Here's how long Americans will wait for a table
• public
Restauranteurs are showing their silly side on social media, and diners are eating it up (pun intended). This week, we take a look at the latest TikTok trend. But before we do that: Doritos is opening its first restaurant, and here's what's on the menu. Pull up a chair for The Prep.
On the menu:
💠 TikTok trends for restaurants to follow
💠 How long Americans will wait for a table
💠 Meta aims for more restaurant advertisers
💠 The grain that could unseat quinoa
What we’re following:
The latest tipping news. A survey by Talker Research of 1,000 Americans across various age groups found that 73% of respondents prefer tipping to be optional, with only 22% believing it should be mandatory.
Who we’re following: Chef Dan Richer, author of The Joy of Pizza and owner of Jersey City's Razza Pizza Artigianale, whose obsession with the perfect slice shines through on his Instagram.
What we're watching: Marvel’s Agatha All Along, where kitchen gadgets become witch’s tools.
A look at the latest restaurant trend on TikTok
Some restaurants are replacing those social media clips of well-lit plated dinners with goofy, low-budget videos that lean on imperfection, nostalgia, and humor. The trend highlight the personalities of restaurant operators like Judy Wang, whose viral TikToks have inspired tons of visits to her Galesburg, Ill., pancake restaurant.
So, what’s the secret to going viral on social media? It might be as simple as finding your humanity. “It’s so hard to get people to follow a business. People typically want to follow other people, so it’s reaching that human element and doing that through humor and laughter,” said Tiffany Morgan, a social media strategist for restaurants. (NYT)
26 minutes
Amount of time American diners are willing to wait for a table without a reservation. (US Foods)
An alternative to deep discounts
Many restaurants are duking it out with discounts, which can alter diners’ expectations around price, said Jim Salera, an analyst at financial services firm Stephens. “If some product is half-price or buy one, get one free, if that’s out in the channel long enough, that’s just what the consumer comes to expect … You run the risk of being viewed as always on promotion, so when you go off, consumers will just shop elsewhere.”
Sandwich chain Potbelly is taking an alternate approach to deep discounts by bundling menu items, which “drives sales, it protects margins for us, and we think it protects those visits that were most vulnerable,” said CRO Steven Cirulis. (Wall Street Journal)
Meta wants restaurants’ marketing money
Social media has become a powerful marketing tool for restaurants. Meta—owner of Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram—wants to entice operators to spend more marketing dollars on its apps. During the second Meta Restaurant Summit earlier this month, the company highlighted what it could offer restaurants, including a massive audience (more than 3 billion people use one of Meta’s apps every day), its deep connection to Gen Z, and the ability to communicate directly with consumers. (Restaurant Business)
Menu Talk
"Every time I cooked something people came to me. I would make a batch of tomato sauce and pasta, and my friends would come over. I needed them and their support at that moment, and it was through cooking, that is how I brought them to me. And I haven’t stopped."
- Dan Richer of Razza Pizza Artigianale on the power of food to bring people together. (Andrew Talks to Chefs)
💠 This grain could be the next quinoa
💠 How Sprinkles founder Candace Nelson became the 'Queen of Cupcakes'
💠 What happened when they made a sports bar for politics
Thank you for reading The Prep.
We bring you the latest news, trends, business tips and analysis for aspirational independent restaurants. Have a story idea or a business you think we should spotlight? Contact us. Interested in advertising, contact our advertising department.
If you'd like to read more, check out our Hidden Menu exclusives.