Shashank Gupta, a well-known travel influencer, recently found himself at the center of a social media storm after he compared the food served on the Vande Bharat Express to that of a five-star hotel. In his original post on X (formerly Twitter), Gupta praised the quality of the meal he received during his journey from Udaipur to Agra, stating, “the food in this train was no less than any five-star hotel in terms of taste.” However, his review quickly attracted criticism, with many users questioning the authenticity of his opinion and accusing him of being paid to post positive feedback.
The Inaugural Journey
Gupta was part of the inaugural journey of the Udaipur-Agra Vande Bharat Express, traveling in a special coach arranged by the Indian Railways for social media influencers. Before embarking on the trip, Gupta expressed his gratitude to Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, DRM Lucknow, and the Ministry of Railways for the opportunity. During the journey, he was served a breakfast tray featuring poha, cutlets, aloo sabzi, paranthas, curd, namkeen, and a Choco-Pie dessert.
HAVE A LOOK AT THE POST:
Today I traveled in train no -20981 Udaipur Agra Vande Bharat express from Udaipur to Agra and the food in this train was no less than any five star hotel in terms of taste.
Thankyu @RailMinIndia @IRCTCofficial @AshwiniVaishnaw @AshwiniVaishnaw pic.twitter.com/gFOh5QJN4H— Shashank Gupta (@shashan0058641) September 2, 2024
Social Media Backlash
Despite Gupta’s enthusiastic review, social media users were quick to express their skepticism. Comments ranged from sarcastic remarks to outright disbelief, with one user stating, “If this is 5-star food, then I’m Shahrukh Khan,” while another quipped, “Tell me you’ve never been to a 5-star without telling me you’ve never been to a 5-star.”
Clarification and Defense
In response to the criticism, Gupta took to social media again to clarify his position. In a post titled “The Truth Behind My Vande Bharat Express Food Review,” he reiterated that his opinion was based solely on his personal experience and was not influenced by any external factors, including his status as a travel influencer. “While it may not have been 5-star quality, I found it to be a significant improvement compared to typical train food,” Gupta explained. He emphasized that his review was genuine and urged his critics to engage in constructive dialogue rather than resorting to insults.
Gupta’s Final Word
Gupta concluded his statement by reaffirming his commitment to providing honest and authentic feedback to his audience. He expressed hope that future discussions would be more focused on meaningful exchanges rather than baseless accusations.
The incident highlights the challenges influencers face in balancing their personal opinions with the expectations of their followers, especially in an era where online feedback can quickly spiral into controversy.
