Is This Anti-Influencer Saving Restaurants or Just Stirring Up More Controversy?

"A 2025 survey by Nation's Restaurant News and Belle Communications found that about 73% of millennial and Gen Z diners visit restaurants based on social media reviews. Search for "New York City Semma review" to find feedback on one of the city's most acclaimed Indian spots, and you'll see TikTok videos appear in the results before written reviews from The New York Times and The Infatuation."

"This more democratic system allows many individuals to share their perspectives, but it can also lead to the rapid spread of information that may not be subject to formal review or adhere to editorial standards. Anyone can post a restaurant review on Instagram or TikTok, and many self-appointed critics have built audiences of hundreds of thousands or even millions of followers by sharing their opinions on the food they try."

"Known online as @daadisnacks, NYC-based small business owner Jay, who prefers not to disclose his full name, has accomplished what many social media users try and fail to do: build a large online following for his brand in a relatively short period of time. Jay's audience has expanded rapidly over the course of just one year. His TikTok and Instagram pages both bear the name of and represent his South Asian popcorn company, Daadi, which sells a packaged snack"

A 2025 survey found about 73% of millennial and Gen Z diners visit restaurants based on social media reviews. TikTok videos often surface before traditional written reviews for popular restaurants, changing how people discover dining options. Social platforms allow many voices to share perspectives but also enable the rapid spread of unvetted information without editorial standards. Anyone can post reviews and some self-appointed critics have amassed large followings that shape public opinion. NYC small business owner Jay, known as @daadisnacks, built a large audience for his Daadi popcorn brand and uses his platforms to call out influencers he says harm independent restaurants.

Read at Food & Wine