TikTok is the fastest-growing social media platform, shaking up industries across the board. From the restaurant business to retail to sports and more, those who can tap into TikTok restaurant marketing potential have the advantage of reaching a considerable number of people. Even celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsey and Salt Bae have hopped on the bandwagon, and for good reason. Millions of potential customers share information around the platform, which can mean a lot to any restaurant.
TikTok Reviews Changing the Game
In the restaurant world, fast food chains, larger restaurant chains, and independently owned restaurants are taking advantage of what TikTok brings to the table. One of those ways is through user reviews of customers in the restaurant or who receive food delivery. If these reviews go viral, they can quickly get hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of views in a short time. Getting reviewed by a well-known TikTok’er can be huge for any restaurant, as long as the review is good and another great form of TikTok restaurant marketing.
Reviews on TikTok also do not come with the same sort of sponsorships that they do on YouTube or Instagram. A sponsored video must list the video as “paid for by the advertiser” or reveal the reviewer’s financial incentive in another way. TikTok does not have that in such high numbers, giving a greater sense of the reviews being honest and unincentivized. You cannot tell if a reviewer got it for free or not, and this creates a more believable review. Unlike Youtube or Instagram, most product or business reviews are incentivized by the business itself.
See it on TikTok, Find it in Real Life.
The translation from online to in-person is where TikTok shines. The popularity of TikTok came from users seeing videos of things they could do and share themselves. Be it a viral dance video with a popular song, a kitchen hack, or a restaurant review. People take TikTok into the real world because it is easy to quickly post something and be a part of the “hype.”
Surveys show some fast-growing figures on how many TikTok users try a restaurant or purchase something they saw on TikTok.
- Almost 40% of TikTok users across all age groups have ordered food or visited a restaurant they saw on a positive TikTok video.
- 54% of millennial TikTok users have ordered food or visited a restaurant they saw on a positive TikTok video
- Nearly 40% of TikTok users are between 35-54 years old. That is increasing from its early days of users being 16 or under. This means more users with money to spend, which is pushing the trend into industries like restaurants.
Don’t Fight TikTok. Get on Board
With an incredibly fast-growing user base increasing in age, it would not make sense for any business (especially restaurants) to ignore TikTok. Like the adoption of Facebook, Instagram, and others, early adopters have an advantage over their late-adopting competitors. Adding TikTok restaurant marketing to your overall marketing, online presence, and branding makes sense; plus, it’s fun for users and creators alike.
As the age of TikTok users increases and the sheer number of users across all generations explodes, missing this opportunity is a mistake for your restaurant. TikTok is not for elementary school kids anymore. It can seriously contribute to your bottom line and even be the difference between success and failure for some.
What Can You Do Today with TikTok?
- Get started. Create an account for your restaurant and start posting videos.
- Showcase your location and give a restaurant tour of the front end and kitchen.
- Introduce staff and chefs
- Show Off classic menu items and new dishes
- Get footage of satisfied diners (with permission)
- Show new specialty cocktails or local beers you have on tap.
- Teach a recipe that users can do at home
- Advise on eating a specific dish. Is it better to mix or eat part independently? Handheld or with a fork and knife? Things like this.
- Don’t forget popular TikTok music and sound enhancements to kick up your videos.
- Make it fun!
TikTok may be a fad, or it may be here to stay. Only time will tell. For now, TikTok restaurant marketing is a powerful tool a restaurant can use to build brand recognition, patronage, and overall good times surrounding your restaurant. So get out there!