated him unfairly during the incident.
Turner, who is also known online as Ben-A-Critic, recorded himself inside the restaurant as he attempted to review the business. A manager approached him and said recording was not allowed, then asked him to leave the premises. Staff also began contacting police while Turner questioned why he was being removed.
According to Atlanta Black Star, Turner said the situation escalated quickly after the request to leave. He said he complied but kept asking for clarification, saying, “What did I do wrong? I literally sat down and ordered my food.”
He also alleged that several staff members surrounded him during the confrontation. Turner said he felt unsafe and claimed he was pushed and touched. He said, “I felt very uncomfortable in this situation. I was surrounded by a lot of angry men, and they all had pocket knives. Not to mention, they kept touching me.”
In the lawsuit, Turner argued that the restaurant removed him because he is Black and did not apply its rules consistently. He named owners William Hal Neel III and Jeffrey Chamblee, along with manager Andrew Davis and service manager Tracy Counts. He alleged that Neel physically pushed him out of the restaurant and later told police Turner had punched him, which led to a response but no arrest.
Turner also claimed another owner blocked his vehicle in the parking lot after the incident. He said the video’s spread online led to death threats and forced him to stop working for several weeks. The lawsuit claims he suffered reputational harm, lost income, and emotional distress. He is now seeking both compensatory and punitive damages in a jury trial.
The restaurant has not issued a public response to the allegations.