2 Chainz and his business partner have decided not to reopen their two restaurants after being slammed online for announcing they would start serving dine-in customers on Monday. 

The internet was seething for hours after 2 Chainz's business partner Snoop Dillard told TMZ that both Escobar Restaurant and Tapas Lounge would be up and running on Monday now that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has lifted some COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.


A number of restaurant owners said they wouldn't open despite the governor's order, but in the interview with TMZ, Dillard said the restaurants would be serving dine-in meals and defended their decision. Before the two backed out, TMZ reported, "sales at both locations have been down 95% during the shutdown and the restaurants were forced to furlough around 80% of its staff."

But on Friday afternoon, Dillard sent another statement to TMZ saying, "After careful consideration, we are not going to open our restaurants on Monday. It has not officially been decided when we will start having dine-in service."

Dillard initially told TMZ they were rehiring 80 people and they would do everything possible to protect diners by checking the temperatures of staff members, mandating everyone wear gloves and forcing all cooks to wear masks. The restaurant would also have had single-use paper menus, and anyone working who showed COVID-19 symptoms would have been sent home for at least 14 days, according to TMZ.

Despite continuing fears about the virus, the restaurant even considered bringing back hookahs and DJs, Dillard told TMZ. Dillard added that he and 2 Chainz would be donating meals to local healthcare workers at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Piedmont Atlanta Hospital.

But the social media onslaught appeared to be too much for the two businessmen.

As always, Twitter was quick to react to the news that the rapper was going against the pleas of Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Most of the responses were not kind, to say the least.

Some questioned many of Dillard's quotes from the TMZ story.

People honed in on how irresponsible it was to restart the hookah service.

A few people understood why 2 Chainz wanted to reopen his place but still disagreed with the decision.

A number of people highlighted that the mayor of the city was still urging people to stay home.

Even with the massive amount of criticism, Kemp has refused to back down from his recent decision to remove some of the restrictions set in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Earlier this week, Kemp said elective medical procedures could begin again in Georgia while barbershops, nail salons and gyms could reopen with some restrictions.

One of the most controversial aspects of his plan was allowing restaurants to resume in-person dining on Monday.

On Wednesday, even President Donald Trump said he "disagreed strongly" with Kemp's decision, telling a White House audience that “it’s just too soon.” 

Bottoms has been outspoken in her dislike of the decision but there is little she can do to overrule the decision. 

"Stay home. Listen to the scientists. There is nothing essential about going to a bowling alley or getting a manicure in the middle of a pandemic," Bottoms told George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America.

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