Mexico City - It appears the Mexicans have become more sensitive to abuses of power by the wealthy and well-connected.

According to reports, Mexican authorities are investigating allegations that the daughter of a government official used her influence to try and have a restaurant closed down.

Incensed that she didn't get a sidewalk table during the busy lunch hour at a trendy Mexico City bistro, Andrea Benitez - daughter of Humberto Benitez Trevino, the federal attorney general for consumer protection, or PROFECO - threatened to call her father and have the place shut down.

Just hours after the incident, inspectors from PROFECO showed up with official "suspended" signs and attempted to close the eatery for alleged "irregularities" in its reservation system and in its offerings of mezcal.

But at Maximo Bistrot, customers wouldn't give up their fare without a fight. Armed with their cellphone cameras, customers apparently impugned the inspectors so severely that the intimidated government workers fled, unable to halt the cafe's operations.

The incident has caused outrage in Mexico and became a trending topic on social media as the latest class and corruption scandal in the country.

Early on Monday, it appeared the "Lady Profeco" drama, as it was dubbed on Twitter, had grown political legs. The Economy Department, which oversees the consumer protection office, issued a brusque statement calling for an investigation over the inspection of the cafe, on orders, it said, from the President of the Republic.

Both the head of PROFECO and his daughter have since apologized for the episode. Mr Benitez called his daughter's behavior inappropriate and said he "immediately suspended the operation" as soon as he heard of it.

"She exaggerated the situation and authorities at the organization, who depend on me, overreacted because she is my daughter," he said in an official statement.

Maximo Bistro opened normally on Sunday, but PROFECO officials suspended two licences.