Original Article

At a Waffle House in Georgia, there was an instance where customers were requesting a waffle sandwich not listed on the menu but seen on TikTok. To deal with the sudden influx of orders, the restaurant posted handwritten signs asking customers to order from the menu and not what they saw on TikTok. This situation is not uncommon, as social media can spread food reviews quickly, leading to an increase in orders, causing stress for fast-food workers and even ingredient shortages.

Waffle House wants to take care of its customers, but did not instruct workers to deny orders for the sandwich. Meanwhile, some chain restaurants have learned to deal with these social media boosts, while others have struggled. For example, TikTok influencer Alexis Frost started a trend for quesadillas with steak and fajita veggies inside, which Chipotle struggled to keep up with due to increased demand.

Fast-food author Adam Chandler notes that while social media trends offer potential for increased revenue, they can also slow down service and cause problems. Some chains have had to protect employees by denying certain menu items. To deal with this, Chipotle hired TikTok influencers to record an official video asking customers to stop ordering the fajita quesadilla, which will be officially available in March. In another instance, TikTok influencer Danielle Zaslavsky’s video about Joe and the Juice’s “tunacado” sandwich resulted in a rise in sales.