50 Million Views Later: The Brutal Reality of Scaling a "Viral" TikTok Food Trend

50 Million Views Later: The Brutal Reality of Scaling a "Viral" TikTok Food Trend

From Fast Casual Nation by Savor.fm

May 19, 2026 · 37 min · Episode 120

About this episode

The episode discusses the challenges and strategies of scaling a viral food trend in the restaurant industry.

In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Peter Yang, co-founder and Head of Development at Pokeworks, to explore how the 85-location poke brand turned a viral social media moment into a disciplined, founder-led growth story — covering everything from psychographic-driven site selection and hoodless real estate advantages to suburban expansion, unit economics, and why protecting AUV matters more than chasing location count. #FastCasual #Pokeworks #RestaurantBusiness Get Your Podcast Now! Are you a hospitality or restaurant industry leader looking to amplify your voice and establish yourself as a thought leader? Look no further than SavorFM, the premier podcast platform designed exclusively for hospitality visionaries like you. Take the next step in your industry leadership journey – visit https://www.savor.fm/Capital & Advisory: Are you a fast-casual restaurant startup or a technology innovator in the food service industry? Don't miss out on the opportunity to tap into decades of expertise. Reach out to Savor Capital & Advisory now to explore how their seasoned professionals can propel your business forward. Discover if…

People in this episode

Hosts: Paul Barron, Cherryh Cansler

Guest: Peter Yang

Topics covered

  • viral marketing
  • restaurant growth
  • social media trends
  • business strategy
  • site selection

Keywords

  • TikTok
  • food trend
  • growth strategy
  • restaurant business
  • AUV
  • unit economics
  • suburban expansion

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Pokeworks, Savor.fm

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