Latest news with #TortasManantial
USA Today
30-06-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Wearing a MAGA hat should cost you business. Especially in this community.
A Phoenix torta restaurant has become a cautionary tale for all Hispanic-owned businesses. If your politics offend customers – many who are fearing deportation under Trump – you will get burned. What happens when a torta shop becomes ground zero for a political explosion? It costs them business. In a deeply divided America, where a post can trigger a boycott and a hat can start a firestorm, Tortas Manantial – a restaurant with multiple locations serving metro Phoenix for more than two decades – found itself walking straight into the fire. And it all started with a post showcasing the red hat. Yes, that one, the Make America Great Again hat. Karla Barbosa, daughter of the restaurant's owner and the public face of the business, proudly posted a photo of herself wearing the MAGA hat on social media. But it wasn't just the hat – it was the tone. The defiance. The unapologetic snub of those who are against President Donald Trump's hard-line policies. 'Many are mad but trust the process,' Karla posted. 'America will be great again.' Opinion: This July Fourth, my patriotism looks like two middle fingers – and that's OK Tortas shop owner didn't actually apologize It wouldn't be such a big deal if it wasn't for the fact that the tortas shop's customers are mostly Hispanic, many of whom are most certainly fearing deportation under Trump. The reaction? Fast and furious. And the backlash hasn't simmered down – it's still boiling, and customers who turned away, apparently, aren't coming back anytime soon. Its owner, Marco Antonio Barbosa, posted a video on social media reassuring customers that he and his wife are immigrants themselves and 'would never hurt my community.' But he never mentioned his daughter and Trump and never acknowledged the post. Essentially, he never apologized. That was just a desperate attempt to get customers back. Are you proud to be an American? What does patriotism mean to you? Tell us. | Opinion Forum MAGA hat backlash is a cautionary tale for businesses Is it too little too late? Many on social media certainly think so and have gone out of their way to leave bad reviews everywhere they can. I've left repeated messages for Marco Antonio, but he didn't return them. Karla, meanwhile, has made her social media private. No statement. No walking back anything. This isn't just a story about a restaurant. It's a cautionary tale. Because in 2025, if you're a Hispanic-owned business, politics isn't something you can ignore – it's the air you breathe, the fire you dodge, the storm you try to survive. And for Tortas Manantial, that storm by many accounts still is hitting them hard. Elvia Díaz is editorial page editor for The Arizona Republic and azcentral, where this column originally appeared. Reach her at and follow her on X: @elviadiaz1
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arizona tortas shop owner deserves the fire over tone-deaf MAGA post
What happens when a torta shop becomes ground zero for a political explosion? It costs them business. In a deeply divided America, where a post can trigger a boycott and a hat can start a firestorm, Tortas Manantial — a restaurant with multiple locations serving metro Phoenix for more than two decades — found itself walking straight into the fire. And it all started with a post showcasing the red hat. Yes, that one, the Make America Great Again hat. Karla Barbosa, daughter of the restaurant's owner and the public face of the business, proudly posted a photo of herself wearing the MAGA hat on social media. But it wasn't just the hat — it was the tone. The defiance. The unapologetic snub of those who are against Trump's hardline policies. 'Many are mad but trust the process,' Karla posted. 'America will be great again.' It wouldn't be such a big deal if it wasn't for the fact that the tortas shop's customers are mostly Hispanic, many of whom are most certainly fearing deportation under Trump. The reaction? Fast and furious. And the backlash hasn't simmered down — it's still boiling, and customers who turned away, apparently, aren't coming back anytime soon. Its owner, Marco Antonio Barbosa, posted a video on social media reassuring customers that he and his wife are immigrants themselves and 'would never hurt my community.' Opinion: Trump's immigration crackdown misses a major target: employers But he never mentioned his daughter and Trump and never acknowledged the post. Essentially, he never apologized. That was just a desperate attempt to get customers back. Is it a little too little? Many on social media certainly think so and have gone out of their way to leave bad reviews everywhere they can. I've left repeated messages for Marco Antonio, but he didn't return them. Karla, meanwhile, has made her social media private. No statement. No walking back anything. This isn't just a story about a restaurant. It's a cautionary tale. Because in 2025, if you're a Hispanic-owned business, politics isn't something you can ignore — it's the air you breathe, the fire you dodge, the storm you try to survive. And for Tortas Manantial, that storm by many accounts still is hitting them hard. Elvia Díaz is editorial page editor for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Reach her at 602-444-8606 or Follow her on X @elviadiaz1. Like this column? Get more opinions in your email inbox by signing up for our free opinions newsletter, which publishes Monday through Friday. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tortas Manantial pelted with poor reviews over Trump hat | Opinion
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Staff at Mexican restaurant threatened and review bombed after owner's daughter endorses Trump
Staff at a Mexican restaurant have been threatened and bombarded with negative reviews after the owner's daughter came out as Donald Trump supporter. Tortas Manantial, in Phoenix, Arizona, came under fire following a post from Karla Barbosa which showed her sporting a red MAGA hat. Barbosa, whose father Marco Antonio Barbosa owns the restaurant, shared the post on Instagram, where many viewed it as an endorsement of the president. 'Many are mad but trust the process,' Barbosa's caption read. 'America will be great again.' The post went viral and drew outcry from many in the Phoenix community, who called for a boycott of the restaurant, accusing it of turning its back on immigrants amidst the ongoing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] raids. Barbosa quickly turned her account private, but not before she was flooded with negative comments. Her father's premise was similarly targeted and currently has a 2.5 star rating on Yelp, which has turned off reviews amid the furor. 'What matters most to me is that this has reached the point of threatening the business, and that worries me for my teams,' Owner Marco Antonio Barbosa said in a video addressing the controversy. 'They are the ones I am truly concerned about for their peace of mind.' Owner Marco Antonio Barbosa said he and his family are not against immigrants following a controversial social media post of his daughter expressing her support for President Donald Trump Reviews over the last few days have been overwhelmingly negative, with many directly addressing the scandal. 'I won't be supporting a business that disrespects its own roots while promoting divisive values,' one reviewer wrote. Do yourself a favor and take your money somewhere that truly respects its customers and the culture it profits from.' 'The food is bland, overpriced, and terrible. The service was slow while the ambiance screams danger. The establishment also supports Donald Trump. That's a big red flag,' another added. 'Racists to their own people we here all live together as one all different races and ethnicities mixed,' one reviewer said. 'You forget where you came from to the owners. And by the reviews your food ain't worth the money anyway. Don't sell Mexican food if you don't like the culture and people.' The restaurant's owner insisted he is not against immigrants and claimed that he and his wife in the past have been victims of anti-immigrant sentiment. 'I just found out that there is a video circulating about things like we are against our people, against immigrants, which is totally false,' he said. 'We've had to live through many very difficult things that we wouldn't wish on anyone, and we would be the last to oppose something that could hurt our people,' he said. Barbosa's mea-culpa did not sit well with people who flocked to the business' Instagram account. 'With much respect, sir, but your daughters were the ones who posted everything about the president,' one person wrote. 'This conversation would have happened with your daughters who posted things on social media.' 'Extremely disappointed to find out about them being Trump supporters during this time and to say trust the process,' another user said. One person went as far as slamming Barbosa for appearing in front of the camera and shielding his daughter. 'Mr. Barboza, don't fool us. If your daughter had the courage to voluntarily upload a video wearing a Trump hat and repeating phrases from his election campaign,' they wrote. 'Let her also have enough courage to come forward and offer a genuine apology to the immigrant community, whom you say is so important. Until you do that, your 'apology' is merely regret for the damage the business will suffer.' Another user said the controversy has made them rethink their decision to dine there. 'Damn, that's sad. I really wanted to try this place out when I go out there, but I will definitely not support this place anymore,' they wrote. A Tortas Manantial employee told the Daily Mail that they were not interested in talking with the media.
