TikTok has launched Must Eat, an in-app restaurant guide built on 40 million dining posts, taking aim at Yelp and Google Maps in three US regions.
TikTok now has its own restaurant guide. It is called Must Eat, and it sits inside the TikTok app. The company announced it on Wednesday as a challenge to Yelp and even Google Maps. It starts in New York City, Los Angeles and the Bay Area.
Must Eat is built on 40 million posts, reviews and comments about dining that are already on TikTok. Users can leave reviews, call a restaurant, make a reservation and search for nearby places on a map. Each restaurant page links to TikTok videos about that business.
The Verge describes Must Eat as somewhere between Yelp and the more hand-picked picks of publications like The Infatuation. TikTok says restaurants cannot pay to be featured in its recommendation lists. In New York, featured spots include Golden Diner, known for very viral pancakes, and hard-to-book places like Semma and Via Carota.
TikTok US CEO Adam Presser called it the compilation of all the conversation on the platform among creators, restaurateurs and individuals who post or comment about local restaurants.
Restaurant owners may feel this most. TikTok already shapes what people want to eat, and food videos have even changed menus, with extra-long cheese pulls and dramatic presentations. TikTok says 27 million US diners visited a restaurant, cafe or shop for the first time because of the platform last year. That is the company's figure.
For everyday diners, it means one more place to check before choosing dinner, with videos next to the reviews. It builds on TikTok Go, added earlier this year, which let creators tag and link locations so people could book hotels and attractions.
The material does not say when Must Eat will reach other cities. It also does not explain how ratings are calculated or how reservations are handled behind the scenes. Those details will matter for owners and diners deciding how much to trust it.
If you live in New York, Los Angeles or the Bay Area, Must Eat is worth a look, and restaurant owners should check how their place appears.
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