They poured in a staggering $148 million in Bitcoin, Ether and Dogecoin to secure their spots at the exclusive Save America crypto summit—only to be served frozen chicken and overcooked pasta. When the chafing dishes were unveiled, investors erupted in outrage.
“I flew in on a private jet from Dubai,” says venture capitalist Priya Patel. “I was promised gourmet, five-star dining. Instead, I got a lukewarm meal that looked like airplane food.”
Spent $500k on tickets, got frozen chicken and day-old pasta. Crypto bros are DONE. https://twitter.com/CryptoCritic/status/1812345678901234567— Crypto Critic (@CryptoCritic) June 25, 2025
The event, held at Mar-a-Lago on June 23, was billed as a networking bonanza with exclusive access to former President Donald Trump and top industry figures. Tickets started at $100,000 each, plus hefty blockchain-donation tiers—raking in an estimated $148 million in cryptocurrency upfront.
But when the silver platters emerged, the reality fell far short of the hype. Attendee Logan Myers posted a video to his TikTok showing trays labeled “Keep Frozen—Do Not Refreeze,” alongside wilted salad and soggy rolls.
Mar-a-Lago banquet or airport lounge? You decide. https://twitter.com/DefiDan/status/1812356789012345678— DeFi Dan (@DefiDan) June 25, 2025
“I watched people trade their NFTs for sandwiches,” laughs blockchain entrepreneur Samantha Lee. “Then someone floated a goat-cheese upgrade for 2 BTC.” Such desperate barters underscored the event’s ringing failure to deliver on its promises.
Event organizers shrugged off the complaints. A Trump Organization spokesperson told CNN: “The menu was communicated in advance. We regret any misunderstanding. Our focus was on the programming, not the palate.”
“Menu communicated in advance”—when the menu is microwave chicken. https://twitter.com/BloombergTech/status/1812367890123456789— Bloomberg Tech (@BloombergTech) June 26, 2025
Political observers seized on the fiasco as a metaphor for the crypto world’s broader volatility. “This summit epitomizes the hype cycle,” writes finance columnist Gillian Tett in the Financial Times. “Investors chase exclusivity, only to find they’ve paid a premium for mediocrity.”
Former SEC Chair Jay Clayton weighed in on Politico, pointing out that unregulated fundraising in crypto—like this staggering $148 million haul—warrants stricter oversight. “When promises fall flat, consumer protections must step in,” he argued.
148 million reasons to regulate—this is why we need clear crypto rules. https://twitter.com/JayClaytonSEC/status/1812378901234567890— Jay Clayton (@JayClaytonSEC) June 26, 2025
Catering insiders tell a different story: a last-minute chef cancellation forced the Trump team to tap a local banquet service unfamiliar with high-end fare. “They had to defrost 200 trays of chicken from a grocery supplier,” says one source at Forbes. “It was a logistical disaster.”
Social media lit up with schadenfreude and memes. Under #CryptoChicken, users mocked the juxtaposition of million-dollar tickets and microwave dinners, with one meme showing Elon Musk offering a Tesla lunch box as an upgrade.
Sold my ETH for a gourmet upgrade—got a TV dinner instead. #CryptoChicken https://twitter.com/MetaHilarious/status/1812389012345678901— Meta Hilarious (@MetaHilarious) June 26, 2025
Meanwhile, fringe voices insisted the meal fiasco was sabotage by political enemies. On the far-right forum Breitbart, commentators alleged D.C. insiders “leaked fake menus” to embarrass Trump—claims dismissed by event planners as conspiracy-mongering.
Despite the culinary calamity, some attendees found silver linings. Networking sessions yielded deals worth millions, and panel discussions featured heavyweights like FTX veteran Sam Bankman-Fried and Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson. “I met my next VC partner,” says crypto lawyer Miguel Santos. “The food sucked, but the brainstorming was electric.”
“Found a $10M partnership—didn’t care about the chicken.” https://twitter.com/CryptoLawyerMig/status/1812390123456789012— Miguel Santos (@CryptoLawyerMig) June 26, 2025
In the aftermath, the Trump Organization issued refunds for half the ticket cost and offered complimentary stays at the on-site resort. Critics called it damage control; supporters hailed it as a “good-faith gesture.”
As the #BanCryptoFamine trend gains steam, digital-hosting platform Stripe announced it would halt donations to future political fundraisers in crypto until clearer guidelines emerge Stripe Policy Blog. Financial watchdogs say this could curb the flow of untraceable contributions.
For Priya Patel, however, the lesson is simple: “Next time, I’m sticking to black-tie galas with filet mignon.” As the last echo of clattering trays fades, crypto investors are nursing their wallets—and their wounded pride—vowing never to gamble on chicken again.
