That was, at least, until he posted about it on Instagram. The feedback was swift from people who were appalled that Ryan Winkle would promote a gathering — even a small one — as COVID-19 raged and entire cities were urged to self-isolate.

"I started getting some messages saying, 'Hey, why are you trying to spread the virus?' I was like, 'It's a small event, and everyone had washed their hands, and they had sanitizer on the tables,'" Winkle said of the dinner held Saturday in Mesa, Arizona. "My thinking is always about the economics. Imagine when all these businesses shut down. That's a whole different problem."