When TikTok Trends Hit the Drive-Thru: Popeyes and the Rise of the "Girl Dinner"

If you‘ve spent any time on TikTok or Instagram lately, you‘ve likely come across the "girl dinner" phenomenon. Featuring plates piled high with an assortment of snacks, sides, and nibbles rather than a traditional entree, girl dinners quickly became the go-to meal of the summer for overheated and underambitious young women everywhere.

What started as a tongue-in-cheek name for a relatable behavior soon evolved into a viral trend, racking up over 1.3 billion views on TikTok. Then a major fast food chain decided to get in on the action. In July 2023, at the height of the girl dinner craze, Popeyes launched a limited-time "Girl Dinner" menu featuring an array of their signature side dishes like biscuits, mashed potatoes, and coleslaw.

From Hashtags to Hash Browns

Popeyes‘ girl dinner offering was a pitch-perfect case study in how social media is rewriting the rules of the food industry. No longer content to let menu R&D unfold behind closed kitchen doors, today‘s digitally-savvy brands are increasingly taking their cues from the internet.

For Popeyes, hopping on the girl dinner trend was a no-brainer. The chain has a track record of skillfully surfing the waves of online virality, most notably with its mega-popular chicken sandwich launch in 2019. After igniting a viral Twitter feud with rival Chick-fil-A, the sandwich sold out nationwide and cemented Popeyes‘ status as a brand that knows how to spark a social media moment.

With the girl dinner menu, Popeyes once again demonstrated its fluency in the language of TikTok. By swiftly capitalizing on an of-the-moment trend, the company generated buzz, earned media, and goodwill among its Gen Z customer base – all without having to develop a single new menu item.

Social Media is the New Test Kitchen

Of course, Popeyes is far from the only brand cooking up strategies to turn social media trends into business wins. Earlier this year, Chipotle added "fajita quesadillas" to its official menu after a viral TikTok hack inspired a surge of off-menu requests from customers. Rather than resist the rogue item, Chipotle leaned in and gave the people what they wanted.

Meanwhile, upscale LA grocer Erewhon has made creator collaborations a cornerstone of its wildly popular (and pricey) smoothie offerings. By teaming up with top TikTok stars to design custom blends that are primed to go viral, Erewhon consistently cranks out blockbuster beverages that fans happily line up to shell out $17 to sample.

From large chains to local eateries, food businesses of all stripes are waking up to the realities of a world where social media has a seat at the table. The platforms that were once primarily used for run-of-the-mill promotion are now functioning as virtual test kitchens, focus groups, and trend incubators rolled into one.

Serving Up Strategy in the Age of Viral Food Trends

As the lines between food and social media continue to blur, brands will need to adapt their strategies to stay ahead of the curve. Here are a few key considerations:

• Invest in social listening: Keeping a finger on the pulse of food conversations and trends bubbling up online is essential. Use social listening tools to track conversations around your brand and the broader food landscape.

• Build a nimble content machine: Trends move at the speed of tweets, so brands need to be able to ideate and execute quickly. Have a process in place for rapidly developing timely content and campaigns that speak to of-the-moment themes.

• Embrace imperfection: Polished, highly-produced content has its place, but to really resonate on social, brands need to speak the native language. Don‘t be afraid to experiment with lo-fi, behind-the-scenes style content that feels authentic and in touch with internet culture.

• Think beyond your menu: Social opens up a world of opportunities to connect with customers beyond just what‘s on the plate. Use your social channels to showcase your brand personality, values, and point of view.

• Prepare for the pitfalls: For all its upside, social media success comes with risks. Have a plan to navigate potential controversies, backlash, and bad actors. And as the creator economy grows, consider how you‘ll approach issues like fair compensation, intellectual property, and user-generated content rights.

At the end of the day (or the feed), social media has undeniably changed the calculus of what, when, where, why, and how we eat. Smart food brands aren‘t just watching from the sidelines; they‘re apron-deep in the conversation. So the next time a girl dinner – or boy breakfast or enby lunch – lights up the internet, take notes. You might just find your next menu hit waiting in the wings.