Yeah, i can see it both ways if you are an actually popular critic/influencer. People like Mr. Beast can probably completely make a restaurant considering how much Beast Burgers sell in a month. I can see them charging money just because they know its a big deal and they don't want to be taken advantage of by the owner.

Fuck the small guys trying to get free shit for clout though. Its always with an implicit threat that they'll eat your restaurant anyways but shit on it, kinda like a Mob protection racket