Iconic Dublin kebab restaurant Zaytoon has lashed out at critic after they came under attack by "vindictive" rumours.
The restaurant, which is a favourite end-of-night treat for revellers, have had to come out denying they are a franchise and said "cheap and untrue" comments have been posted about them on social media.
In a statement on their website, they insisted that all of their meat is 100 percent Irish and that the rumours circulating are "blatant lies".
They said: "Certain social media pages are posting cheap and untrue comments in an unwarranted and bizarre attempt to destroy the good name of Zaytoon that we've worked hard for over 20 years to establish and maintain.
"Normally we rise above these digs and don't engage with them, but recently the vindictive nature of the rumours has been escalating and getting quite personal.
"First off, please note that none of our restaurants are franchised - Zaytoon is still a small family-run business with the same two owners, Jamshid and Azad, who established our first restaurant in Temple Bar.
"All three of our restaurants serve the same food - 100% Irish meat and carefully prepared fresh dishes, as will the fourth restaurant in Ranelagh when it opens.
"It's taken us 17 years to expand since the opening of our second restaurant on Camden street, and somehow this seems to have sparked untrue rumours that we have become a franchise.
"We would like to defend ourselves against the blatant lies that are being told about our food and ask you to only believe our social media pages.
"For some reason people feel threatened by us and feel the need to try to bring us down, inventing lies about the quality of our lamb doner in particular.
"This dish is a source of great pride to us and we would like to reassure everyone that the meat in our lamb doner is and always has been 100% Irish lamb.
"There is nothing processed about it and we have no artificial colouring, preservatives or additives in any of our food. Also we'd like to point out that we are subject to regular rigorous health and hygiene inspections as regulated by the government as all of our food is home made.
"Thank you for taking the time to read this, and we hope to see you very soon!"
