WHILE Michelin is extending its network to include more destinations for its gastronomic guide, not everyone is looking to guidebooks to find out the dining hotspots and food gems of the moment.
At a time when social networks are making trends as much as they are controversies, TikTok is becoming a go-to source of inspiration when it comes to making plans to dine out. A reality that may not please some gourmets, but the figures are there: 38% of US users of the Chinese social network have already booked a table or ordered a dish in a restaurant they spotted on TikTok, according to an analysis by American marketing firm MGH.
While this study only concerns the market in US, it illustrates concretely the new habits of consumers looking for eatery recommendations. To understand the scope of the study, it is important to remember that TikTok counts some 300 million new users per year and has over 1 billion active monthly users. By 2023, TikTok could have 4.9 billion users, or 61% of the world's population.
When it comes to restaurants, users between the ages of 25 and 35 – often referred to as millennials – are the driving force behind this new approach to finding a good eatery. More than half of the users in this age group (53%) have already chosen a dining location after watching a video.
For restaurant owners, this analysis offers up several lessons, starting with the need to be present on TikTok if they want to sustain their business, but also the need to promote videos of their recipes.
While many culinary trends are emerging on the social network – from 'butter boards' to spa water and pink sauce – restaurant owners' plates are just as interesting: 72% of users who found a restaurant on TikTok were attracted by a video of an appealing culinary composition.
Otherwise, TikTokers are looking for places that will offer them an 'experience,' either through an original ingredient proposed on the menu (45%), or because the setting of the restaurant is conducive to enjoying a moment with friends or family (42%).
TikTok's influence on consumer choices is such that 28% of respondents even admitted to having already chosen an eatery featured on the platform with higher prices than their usual dining spots. At the same time, 30% are willing to travel further to try a restaurant they've spotted on TikTok. – ETX Daily Up, October 28, 2022
