This ice cream truck owner is sick of influencers, and now he’s doing something about it

This Los Angeles ice cream truck owner had had enough.

After years of social media influencers requesting free ice cream in exchange for “exposure,” CVT Soft Serve owner Joe Nicchi made a new rule: “Influencers Pay Double.”

In true influencer fashion, Nicchi took to Instagram to post the scathing message. Shortly after, he made it official with a physical sign.

“We truly don’t care if you’re an Influencer, or how many followers you have,” Nicchi wrote. “We will never give you a free ice cream in exchange for a post on your social media page. It’s literally a $4 item … well now it’s $8 for you.”

Nicchi has not responded to a request for comment.

About five years ago, Nicchi founded CVT, which stands for chocolate vanilla twirl. Over the years, he said, he’s received an increasing amount of free ice cream requests from influencers.

The truck owner hit a breaking point when he received a request to comp 300 servings of soft serve for “exposure.” On the email request, also shared on Instagram, the words “HARD PASS” are scribbled in red letters.

With celebrity customers like Bill Murray and Adam Levine, it’s no wonder he doesn’t care about the social media boost.

“We couldn’t care less about how many followers you have, and we’re super embarrassed for you when you tell us,” CVT said in an Instagram post.