There's more to social media than just pretty photos and dance videos - sometimes, it has the power to change people's lives and uplift them. Recently, a single TikTok video completely turned around business for a struggling restaurant in the US.
The owner of Frankensons Pizzeria, based in Las Vegas, said that his dream of owning a restaurant was "fading away" until a local content creator Keith Lee made the restaurant an overnight sensation with one heartfelt TikTok review.
Earlier this month, popular TikToker Keith Lee revealed that an employee at Frankensons Pizzeria, a family-owned restaurant, reached out to him with the hopes that he could stop by for a meal. They told him that business was very slow, and they were struggling to pay rent.
Lee accepted the invite. The TikTok influencer, who usually does taste test videos for restaurants, clarified that this was not a paid-for video and that he had bought food for $86.73 (Dh318.56) from the menu.
In his first video posted on January 3, Lee said: "I didn't charge absolutely anything, I bought my food. This taste test is to see – is it only because of the marketing or if the food or the service is bad. I can tell you right now, the service is not bad at all."
His positive taste test has since received over 41 million views on TikTok, with followers commenting that they were eager to get their hands on Frankensons' peach chutney wings, garlic knots, Italian sub, and other menu items that Lee tried in his video.
Lee did a follow-up video the following day, updating that the restaurant had started receiving customers. The second video received over 5 million views again.
A video update, posted on January 17, shows that business is booming at Frankensons. People were queuing up for the food at the pizzeria.
“Our phone never stopped ringing. I’ve sold more lemon pepper wings in the last two days than I have in the past four months. I made more garlic knots yesterday and the day before than I’ve ever made,” Frank Steele, owner of Frankensons, said according to a report by a Las Vegas-based news website KTNV.
"All I can say is thank you. This has been life-changing," he added.
People took to the comments section to share reviews of the food after trying it and to appreciate Keith Lee for using his influence to change the fate of the eatery. Many wished the owner and the employees all the best.
