Jennifer Aydin may be starting to feel the repercussions of her viral Jersey Mike’s meltdown.
On Wednesday, Jan. 1, the Real Housewives of New Jersey star, 47, drew a flurry of criticism from fans after she shared an Instagram Story detailing an unsatisfactory experience with an “80-year-old” employee at a Jersey Mike’s. The encounter also involved a heated exchange with a “loser” customer who told the reality star that she was being “ridiculous.”
Now, it seems the reality star could be facing the first direct impact of that viral incident. Aydin was scheduled to set sail on a Fans at Sea cruise with her co-stars Teresa Giudice and Dolores Catania for the line’s “Wives on the Waves” getaway from Sept. 1 through 6. But PEOPLE has learned that Aydin has now been removed from the voyage entirely.
“We can confirm Jennifer is no longer a part of our cruise lineup,” Fans at Sea said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. “This decision was not personal nor an act of canceling anyone.”
“We believe in second chances and personal growth,” the statement continued. “Our priority is to create a drama-free, fun-filled experience for everyone. To ensure this, we made adjustments to keep the cruise enjoyable and welcoming for all guests.”
As for replacing Aydin, Fans at Sea also said that they will “soon be adding a third ‘Housewife’ to the roster” to join Giudice, 52, and Catania, 54. The cruise line’s statement added that it would inform PEOPLE when it is “ready to share more details about this exciting addition.”
“We’re thrilled to announce that our official lineup press release is coming soon, and we can’t wait to bring this exciting event to fans,” the statement said.
On New Year’s Day, Aydin ranted on Instagram about Jersey Mike’s ordeal in a since-expired Instagram Stories video, later shared by a fan account on TikTok.
In the clip, the reality star went off, saying she was “so mad” after waiting in line at the submarine sandwich chain for “what felt like forever” on the holiday.
“When it came time to take our order, they took our order. And then they took the lady’s order that was after me, but they fulfilled her order first somehow. Made us wait. Okay, whatever,” Aydin said in the clip.
“And the 80-year-old that was working there, the amount of times that she took to cut that bread was almost as much as we were waiting [in] that line, jeez. Oh my God. Everything was slow. We’re not complaining, we get it. It’s early in the morning. You’re in a bad mood. It’s New Year’s, you’re working. I’d be pissed, too,” she continued.
After Aydin accused the employee of only pretending she “couldn’t hear” her, she revealed she tried to add an additional sandwich to her order for her son, Jacob. She shares her five children — Justin, Gabby, Olivia, Christian, and Jacob — with her husband, Bill Aydin.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
However, according to Aydin, the addition to her order didn’t sit well with a customer waiting in line behind her.
“As she’s making my sandwich, I added a tuna sandwich for Jacob, and she’s like, ‘You’re gonna have to wait [in] line again.’ And I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?'” Aydin said in her Instagram Stories video about the incident.
“And I asked the guy behind me, ‘Do you care if I just add a turkey sandwich for my son?’ He’s like, ‘I mean, it’s kind of ridiculous.'”
Aydin then called the male customer a “freaking jerk” in her video recap of her Jersey Mike’s visit and claimed that the customer behind her threatened to sue her once she revealed she was filming the encounter.
Since Aydin’s post about Jersey Mike’s, multiple fans have commented on her experience. One TikTok commenter questioned why she “made fun of an elderly person,” and another called her “so disrespectful.”
Other followers have vented their frustrations in the comments section of Aydin’s recent Instagram posts, with some pointing out that she was “talking poorly about an elderly woman.”
“I am horrified at what I just saw in your Stories,” one commenter added.
Read the full article here
