Tiger’s Milk apologises for displaying serial killers’ names in unisex bathrooms - TimesLIVE

Tiger’s Milk has apologised and removed the names of notorious killers from the walls of its unisex bathrooms after the décor sparked outrage on social media, with many describing it as insensitive amid South Africa’s gender-based violence crisis.

The restaurant chain came under fire after a woman shared a video on TikTok describing the uneasy feeling she experienced after noticing disturbing names inscribed on the bathroom walls.

Among the names displayed were convicted rapist and murderer Thabo Bester and American serial killer Ted Bundy.

Prison-style tally marks also formed part of the décor.

The video prompted widespread criticism online, with some social media users calling for a boycott of the restaurant and questioning how the names of men notorious for violence, including against women, had been approved as décor in unisex bathrooms.

Responding to the backlash, Tiger’s Milk apologised and said the décor formed part of a broader military theme at the restaurant with the bathrooms initially designed to represent a “prison”.

“Thank you for sharing this with our marketing team. We would like to extend our sincere apologies regarding the themed bathrooms as we have always aimed to be a brand which is ‘Restricted to Everyone’,” the restaurant said.

“The store’s military theme was carried through to the unisex bathrooms which was earmarked as the ‘prison’ in the initial interior designs. We acknowledge that the names of serial killers in our restrooms, in a country’s volatile climate towards women, can be communicated as deeply insensitive,” it said.

The restaurant chain said its operations team had acted after the issue was brought to its attention.

“We would like to confirm that our operations team responded swiftly and have since removed the text. Once again, we are sincerely sorry and appreciate you for bringing this to our attention,” it said.

The controversy comes at a particularly sensitive time for women in South Africa amid renewed concern about their safety after the discovery of the bodies of six women in Ekurhuleni.

The heightened concern around the killings has added to criticism of Tiger’s Milk’s choice of décor, with social media users arguing that references to men notorious for violence against women cannot be separated from the broader reality of gender-based violence in South Africa.