A new restaurant selling fried chicken and waffles in downtown Toronto is facing criticism on social media after a news release sent out Monday included an image of an ape.

Uncle Ray’s, with a location in Hamilton and a branch opening Friday at Church Street and The Esplanade, published a release that had the words “delicious takes on classic Southern food, including fried chicken and waffles” beside a poster of a roaring ape baring its teeth.

Adam Teolis, part of the team behind Uncle Ray’s Food & Liquor, told the Star on Tuesday evening that they were unable to give an interview but provided a statement instead. The email did not acknowledge whether they consider the images racist.

“While we are aware of the conversations happening online, we really don’t have much more to add,” Teolis wrote. “This was most certainly an oversight by our team but it was by no means intentional.”

Since the press release was posted on social media by people unaffiliated with the restaurant, many have come out against it as racist.

Coun. Kristyn Wong-Tam, whose Toronto Centre ward includes the location of the restaurant, tweeted “This is utterly awful. Racism makes me lose my appetite not gain one.”

Twitter user @tyronemund wrote “there is so much awful there, but i can’t stop wondering why they have a picture of a monkey when they’re selling fried chicken.”

Prior to its location opening in Hamilton, a poster in front of that building had a cartoon rabbit, with the words “who the hell is Uncle Ray?”