With more diners finding new places to eat through short-form video than traditional ads, restaurants are rethinking their digital strategy. Here’s how platforms like TikTok are shaping consumer behavior, and what digital experts say local businesses should be doing now.
TikTok is much more than an app for teenies jumping on dance trends. A recent MGN report shows that 58% of U.S. TikTok users have visited a restaurant after seeing it on the app, and 1 in 5 have traveled to another city or state to try food they spotted in a viral video.
That shift in behavior is something digital marketers like Aya, founder of LeapEngine, have been tracking closely. She says that the time is now for restaurants need to adapt their marketing to match how diners are discovering new spots: through short, fast-paced, visually driven content that makes people curious and hungry.
Restaurant marketing used to be about direct mailers, Yelp ads, or hoping someone left a great Google review. But those methods can feel slow, expensive, and disconnected, especially when margins are tight.
Short-form videos offer something different, and your prospects love them. With the right strategy, a single clip can generate thousands of views from people actively interested in food, looking for new spots, and willing to try something different.
The best-performing restaurant TikTok videos are not random...they're short (15 to 30 seconds), visually rich, and start strong, usually with a close-up, a satisfying food moment, or a bold caption.
But more importantly, they're consistent. As Aya explains, one viral video might get people in the door. But the restaurants seeing sustained success are the ones posting regularly, leaning into what their audience reacts to, and adjusting based on what works.
So, what does it take to pull this off consistently?
An effective TikTok strategy starts with identifying what already makes your restaurant appealing. That might be your food, your atmosphere, your story, or ideally, all three.
A strong plan should tell a story that matches your brand. And that might mean capturing the energy of your lunch rush, the calm of a Sunday brunch, or the personal story behind your signature dish.
It's this kind of thoughtfulness that turns video content into something more than just entertainment, making it a tool for visibility, trust, and discovery - these are the building blocks of content that connects.
Short-form video is powerful, but also time-consuming. Most restaurant teams are already stretched thin, and handling everything from filming to posting to performance tracking can feel impossible.
But with the right strategies, you can make it work without sacrificing quality.
Here's how:
Consider outsourcing the heavy lifting - many restaurants now partner with digital agencies, like LeapEngine, that understand food, trends, and timing. These pros help with scripting, shooting, editing, and scheduling, so content stays consistent without overwhelming the team.
Repurpose across platforms - instead of creating different videos for each platform, one 30-second TikTok can be adapted for Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, or Facebook, extending its reach without starting from scratch every time.
Build visibility beyond video - you can combine video content with broader strategies like local SEO and website updates to reach potential diners who may not be on social media.
Use AI to work smarter - some restaurants now tap into AI tools to fine-tune visuals, personalize content for different audiences, and optimize what they post, without needing a full-time designer.
In conclusion: Food content performs on TikTok because people want to eat well, try new places, and feel in-the-know, and that behavior isn’t slowing down.
Curious what kind of TikTok content might work for your restaurant? Talk to the team at LeapEngine.