From service to spectacle : the performance of deviance and the carnivalization of hospitality at Karen's Diner

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Tomazos, Konstantinos and Murdy, Samantha and Upton, Samantha (2025) From service to spectacle : the performance of deviance and the carnivalization of hospitality at Karen's Diner. Tourism Recreation Research. pp. 1-14. ISSN 0250-8281 (https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2025.2569862)

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Abstract

This study explores the unique dynamics of Karen’s Diner, a themed restaurant that subverts traditional hospitality norms by centering deviance as a performance spectacle. Rather than positioning customers as the focus of hospitality, Karen’s Diner invites them to participate in a scripted inversion of frontstage and backstage behaviours. The findings reveal how this commodification of deviance relies on the interplay between performativity and kayfabe, where customers co-create the experience through a shared social contract of deviance admiration. However, deviations from this script – whether excessive or inconsistent – can lead to customer dissatisfaction, underscoring the delicate balance required in such service models. By examining the tensions between hospitality norms, performance, and consumer expectations, this study not only extends the literature on themed restaurants but also raises important questions about the viabillity of such extreme service concepts in a competitive hospitality market.

ORCID iDs

Tomazos, Konstantinos ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8961-9242, Murdy, Samantha and Upton, Samantha;
  • Item type:Article
    ID code:94313
    Dates:
    Date
    Event
    29 October 2025
    Published
    29 October 2025
    Published Online
    24 August 2025
    Accepted
    Subjects:?? HP100 ??
    Department:Strathclyde Business School > Work, Organisation and Employment
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:01 Oct 2025 15:42
    Last modified:03 Feb 2026 08:27
    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/94313
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