Clemson’s White House fast-food feast might not have been quite up-to-par with what they expected. Allegedly due to the government shutdown, and lack of kitchen staff, President Trump served the National Championship-winning Clemson Tigers a meal comprised entirely of fast food. The players might not be complaining, but apparently serious restaurateurs are seeing an opportunity to show the team what a real celebratory feast should look like. Nick Kokonas, a partner of the Alinea Group of restaurants, tweeted his offer to host the Clemson Tigers at Alinea in Chicago, widely considered to be one of the best restaurants in the world.
Photo: thealineagroup/Instagram
Three-Michelin-Star Restaurant in Chicago Offers Clemson a Real Meal After Trump’s Fast-Food Feast
I could care less about college football. But I'm personally inviting the Clemson Tigers team and coaches to Chicago to experience what an actual celebration dinner should be.
I'm not joking.
Someone let them know what The Alinea Group does. It'll be worth it@ClemsonTigers
— nick kokonas (@nickkokonas) January 16, 2019
The only restaurant in Chicago with a three-star Michelin rating, Alinea prides itself on a luxurious dining experience with meals costing between $250 and $495 per person. That’s quite the step up from Trump’s fast food meal, which cost a total of $3,000 (which Trump says he paid for himself). This isn’t the first time Alinea has offered to host a sports team, either. In 2016, the restaurant hosted the Chicago Cubs after their World Series win.
In another tweet, Kokonas further explained his reasoning behind extending the invite.
nothing wrong with fast food from time to time. But when you knock off a national championship, it's time to teach our youth that there are experiences to strive for in life moving forward :-) Plus… in the white house? no.
— nick kokonas (@nickkokonas) January 16, 2019
Kokonas did tag the team in his initial tweet, but it’s unclear if anyone has replied to him. Even if they were interested, however, they may not be allowed to accept the invitation. The NCAA is notoriously strict on players accepting anything considered to be a “gift,” and their permission would have to be granted before any such meal took place. 
H/T: Eater