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[h1nch]

Who is doing that?

I suppose I was reacting to the first poster who said:

Went to lunch at this place a friend initially wanted to go to only because they saw the tiling designs they had on the inside on a local instagram page.

I may have misinterpreted sentiment a bit, but I took that to mean that the tile aesthetic to be the only thing that matters to this person. Perhaps the quality of food was already known to be awesome? If my friend texted me wanting to go hit up a place becuase he loved the floor tile design I'd want to know how good the food was before I'd even consider going.

 

[JoJoShabadoo]

I get that. Even with dive places, the dumpiness is sometimes a part of the experience.

What blows my mind is how someone would potentially choose a place with less good food over another, primarily because the location has more instagram-friendly views.

It's like ppl saying "I'm not interested in this place unless I can show it off to my followers" which seems totally stupid to me.

This absolutely is the mentality that a lot of people who use social media, particularly Instagram, have. You've never seen people take a picture of something before actually sitting down to enjoy it, whether it's a view, landmark, nature, etc? Some people whip out their phones right away.

I think this is actually a smart business decision to exploit those 20-something year olds (particularly women) who give so many damns about social media.

 

[LCGeek]

Here I thought restaurants were about the quality of the food.

The experience matters as much if not more, say that with various relatives owning restaurants or bars and working them. Food quality don't matter if people feel like they are going to get stabbed, the place is dirty, and find your workers unpleasant.

 

[hateradio]

Meh, Instagram.

I only go to restaurants where the food is actually good. 😎

 

[Jeff Albertson]

This shit works and I've fallen for it myself

A trendy burger place near me got these neon angel wings on the wall so of course I took a photo when it opened:

The restaurant name is in red above but cropped out here

Since then I've seen loads of people post similar pictures online of that and their other neons with the restaurant name in hashtags

Social media presence can make or break new businesses these days, getting a cool vibe going early on can make people flock to a venue it seems

 

[Messofanego]

Hey guys, finally a positive news story about millennials saving restaurants!

 

[h1nch]

The experience matters as much if not more, say that with various relatives owning restaurants or bars and working them. Food quality don't matter if people feel like they are going to get stabbed, the place is dirty, and find your workers unpleasant.

Agreed, though as mentioned previously sometimes dive places are just as charming.

Ex: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kungfu-noodle-san-antonio

This place is pretty dumpy but the noodles are out of this world. Also, the pork and chive dumplings are probably the best I've ever had.

 

[Ashhong]

Has it really?

Um, yes

 

[Acorn]

Definitely noticed this in the illustration business. Everyone wants murals and things for people to stand in front of right now.

Makes sense with how much short term attention spans have dipped.

 

[Illithid Dude]

This has been the case in LA for years now, and actually... is kind of good. Interior design has become increasingly important, with each restaurant trying to look unique and innovative. It's honestly pushing interior design forward. If Instagram is what gets America to start caring more about design, so be it.

 

[Shamrock7r]

I can understand it. This has been up in Austin for awhile and I see friends posting a picture under it on Facebook every so often. Although I don't think this was done by the actual owners of the place.

 

[ponpo]

I can understand it. This has been up in Austin for awhile and I see friends posting a picture under it on Facebook every so often.

America is corny.

 

[LucidMomentum]

I can understand it. This has been up in Austin for awhile and I see friends posting a picture under it on Facebook every so often.

Holy fucking shit a couple I'm friends with on Facebook posted a photo at that exact same spot on Sunday.

 

[see5harp]

I can understand it. This has been up in Austin for awhile and I see friends posting a picture under it on Facebook every so often. Although I don't think this was done by the actual owners of the place.

Ooh. I'm gonna bring my waifu pillow here.

 

[Trouble]

 

[Dreez]

Nothing wrong with it. Let the artists that paint or build those things eat too damn!

 

[Calion]

Corny as hell photos, damn..

White women

 

[Kaako]

Tell me about them a e s t h e t i c s & a m b i a n c e.

 

[Earthbound64]

Why are they making duckfaces at their food?...

 

[Earthanoid]

A restaurant near me started putting butter on the outside of their hamburgers. After the burger was assembled, they'd brush melted butter onto the top of the bun. It was terrible, the butter flavor was overpowering and you'd get butter all over your hands. I asked them about it and they said it was so their burgers would look better in pictures. I stopped eating there and I think others followed suit; the place isn't open anymore.

As long as it stays out of the food, or at least doesn't change the way the food tastes, I'm fine with a well designed restaurant. People are going to take pictures, it may as well look nice. But changing the way the food tastes in favor of making the food "instagrammable" is dumb.

 

[Haly]

Is that how you're supposed to eat chicken and waffles? I've been alternating between the two, I never considered skewering them together.

 

[old]

Here I thought restaurants were about the quality of the food.

If I just wanted food I'd get take out. I'm want atmosphere and decor. The environment significantly informs my experience.

 

[HazySaiyan]

"How millennials ruined restaurants"

 

[polyh3dron]

For one of the most egregious offenders of this, may I present a relatively new ice cream joint near me in DTLA called "Little Damage".

It's a soft serve ice cream spot that makes their cones black through activated charcoal which adds to the whole goth-ish vibe of the place and the whole design of the place, as well as the look of the food, is done with Instagram in mind. Just look at all of the shots in that link.

They charge SEVEN DOLLARS for a soft serve ice cream cone and the place routinely has an insane line, it's been this busy ever since Buzzfeed did a piece on it.

 

[Alcotholic]

White women

Basically.

 

[Kelsdesu]

I wonder if this is taught to MBAs. Interesting read.

 

[UpDownLeftRight]

Maybe it's just me, but that champagne bottle makes it look worse. It draws attention to the shitty ass wall and metal window that needed replacing two decades ago.

 

[Disxo]

This is too funny

 

[Izuna]

lmao

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

Here I thought restaurants were about the quality of the food.

You eat with your eyes first.

 

[Kyoufu]

So this won't go out of style until instagrammers have kids and that generation thinks it's lame as hell right?

No. Their babies will be taking photos of the kids menu items.

 

[Mushroomer25]

So this won't go out of style until instagrammers have kids and that generation thinks it's lame as hell right?

I'm not sure if the concept of sharing photos (or some form of visual representation of a thing/place) will ever fall out of style. It's part of communication.

That said, I'm sure stuff like the mural in the OP will be seen as incredibly tacky in ten years.

 

[Kisaya]

I believe it. I don't Instagram restaurants but I definitely choose places to go based on the inside decor.

I don't blame Instagrammers either, especially if you're an Influencer who's making shit ton of $$$ to keep up with an aesthetic.

 

[Nevasleep]

I use tripadvisor, looking at the photos of food which visitors have uploaded.

 

[InfiniteBento]

Who tf pops a bottle upside down

 

[Kaako]

I use tripadvisor, looking at the photos of food which visitors have uploaded.

I do this with yelp. I dig looking at actual customer food pics rather than menu/fake restaurant PR food pics.

 

[marimorimo]

I say it's a good thing, and I'm a millenial without an instagram account. When it comes to it, instagrammable=aesthetically pleasing, isn't it? All things being equal, I'd prefer to eat at a place with a great ambiance than in a dump. The aesthetics of a restaurant/café definitely factors into a lot of people's decisions. At the minimum it gives people an incentive to try the place out--if the food happens to be good, they will definitely come back.

 

[hateradio]

Who tf pops a bottle upside down

It's obvies for the R-I-P homies!

 

[televator]

If the surroundings look ghastly, chances are the food quality will be just as bad.

I've lost count how any times a friend tells me to try out this great new and hip looking Mexican or Asian place only for me to end up perplexed and disappointed at the bland as fuck food.

 

[GHG]

This is too funny lmao.

 

[sleverfunk]

Several weeks ago my girl had this list of restaurants and cafes.
She said every week we have to go this new place and that. I asked why, she said it's instagrammable.
Glad she forgot about it, saved me some money.

 

[PuppetSlave]

Pretty sure atmosphere and surroundings as hooks to get customers to the table is as old as the business itself. Tavern signs anyone.

Having great food is the key for them to come back, but you have to get them there for an first visit first.

 

[hateradio]

This shit works and I've fallen for it myself

Tell me, Jeff Albertson. Did it hurt, when you fell from heaven? 😍 😍 😍

 

[wetflame]

While I get why this is a thing, I don't get why the example posted is a thing. It's a painting of a bottle, it's not anything particularly interesting

 

[Prototype Viktor]

Why are they making duckfaces at their food?...

no why are they using Flash in a brightly lit area is the real question

Spoiler

i know the source of the gif is a joke video

 

[TAJ]

Nah, man.

I live by the five second rule and you couldn't pay me to eat food made under those conditions.

 

[:Motorbass]

Here I thought restaurants were about the quality of the food.

Soon you can rent dishes to photograph and return them so you don't have to eat them.

 

[Red Liquorice]

It's all about the a e s t h e t i c

It's all about m o n e y.

Getting goons to snap pictures of your restaurant and posting it all over social media = free advertising.

 

[digdug2k]

This is too funny lmao.

Lol. The Japanese people around here are nuts about selfies/photos. We'll watch them spend 30 minutes of their meal just taking pictures of it. "Here, you pretend you're taking a bite... no no don't actually take one. Ok now, its my turn to pretend to take a bite." I take my kids to a lot of pools too, and there's always three or four groups around who spend literally hours just photographing themselves.

 

[dreamcastmaster]

Nah, man.

Now this this man knows great food! I love Chinese Street BBQ.