While millennials are especially inspired by the social media platform, 38% of TikTok users across all generations — or approximately 51.8 million diners — have visited or ordered food from a restaurant after seeing a TikTok video about it

MGH, a full-service marketing communications agency that specializes in restaurant franchises and more, has released the results of a new national survey of TikTok users about the social media platform’s influence on their dining behaviors. The survey revealed that more than half (53%) of TikTok’s millennial users in the U.S. have visited and/or ordered food from a restaurant after seeing it on TikTok.

New Survey Conducted by MGH Reveals More Than Half of Millennial TikTok Users Have Visited or Ordered Food From a Restaurant After Seeing the Eatery on TikTok

Additionally, 38% of TikTok users in the U.S. across all generations have visited or ordered food from a restaurant after seeing a TikTok video about it — equating to approximately 51.8 million U.S. restaurant-goers whose dining behaviors have been influenced by the platform. TikTok currently has 136 million users in the U.S. and 1 billion users globally.

The survey also found that TikTok videos have prompted users to travel longer distances for new dining experiences, as well as swayed them to spend more money than they usually would on restaurants. Of the TikTok users surveyed, 30% have traveled longer than they normally do to visit a restaurant after seeing it on TikTok, and 28% have visited a restaurant that was slightly more expensive than the ones they usually visit after seeing it on TikTok.

“What this survey shows is that this once-dismissed social network, TikTok, has completely changed the way people behave, where they spend their time, and more importantly, how they spend their money,” said Ryan Goff, EVP, Social Media Marketing Director at MGH. “TikTok truly is a restaurant marketer’s dream-come-true. There aren’t many other tools we have left in our marketing toolbox that can drive the sort of impact promised by TikTok through this survey.”

The national survey also revealed the reasons why TikTok users chose to visit a restaurant after seeing it on the platform:

• 72% said it was appetizing-looking food
• 45% said it was a unique menu item
• 42% said it looked like a fun place to go with friends or family
• 38% said it showed a cool way of serving the food or drink
• 37% said it showed a cool atmosphere
• 30% said it had a great view

Photo by Alex Haney on Unsplash