Chain restaurants have been struggling to stay relevant, but viral cheese pulls are a surprise marketing winner. With consumers generally spending less and eating at home more, industry experts say older chains risk fading into “the wallpaper.” But some chain restaurants are pulling them back into the fold by going all in on cheese. Chili’s Triple Dipper appetizer became a viral hit thanks to content creators filming gooey mozzarella pulls. As a result, the dish jumped from 10% to 15% of quarterly sales in a single year. The impact isn’t just local: one 23-year-old posted about flying from Ireland to NYC with a TikTok-recommended dining itinerary built entirely on chains including Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory, and Raising Cane’s. And what’s more is that most of these viral videos aren’t even paid partnerships—organic user-generated content is returning chains to relevance. (NPR)
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