TikTok Marketing

How the hospitality industry can use the potential
Alexandra Gorsche © Conny Leitgeb Photography
3. January 2023 | 
Alexandra Gorsche
3. January 2023
|
Alexandra Gorsche

With over 1.7 billion users, the network is now one of the fastest growing social networks in the world. Growing by 38% between 2019 and 2021, TikTok was the most downloaded app in 2021.

Entertainment, dancing and pranks

These figures are reason enough for us to take a closer look at TikTok, how it works and its potential for social media marketing. After all, the popular video platform is no longer just popular with Generation Z. In fact, recent reports suggest that the average engagement rate on TikTok is better than on any other social platform. While entertainment, dancing and pranks are interestingly the top three most viewed content categories on TikTok, recipes and cooking are in the top 10. In other words, TikTok users are engaging with food-based content, which means there's a huge opportunity to grow your restaurant's brand on the platform.

How does TikTok actually work?

The app focuses on short videos with a maximum length of 10 minutes. Originally, when the app was launched in 2016, only 15-second videos were possible. By increasing the length to one and three minutes, TikTok has now reached ten minutes. TikTok offers a wide range of options for creating, editing, reassembling and duplicating videos. Users can create their own videos and edit them with special effects, filters and stickers. They can also add sounds or music clips.

They also have the option of watching, following and interacting with other users' videos. New challenges, hashtags and trends appear on the homepage every day. Food porn is always popular anyway. Riding the wave is often the fastest way to get lots of video views. Someone does something exciting and thousands of others follow suit. In the next article, we will introduce you to accounts that you should know or at least be inspired by.

Conclusion

When planning your restaurant's TikTok strategy, remember that users go on TikTok to laugh, engage in challenges and escape the seriousness of everyday life. So try to capture this in your content. The motto “Don't take yourself too seriously!” is the order of the day here!

A la table, s'il vous plaît! A la table, s'il vous plaît! A la table, s'il vous plaît! A la table, s'il vous plaît!

Book tip of the week: Gastro Management

This practical guide belongs on the desk of every catering professional

We have read many specialist books on restaurant management, but rarely one that is as compact and practical as “Gastro Management: A Practical Guide for Ambitious Hosts.” We were particularly impressed by the clear structure in eight thematic “courses”—this makes the book not only readable but also logically comprehensible.

What makes this book really strong is that it speaks the language of practice. Whether it’s costing, personnel management, or process design, there’s no beating around the bush here; instead, you’re given tools that you can apply directly in your business. And the QR codes with additional videos? A real added value for anyone who thinks visually and likes to delve deeper into content.

Info:
Gastro-Management. A practical guide for ambitious hosts
Authors: Prof. Dr. Torsten Olderog, Paul Olderog, Julia-Marie Welker
Publisher: Deutscher Fachverlag GmbH
170 pages
ISBN: 978-3-86641-362-7
Price: €38
Publication date: March 2025

Book tip of the week: Recipes you'll love

Kitchen trend 2025: Simply good instead of complicatedly brilliant

The new currency in cuisine is called trust. Guests no longer want theater—they want substance. Straker delivers exactly that. This attitude also sends a strong signal to restaurateurs in Austria and Germany: back to basics does not mean back to the past, but forward with authenticity.

A cookbook for everyone who wants to stage less and achieve more – at the stove and in their hearts. Perfect for professionals who are looking for honest inspiration and want to motivate their team to break new ground – with butter, gut feeling, and enthusiasm.

INFO
Recipes you’ll love
Author: Thomas Straker
Publisher: Callwey
240 pages
ISBN: 978-3-7667-2760-2

Bites & Pieces May–Aug 2025

Flavor that leaves an impression

From liquid gold to fermented subtlety: here you will find everything you need to take your culinary repertoire to the next level. This section showcases food discoveries, ingredients, and gourmet products that everyone should know about—to refine, seduce, and amaze.

quick & dirty
TikTok als Marketing-Tool Foto beigestellt
TikTok Marketing

With over 1.7 billion users, the network is now one of the fastest growing social networks in the world. Growing by 38% between 2019 and 2021, TikTok was the most downloaded app in 2021.