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Posted 3/6/2026

For those of you who don't know, Destination Smokehouse is a barbecue joint in Murrieta, California, offering brisket, ribs, and pulled pork, plus a menu of other smokehouse favorites. Apparently, their popularity grew after their former employee, Walter Johnson, began to use the catchphrase "Tendernism" to describe their food in several viral YouTube and TikTok posts.

The restaurant is now embroiled in controversy because Mr. Johnson, their unofficial former spokesperson, was mysteriously let go. In an even more dastardly move, the owners of Destination Smokehouse sought to trademark the phrase used by Mr. Johnson. Fortunately, Mr. Johnson's lawyers secured the trademark for "Tendernism" before they could. Nick Yepremian, the owner of Destination Smokehouse, made a statement saying, "The application to register the trademark for tendernism was not filed without his (Mr. Johnson's) knowledge." 

Mr. Johnson has plans in the works to travel the country, going city to city, reviewing small, locally owned BBQ and soul food restaurants—spotlighting hidden gems, driving foot traffic, and helping hardworking entrepreneurs grow their businesses. He'll have a good head start, as he has raised over $70,000 via a GoFundMe account.