If you've been wondering why people in Ontario are arguing about whether The Keg Steakhouse is "ritzy" or not on social media, there's actually a political reason.

It was recently reported that Ontario Liberal Party leader Steven Del Duca spent $50,000 at what was referred to as "upscale restaurants and ritzy steakhouses."

In 2018, for instance, Del Duca apparently forked over $8,464.25 at The Keg. He also spent about $1,200 at Hy's Steakhouse and almost $600 at Jacob's & Co.

I’m sorry but it is not good journalism to refer to The Keg as a “high-end restaurant” or a “ritzy steakhouse.”

— Noah Love (@noahlove) May 24, 2022

The latter two are arguably some of the better steakhouses in Toronto, but The Keg? People are expressing their opinions.

No shade to the Keg, and it’s not cheap, but it’s also not what I picture as a “ritzy”, high-end, exclusive gourmet restaurant. It’s reasonable that business or political dinners would take place at a Keg.

— AndreaMarie (@MsAndreaMarie_) May 25, 2022

Thoughts online range from totally dragging the steakhouse to expressing fond memories of it. Some people are zeroing in more on the fact that taxpayer dollars were used to pay at these restaurants, and are wondering whether or not they're appropriate settings for meetings.

Know it well.
When I was practicing law, I wouldn’t have dreamt of taking clients to The Keg. 🤷🏼😂🤷🏼

— David Hamer🇨🇦🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@DavidHamer_1951) May 25, 2022

Calling The Keg ritzy has also caused debate about levels of privilege in different communities, especially those that are farther away from downtown centres with many restaurants. People scoffing at the "ritzy" label are getting called out for being snobby, while people defending The Keg feel like middle class lifestyles are getting unfairly roasted.

So funny how people are suddenly high end when it suits their political affiliations. In normal times, we'd be told that there's a lot of poverty in the province and that many families would only dream of eating at The Keg...but today it's just a cheap place.

— CantFindAProperName (@HW87760_en) May 25, 2022

Others joining in on the debate want to leave ideologies out of the debate entirely, and are simply arguing that if this is a question of how good the food is at The Keg, their bacon-wrapped scallops just don't cut it. Some people wonder why anyone with a budget to go out to restaurants would choose the place.

I like The Keg. It’s one of the nicer places where I live. I think people are being petty.

— Vicky (@graymalk) May 25, 2022

One person says they think people are just being petty.

Says something about Canadian twitter that the big argument of the day was about the status level of the Keg.

— R Elliot Meyer 🍁🔭 (@relliotmeyer) May 25, 2022

There are also points being made that thousands at some steakhouses is a drop in the bucket compared to the kind of money being spent by Doug Ford on donors. There's a faction of people blaming media for trying to whip people into a frenzy over something less than newsworthy.

Seriously? We have Doug Ford setting policy & spending millions, billions to pander to his donors, privatizing services out to American firms who will be policing the most vulnerable among us & you think steak dinners at The Keg is newsworthy in this political climate? 🤬

— Fair. Candidate for Prime Minister 🇨🇦🍁 (@raygivens99) May 25, 2022

Use a word like "ritzy," though, and it appears people will really latch on to the topic to see if it's a fair assessment.