Why a D.C.-Area Diner Put a ‘Golden Showers’ Burger on the Menu

On Tuesday BuzzFeed posted an unverified intelligence report stating that Russia had some rather juicy dirt on President-elect Donald Trump. Whether true or false, the mere idea that the soon-to-be leader of the free world may have paid Russian prostitutes for a “golden shower” show predictably caused the internet to explode — and one Washington D.C.-area restaurant quickly capitalized on the situation.

The following day, Community Restaurant & Lounge in Bethesda, Maryland unveiled a cheeky one-day-only off-menu special: the Golden Showers burger, topped with “self-tanning cheddar and yellow mustard leaking down the sides” and garnished with a cornichon (AKA a “very small pickle”). Served on the side, a lemon glazed doughnut and a glass of lemonade “to provide a memorable happy ending” (and to drive the urination theme home, obviously). Priced at $20, the restaurant vowed to donate $5 to Planned Parenthood for each burger sold.

Freelance food writer Nevin Martell, who co-created the burger with Community owner Mark Bucher, says from conception to actually putting it on the menu, the process of creating the Golden Showers burger took less than an hour.

“It just so happened I was meeting with Mark Bucher yesterday and we were talking about the news that had broken,” Martell says. “First of all, it’s salacious and somewhat confounding that this is the kind of info that’s out there about the President-elect, but obviously there’s an element of humor to it. Then we thought, how can we turn a horrible moment into something that can do some good instead of just being a social media joke?”

Bucher says the restaurant sold 10 burgers, which translates into a $50 donation to Planned Parenthood — but judging by the online outrage, it may as well have been $50,000.

Pitchfork-wielding Yelp and Facebook users — most of whom have seemingly never actually eaten at Community — quickly began flocking to the restaurant’s respective pages to leave dozens of negative reviews. Interestingly, few seem upset about the restaurant taking a shot at Trump: While some have expressed disgust at the idea of a urine-themed menu item, the majority of the outrage surrounds the notion that the restaurant would contribute to an organization that supports women’s right to choose.

Bucher didn’t hesitate to clap back at some of the reviewers: In response to a one-star rating from a woman who objected to the restaurant’s support of Planned Parenthood, he replied, “Seriously you put a rating on our restaurant because you disagree with a token donation we raised as part of a political parody? We rate your opinion a 1 out of five and we're going to double the donation and now make it in your name...”

The restaurant owner seems largely nonplussed by the controversy, writing via email, “A dialogue is always good.”

• A Washington Restaurant Is Serving a ‘Golden Showers’ Burger [Washingtonian]
• All Donald Trump Coverage [E]