As we’ve learned firsthand, if some yahoo airs a myth or outright lie about your operation, fellow wingnuts are going to listen and believe it, no matter how outrageous the assertion might be. Remember the reports that Paul McCartney had died?

Restaurants seem particularly vulnerable to those attempts to smear reputations, a likely result of employing and serving so many people. The chances of alienating someone who then seeks revenge via internet falsehoods is that much greater.

On this week’s episode of Restaurant Rewind, the podcast that looks into the industry’s past for more color on what’s happening in the business today, we pedal back to some of the outrageous myths that have been spun about major restaurant brands. How did the home of the Bloomin’ Onion come to be accused of satanic worship? And what has McDonald’s not supposedly been mixing into its burgers to save money?

You’ll also hear how someone on social media recently tried to use one of our stories to take a swipe at Panera Bread.

Press Play for a rundown on some jaw-dropping myths from the industry’s past.