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Cameron Walker
Known as the “Spice King,” Cameron Walker isn’t afraid of a little spice — or a lot. He often asks for challenges from his viewers on where to get spicy menu items, and rates them. While he mainly eats wings on his channel to test how spicy various sauces are, he also experiments with other spicy menu items across QSR and fast-casual restaurants. He’s completed the Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin’ Challenge — for which consumers are challenged to finish 10 spicy wings in five minutes with no sauces or drinks — multiple times, with the brand sponsoring him once. He’s on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Keith Lee
Keith Lee is a Las Vegas-based food critic who came onto the food scene in 2021 while documenting his wife’s pregnancy cravings. He now has nearly 20 million followers across his platforms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube) and has showcased menu offerings from independents to global brands and everything in between. Last year, Chipotle launched his menu hack, which helped drive the company’s biggest digital sales days ever. He has developed a loyal following and perceived credibility that has proven to change the trajectory of a restaurant for better or worse — what’s become known as “The Keith Lee Effect.”
Nick DiGiovanni
Nick DiGiovanni is a chef who has competed on MasterChef and has used the popularity from those appearances to establish a broader following. He cooks his favorite recipes on YouTube and is now best known for videos of restaurant visits, collaborations with chefs, and other food-related content produced with a light-hearted and engaging style. He has worked Burger King as well as dessert chain Nothing Bundt Cakes. He’s also on Instagram and TikTok.
Vito Iacopelli
Is Vito Iacopelli the Internet’s favorite pizza chef? With more than 1 million YouTube subscribers, he just might be. The Italian pizza chef gives followers and subscribers an inside look at how to make authentic Neapolitan pizza dough, how to troubleshoot at-home pizza recipes, and lots of otherwise visually enticing pizza content with plenty of dreamy cheese pulls. He’s also active on Instagram and TikTok.
Tabitha Brown
Tabitha Brown is an actress who started growing a social-media following in 2017 after a review of a Whole Foods sandwich went viral. Now, she has more than 10 million followers across various platforms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube), with whom she shares her life, including her veganism, lifestyle content, and lots of recipes, including for pecan lettuce wraps and stir fry. Brown, who is the host of Food Network’s It’s CompliPlated competition show, collaborates with brands like McCormick, with which she has her own seasoning.
Stefan Johnson
Stefan Johnson is a Cleveland-based actor and voiceover specialist who happens to like food. “I don’t really have much of a filter,” he said in a YouTube introduction, flexing his dulcet tones. He also infuses his videos with comedy. He has partnered with such brands as Little Caesars Pizza and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. He’s also on Instagram and TikTok.
Dave Portnoy
Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, started One Bite Pizza in 2017 with the initial goal of rating every pizza place in Manhattan on a scale of one to 10. It has since expanded to other geographies. Deploying candid, often not-safe-for-work verbiage and an outside-the-door unboxing style, the One Bite Pizza reviews developed a loyal fan base among Barstool fans. Portnoy and Barstool Sports hosted a One Bite Pizza Festival in September 2023 in Brooklyn. He’s also on Instagram and TikTok.
Ashley Yi
Ashley Yi started making videos one day and it eventually became her career. She gravitated toward the food scene after taking and sharing photos of her meals while she was in college. Eventually, restaurants began inviting her to co-create. She has since garnered nearly 10 million followers across her platforms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube) and has worked with restaurants of all sizes, including partnerships with Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Jollibee, and Wingstop.
Danny Kim
Rather than taste and post about food from big chain restaurants, Danny Kim highlights chefs from emerging and fine-dining restaurants. He often walks up to a chef and asks them to make a meal on a budget, but he also has videos asking chefs titillating questions like, “What’s your death-row meal?” and then watches them make the meal. Kim takes his viewers into the world of high-end dining with the people who are making the food. He’s on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Greg Remmey and Rebecca Lee West
Greg Remmey and Rebecca Lee West are known as the (devouring) power couple that quit their day jobs to become social- media food personalities full-time. The Devour Power accounts offer behind-the-scenes glimpses at both trendy and under-the-radar restaurants, mostly in New York City where Greg and Rebecca are based. From classic Brooklyn pizza slices to overstuffed sandwiches dripping in sauces and toppings, Greg and Rebecca bring urban food stories to life. They’re on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Karissa Dumbacher
Karissa Dumbacher is an exuberant, fast-talking on-camera eater whose “everything I ate” videos enjoy an enthusiastic following. Her eye-popping wonder at much of what she unboxes and tries is celebratory and engaging. She has worked with Taco Bell and Cinnabon. She’s on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Mark Wiens
Bangkok, Thailand-based Mark Wiens is a longtime food vlogger, starting in 2009, who travels to international destinations such as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. He highlights everything from seafood markets to Moroccan street food. In 2023, he visited U.S. cities including Chicago and Charleston, S.C., to spotlight local eateries. He’s on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, and also has the YouTube channels Mark Abroad and Big on Spice.
Alexis Frost
Alexis Frost creates short-form restaurant and food-related videos on TikTok and Instagram only. She’s known for her “Eating what employees would order” series, where followers who work at chain restaurants like Dairy Queen and Five Guys tell her their order and she tries it out on camera. Frost also reviews new menu items (she’s not a fan of this year’s Wendy’s fish sandwich), shares “menu hacks” like putting Doritos on Chipotle bowls (she is a fan of this!) and does some cooking on camera for her nearly 3 million followers. She’s worked with brands like IHOP and DoorDash.
Richard Chao
California-based Richard Chao’s food vlogs give viewers a behind-the- scenes look at foods and restaurants, despite the warning of his “I’m not me when I’m hungry” motto. Clients have included Fatburger and Jack in the Box, but his posts also include food videos from Asian night markets. He’s on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Action Bronson
Rapper Action Bronson has been into food for a long time;
his first mixtape in 2011 was called “Bon Appetit ..... Bitch!!!!!” His YouTube channel showcases a series called “F*ck That’s Delicious,” on which Bronson eats several dishes that describe either a city or item in multiple ways. They are interview-style videos showcasing the food and the restaurant. There are currently two dozen episodes of the series. He’s also on Instagram and TikTok.
Matty Matheson
Matty Matheson — a chef, restaurateur, actor, and internet personality — is perhaps best known for playing handyman Neil Fak on the television series The Bear, but he is also a chef and restaurateur with concepts in Canada. Online, he hosts his own cooking shows that are heavy on humor and have caught the attention of over 3 million followers across his channels (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube).
Trinh Carreon
Trinh Carreon isn’t afraid to give her opinion. That’s evident on her channels, where she tastes food — from QSRs to CPG — and rates it. But she doesn’t just stick to traditional menus; she looks for items on secret menus as well as menu hacks. She’s worked with Chili’s, Wendy’s, and DoorDash on a professional level, but doesn’t discriminate when it comes to food reviews and videos on her channels: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube.
JP Lambiase and Julia Goolia
JP Lambiase and Julia Goolia, the pair behind the Hellthy Junk Food brand, offer restaurant hacks for their audience, including replacing the middle bun of a Big Mac with a chicken patty and biting off the bottom corner of a Chick-fil-A dipping sauce packet so they can squeeze it instead of dipping it. Sometimes their suggestions are healthier, sometimes they’re zany or just fun. They also try trendy or buzzy menu items. They have worked with Panda Express. They’re on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Soy Nguyen
Soy Nguyen (she/they) takes their more than 1 million followers (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube) along on all of their foodie adventures, whether she’s learning to cook new foods like iyan in a restaurant kitchen or telling stories about their life while eating Vietnamese chicken wings from a small restaurant. Nguyen is known for highlighting diverse cuisines like Korean donuts and trying popular menu items like the tunacado sandwich from Joe & The Juice. Named the 2021 Foodie Influencer of the Year at the American Influencer Awards, she has worked with restaurant chains including Yum Brands stalwarts Taco Bell and The Habit Burger Grill.
Dave Schratz
Dave Schratz reviews the menus of national chains and local restaurants as well as supermarket buffets and retail products such as ice-cream bars. He rates them all on a 10-point scale, and his followers appreciate his candor and funny demeanor. He has worked with national chains including Firehouse Subs, Popeyes, and Arby’s. He’s on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Sohla El-Waylly
Sohla El-Waylly is a Bengali-American chef who shares recipes and cooking techniques on her TikTok and Instagram platforms, as well as on YouTube for The New York Times’ cooking channel and The History Channel. Her minestrone recipe video has more than 1 million views on TikTok. She has 768,000 followers and last year published her first cookbook, Start Here.
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt is a food-centric social-media influencer who keeps plenty busy. When he’s not entertaining his subscribers with sophisticated restaurant reviews and answering cooking questions, he’s writing multiple New York Times best selling books, including “The Food Lab,” “The Wok” and “Every Night is Pizza Night.” His no-frills content drills down to the basics of what makes cooking and going out to eat with friends so joyous. He’s on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Thanh Dang
Thanh “Wayne” Dang’s energetic food reviews filmed from his car highlight chain restaurant food, as well as local cuisine from his hometown of Houston. He gravitated toward food videos because it was how he connected with other people. Though he’s accumulated nearly 2 million followers across his platforms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube), he works full-time at his family’s real-estate business, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Elie Ayrouth
Elie Ayrouth is a publisher and co-founder of food and beverage network Foodbeast. On his own accounts, he eats and comments on a wide variety of foods. His videos include a series, now 92 episodes long, called “Every bean and cheese burrito on the planet.” He’s on Instagram and TikTok.
Taylor Montgomery, chief marketing officer, Taco Bell
Few, if any, restaurant brands leverage influencers as effectively as Taco Bell.
Brooke Perry, vice president of marketing, Velvet Taco
Velvet Taco in late January drew more than 9 million views on an Instagram video.
Chris Brandt, chief brand and marketing officer, Chipotle
Chipotle has flexed its marketing muscle for years, jumping into new channels like BeReal and the metaverse before they’re proven out.
Tana Davila, chief marketing officer, Dutch Bros
Dutch Bros just might be in the perfect sweet spot to win the cool factor vote.
David Daniels, chief marketing officer, Potbelly
Under Daniels, marketing and loyalty programs have boosted traffic during a difficult time for many restaurant chains.
Tariq Hassan, chief marketing and customer experience officer, McDonald’s
McDonald’s has grown its systemwide sales by over 30% since 2019 and has gained market share in the process, metrics that executives have attributed at least in part to the company’s wildly successful marketing campaigns.
Lindsay Morgan, chief marketing officer, Pizza Hut
For Morgan, the Yum Brands-owned pizza chain’s marketing story practically writes itself.
Jennifer Tate, chief marketing officer, CKE Restaurants
The CMO won big with a Carl’s Jr. burger giveaway.
Lynn Blashford, chief marketing officer, White Castle
As the oldest fast-food chain in America, White Castle’s influence on the restaurant industry is backed by more than 100 years of serving square sliders.
Pat O’Toole, chief marketing officer, Burger King
The Whopper is one of the most iconic menu items in the history of American food, and O’Toole knows it.
Kieran Donahue, chief marketing officer, IHOP
Much of IHOP’s success has been driven by the company’s robust marketing strategy that includes campaigns like a Pancake of the Month flavor, a Wonka-themed menu, and a loyalty program counting 8 million members.
Kim Freer, chief marketing officer, Raising Cane’s
Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers has created units designed by musician Post Malone and overseen activations with Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs players to enhance its branding.
Kevin Mayer, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Red Robin
When it comes to marketing Red Robin to multiple generations, Mayer looks beyond the food and straight into fashion and consumer goods.
Jillian Nelson, chief marketing officer, Dunkin’
“We are the wingman for Americans,” Nelson said of the chain.
Michael McGarry, vice president of brand marketing, Shake Shack
Shake Shack has pretty much always punched above its weight.
Joel Yashinsky, chief marketing officer, Applebee’s
Applebee’s has long been a date night destination, but the brand’s position was solidified as such in 2021 when country musician Waler Hayes sang about it in his song “Fancy Like.”
Patrick Benson, director of digital, social, and influencer marketing, El Pollo Loco
Benson, who spent several years shaping the social-media strategies for hit TV shows, wasted no time latching onto the cultural trends that matter to El Pollo Loco’s customers.
Kristin Tormey, global director of social media and digital engagement, Wendy’s
Wendy’s has developed a distinct tone — a bit fun, a bit snarky — across its social-media platforms.
Bronze R. Major, head of marketing, Carrabba’s Italian Grill
Major believes that today’s marketing landscape is a combination of innovation, evolution, and an era of “on-demand” advertising.
Ryan Ostrom, chief marketing officer and executive vice president, Jack in the Box
Jack Box has been a marketing icon for the Jack in the Box burger chain for years, but even the ping-pong-ball-headed “CEO” mascot knows when to get out of the way.
David Skena, chief brand officer, Krispy Kreme
Skena has worked for some of America’s biggest brands, but his current role has bred some of his most memorable marketing wins, including a handful of high-profile influencer initiatives.
Nick Chavez, chief marketing officer, KFC
Throughout the past couple years, KFC has made progress toward its objective of attracting younger and more diverse customers, partly through its influencer strategy.
Kate Trumbull, chief brand officer, Domino’s
For Trumbull, marketing success at the chain hinges on the company’s convenience and value-focused branding.
Cai Palmiter, VP of marketing, JINYA Ramen Bar
Palmiter is leaning into her belief that today’s marketing is highly digital, data-driven, and customer-centric.
George Felix, chief marketing officer, Chili’s
Social-media channels are “critically important” to enhancing the Chili’s message, Felix said.
Cian Twomey
Cian Twomey is one of the more successful “mukbang” social media influencers out there. Cian offers food-themed ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) content with a twist: He’s usually treating viewers to the dulcet sounds of him eating fast food with his friends in a car. He has worked with brands like Papa Johns, but often will just scope out the latest trendy foods on his own. He’s on Instagram and TikTok.
