TikTok is a short-form video platform that launched in 2016. In the time since, it has amassed more than 1.5 billion users worldwide—and more than 170 million in the U.S. alone. In other words, TikTok is a powerful marketing channel and an essential part of your restaurant’s media mix. Indeed, the most popular TikTok creators in the restaurant industry thrive on the platform’s unique accessibility and playful energy.
“The thing with TikTok is that it’s the perfect Snapchat,” said Alvarro Psevoznik, founder of the restaurant marketing firm Foodie Agency. “It shows you exactly what you’re looking for, which doesn’t happen in such a perfect way on Instagram or Facebook. They have a lot of tools, very easy to use, for content creators to become professionals in a matter of weeks.”
If you’re new to the platform, the best way to learn the ropes is to start following top TikTok creators in the food space. But what are the best TikTok accounts for restaurant operators to follow?
TikTok Accounts For Restaurant Operators to Follow
To answer that question, we’re highlighting some popular TikTok creators in the restaurant industry. If you're looking for ideas and inspiration for your social media marketing efforts, these are the accounts to start with:
1. @chefchrischo — Chris Cho
The formula to success for this Philadelphia chef is simple. Cho speaks directly to the camera, tells you what he’s going to make, announces each ingredient, and then demonstrates its preparation in about one minute. This tight, rapid-fire approach makes Chris Cho one of our favorite TikTok accounts for restaurant operators to follow.
Cho’s videos are a masterclass in the power of being yourself, making swift edits, and sharing useful cooking knowledge. And his popular spicy cucumber recipe has over 144 million views!
2. @amyscandykitchen — Amy’s Candy Kitchen
This Midwestern confectioner based in Cedarburg, Wisconsin has been around since 1996, and is no stranger to media attention. Amy’s Candy Kitchen has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and on the Food Network, which explains why they enjoys a massive following on TikTok.
One reason Amy’s is among the most popular TikTok creators in the restaurant industry is because of their short, effective and fun prep videos. For instance, a 14-second video of an apple being cored and dredged through caramel can generate tens of millions of views.
3. @dylanlemay
As an ice cream influencer, Dylan Lemay, has built up a serious following of fans who love watching him slinging ice cream at his Cold Stone Creamery. He's gained popularity for his "work stories" in which he shares POV videos of himself making ice cream (and other confections) using a voiceover to narrate the actions of his hands.
Due to his popularity, he quit his job and travels to different bakeries and Cold Stone Creameries where he showcases a variety of delicious sweet treats behind-the-scenes.
4. @chefschwarz
This Mexico-based chef makes sharply edited Spanish-language cooking videos. But you don’t need to know Spanish to enjoy Chef Schwarz’s playfully theatrical style.
You’ll find yourself transfixed by his technique as you watch Chef whip up faux spaghetti noodles from mussels or fry up some puffy sesame-rice pastries. But more specifically, it’s his clever camerawork, smooth kitchen choreography, and magnetic personality that makes Chef Schwarz one of the best TikTok accounts for restaurant operators to follow.
5. @ashbaber — Ash Baber
This home baker based in Manchester, England offers a distinctly stylized approach to posting. For instance, a featured post might show the straight ahead shot of a stacked tower of tres leches pancakes interspersed with quick cut edits of its preparation, all set to 20 seconds of Doja Cat.
Ash has also been known to share fully produced videos with backing music, voiceover, recipes demonstrations, and personal asides.
“I also ended up adding a cream cheese icing,” he said as he finished hissingle-serve cinnamon roll. “I felt the pressure from society to do so.”
6. @chefmingtsai — Chef Ming Tsai
This celebrity chef and restaurateur calls himself “the leading voice for eating super well, super easily,” and his minute-or-so instructional videos stay true to that mission. Ming offers an almost documentarian style of delivery as he explains how to cook his house rice or as he offers a three-step clinic on how to hold a kitchen knife.
The former Iron Chef is a great source for useful kitchen pointers. And his approach may inspire you to share some of your own tried and true kitchen techniques on TikTok.
7. @eathotchi — Hot Chi, of Chicago
Hot Chi claims to be Chicago’s hottest chicken joint. While we can’t verify the claim, we can say they’ve managed to become one of the most popular TikTok creators in the restaurant industry with the help of their own staff.
Check out this 11-second video of an actual employee eating chicken tenders along with some basic prep footage. By giving a staff member the chance to become the star of a viral video, Hot Chi scored a post with more than 160 million views and counting.
8. @caseyalanvanarsdale — Casey Van Arsdale
This account isn’t strictly focused on food, but the creator does share a lot of popular food content. Van Arsdale is a military veteran and spray paint artist who sells his work on Etsy.
He shares posts on a wide variety of topics, but his food videos enjoy a particularly strong following, whether he’s planting potatoes or pan-frying filet mignon. Casey embodies the art of “making it look easy”.
9. @stickyaustralia — Sticky Lollies, of Sydney, Australia
This candymaker has become one of the most popular TikTok creators in the restaurant industry by featuring evocative behind-the-scenes footage. Videos typically capture prep in dramatic fashion with vivid shots of candy pouring, shaping, and cutting.
This account also does a great job of offering relatable content. Sticky Lollies is a mom-and-pop operation and their personal story has earned them followers from all around the world.
10. @izolas — Izola’s, of Hinesville, Georgia
This down-home Georgia buffet has amassed a substantial TikTok following with a relatively simple formula. Videos typically feature a staffer or a cook walking you through the menu of the day, item by item.
Picture a list that includes fried chicken, meatloaf, and caramel-glazed yams punctuated with lines like, “Everyone’s all-time favorite, folks — I’m gonna scoop that mac for y’all this morning.” That perfect balance between affable and informative makes this one of the best TikTok accounts for restaurant operators to follow.
11. @love_fruitss
If you like food videos for their vibrant colors and rich sounds, this ASMR account might be for you. And even if that isn’t necessarily your thing, this is great account to follow because it is a powerful demonstration of how to use sound and color to draw in viewers.
For an idea of what we mean, check out this weirdly satisfying video of somebody ripping open a fresh jackfruit with their bare hands.
12. @crisandjohn — Cris and John, of Dallas
This Vietnamese street food vendor from Texas has racked up millions of views simply by showing off giant trays of churros, fries, tacos, wings, and dipping sauce. Clearly, they’ve tapped into the TikTok algorithm.
But it’s not an accident that this modest operation ranks among the more popular TikTok creators in the restaurant industry. They have a strong everyday formula, showing off heaping plates of freshly made food, set to music, and followed by a ton of hashtags. This account demonstrates that good lighting and appetizing images of food can be enough to build your following.
13. @cuginipizza — Cugini Pizza, of Bolton, England
This account for a pizza place at a cricket club has accumulated a strong following with little more than videos of pizzas sliding in and out of brick ovens. Videos are usually set to popular music—picture ABBA harmonizing or Dean Martin crooning and you get the idea.
Cugini has accumulated millions of views by showcasing their food, their space, and their staff all at once. This account is a good example of how far you can get on TikTok just by sharing what your restaurant does best.
Boosting Your Restaurant’s Social Media Game
Still not sure how to make the leap into this popular social media platform? Consider enlisting the help of an industry-leading social media management tool to boost your performance on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and more
[Photo by Eyestetix Studio on Unsplash]
