The Highway Hotel: Pub apologises after being accused of fat shaming over ‘Skinny Saturday’ promo

A popular Adelaide pub has apologised after it was accused of fat shaming after it tried to promote a “Skinny Saturday” event.

Initially, the food and drink campaign run by The Highway Hotel, on Anzac Highway in Plympton, focused on a seltzer and salad special during the six-hour event that ran from noon to 6pm.

“A Seltzer a day keeps the calories away!” the promotion read.

“It's time to get the chassis primed for some summer beach action and we’ve got your back here on Saturdays as we present ‘Skinny Saturdays’.

“Zero carb Seltzers and salad specials to ease you through the afternoon and make sure you are looking after your insides.”

Social media users were quick to call out the pub, prompting The Highway to apologise and rebrand its promotion to “Seltzer Saturday”.

The pub also thanked people for their feedback.

“We were just having a bit of fun off the back of low calorie count in Seltzer and popularity of salads but understand we got it wrong and we apologise for any offence caused,” The Highway posted on its social media.

“No hard feelings we hope.”

People slammed the campaign, saying it promoted disordered eating.

“Drink yourself skinny” was just a terrible, tacky, irresponsible promotional campaign,” one social media user wrote.

“You would think that most people working in promotions/marketing would be aware of what’s not on … forgetting some folks actually have eating disorders or have fought to get through them, and may still struggle to go out to eat,” another posted.

“Tacky promotion and tacky apology,” a third said.

“Fatphobia and promotion of diet culture is not insignificant it’s a societal issue that causes devastation to the lives of millions.,” another commented.

There were also people who supported the campaign.

“Some people are awfully precious. If I could drink myself skinny I would!,” one person wrote.

“I love how it’s now socially encouraged and acceptable to shame those who may not want to inject themselves with a pharma product but god forbid anyone make a reference to being skinny,” another said.

“I saw the original post and thought “I wonder how this will turn out”. There will always be someone who takes offence to something,” a third commented.

“Seems to me like people with big bones don't have very thick skin,” another posted.