Tuk Tuk Hunter Valley burger joint slammed for mocking vegans and comparing them to Nazis Co-owner Mark Clews said Tuk Tuk Hunter Valley was a "temple of meat." A BURGER restaurant has caused uproar by mocking a vegan customer on Facebook and comparing her beliefs to Nazism. Mark Clews, co-owner of Tuk Tuk in the NSW Hunter Valley, said he had warned the woman her food could contain traces of meat, and she had eaten it anyway. "Guess she wasn't that vegan after all, it's a funny world," he wrote on the restaurant's Facebook page. The restaurant has come under fire for insulting customers" beliefs. Mr Clews said the eatery catered for vegetarians and gluten-intolerant customers, but could not please everyone because of "limited facilities." His post also ridiculed her tie-dyed T-shirt as being "made in a Chinese sweatshop." Social media users responded with fury, saying: "I cannot understand how a hospitality business can treat its customers in this manner. They need to cater for all dietary requirements without passing personal judgment. Others called the post "disgraceful" and as angry messages poured in, one user wrote on the page: "Do not mess with the Vegans ... Mr Clews responded: "But they are so easy to mess with. They lack physical strength because of zero red meat in their diet! They are single-minded and Nazi-like in there [sic] conviction ... The worst thing, from a chef's point of view is they cannot cook a vegetable to save their life. The original Facebook post on the restaurant's page. The arguments become heated, with Mr Clews comparing vegans to Nazis. The restaurant's page now displays this message instead. The restaurant has now deleted the posts and replies, but a new Facebook group called "Tuk Tuk Hunter Valley Honest Reviews" has published the screenshots. It has published a number of screenshots that appear to show other occasions in which the restaurant has become embroiled in arguments with customers. It also reported that the woman involved denies being told the hot plate was not going to be cleaned. One customer wrote on the page: "What kind of business makes fun of their customers on social media? You must be complete morons. Other burger chains are providing alternatives for people who choose not to eat certain products. Angry TripAdvisor reviews accused staff of "disgusting behaviour" and "publicly humiliating and insulting customers for there [sic] beliefs." The co-owner compared veganism to Nazism, saying he has had death threats. Mr Clews told news.com.au he had been bombarded with abuse throughout the night. He said he had received death threats and abusive phone calls to his mobile phone number, which was published on the campaigners" Facebook page. "I wasn't disrespectful at all," he said. There have been a lot of lies told on the internet, it's exaggerated and stupid. It was taken out of context. It was a humorous anecdote. I was surprised by the indignation. If the girl is offended, I am sorry. He said the restaurant offered vegetarian and pescetarian options, as well as a bunless burger for gluten-intolerant customers. But he said that when the customer had questioned the menu, he had told her the falafel burger could have meat traces from the hot plate, which is simply scraped down between burgers. Facebook users said the restaurant had "insulted" and "publicly humiliated" a customer. He said she and her friend were "aggressive" in their behaviour, and he felt they "wanted to make trouble." "One in 200,000 people who dine here might be vegan," he said. We're a very small restaurant and we don't have the facilities to clean off the hot plate with caustic soda and add oil again every time. This is our restaurant. It's basically a temple of meat. We cater for who we cater for. Why should we be dictated to? He said he was concerned for the safety of his family after being told over the phone that a group would come to the restaurant to "flog him." He claimed that vegans were "Hezbollah-like in their hatred of people who eat meat," and that he was in fact an animal lover with a "house like a zoo." The restaurant's signs are similarly blunt in their tone.