In the ever-evolving landscape of American dining, a new force has emerged, reshaping the fortunes of chain restaurants: the viral cheese pull. Once regarded as reliable but unremarkable fixtures of roadside culture, chains like Chili’s, Olive Garden, and The Cheesecake Factory are experiencing a surprising revival, thanks to the irresistible allure of gooey, stretchy cheese captured in millions of social media videos. According to a December 17, 2025 report by Beritaja and NPR, these viral moments are not just fleeting internet trends—they’re breathing new life into brands that have struggled with shifting consumer habits and economic headwinds.
It all starts with a simple visual: a diner slowly pulls apart a piping hot slice of pizza or a golden fried mozzarella stick, sending long, elastic strands of cheese stretching for the camera. This “cheese pull” has become a social media phenomenon, especially on TikTok, where creators like Karissa Dumbacher—known as @karissaeats—have built massive audiences. Dumbacher, who boasts over 4.5 million followers, has turned the cheese pull into a signature move, posting near-daily videos of her culinary adventures at both high-end eateries and classic American chains.
“The first three to five seconds of the video has to pull you in visually,” Dumbacher explained to Beritaja. “People are gonna stick around to see if it’s worth it, and that’s what you want. That’s why so many people go for the cheese pull.” Her formula is working: one paid partnership video featuring Chili’s iconic cheese pull racked up two million likes, and her chain restaurant videos consistently perform “really, really well.”
This digital appetite isn’t just creating online buzz—it’s translating into real-world business. Take Chili’s, the Tex-Mex chain that has become the poster child for leveraging viral cheese pull content. The brand’s Triple Dipper—a customizable trio of appetizers, including those famed fried mozzarella sticks—has exploded in popularity, thanks in large part to its social media stardom. Chili’s sold a staggering 41 million Triple Dippers in fiscal year 2025, according to company data shared with Beritaja and NPR.
The numbers tell a striking story: the Triple Dipper accounted for about 10% of Chili’s sales in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024. Just one year later, that figure jumped to 15%. George Felix, Chili’s Chief Marketing Officer, didn’t mince words about the source of this rapid growth. “Essentially 100% of that can be attributed to social media,” he stated. Recognizing the momentum, Chili’s culinary team doubled down, introducing new flavors like Nashville Hot and Honey-Chipotle to keep fans engaged and hungry for more.
“I think it speaks to the fact that Chili’s is back in the culture,” Felix remarked, reflecting on the brand’s resurgence. For a 50-year-old restaurant chain that had been slipping into what industry experts call the “wallpaper” effect—fading into the background of consumer consciousness—this was a dramatic turnaround.
But why are these viral moments so critical now? Stephen Zagor, a restaurant industry expert and adjunct professor at Columbia Business School, told Beritaja that the current environment is a “critical moment” for chain restaurants. With many Americans tightening their belts and opting to eat at home, legacy brands are at risk of becoming invisible. “Every restaurant needs to have a viral moment either in their menu or inside the restaurant in order to survive now,” Zagor explained. Yet, he cautioned, there’s a tradeoff: “a certain loss of authenticity.”
The influence of social media extends well beyond the dining room. Michael Lindquist, senior vice president of social at media company BarkleyOKRP, described social media as “a key business driver” and “an infinite feedback loop” for restaurant brands. His team works with major names like Red Lobster and Marco’s Pizza, helping them adapt to a world where marketing campaigns increasingly take their cues from online behavior. “It really does start and end on social media,” Lindquist said. “You’re starting to see even broadcast and TV campaigns that take more of their cues from social media behavior, and comments and the way that we interact with one another.”
The impact can be seen in the choices diners make. Sara Rafael, a 23-year-old from Ireland, flew to New York City in November 2025 with her mother, armed with a list of must-visit American chains—all discovered through TikTok. “The platform’s food videos—including those trendy cheese pulls—always make the food look so appetizing,” Rafael told Beritaja and NPR. For her, and for countless others, recommendations from strangers online have replaced traditional guides and advertisements, shaping everything from travel plans to dinner reservations.
Yet, not everyone is convinced that virality is a sustainable path forward. Zagor, the industry expert, warns that while viral moments are essential for grabbing attention, they can’t replace the fundamentals of good food and genuine customer connection. “You would like all businesses to be organic, because people love it, and they come back because the food is great,” Zagor said. “Not because you saw this incredible dessert, and [say], ‘Wow, I need to have that.’”
He’s also troubled by the way social media is changing the dining experience itself. In his classes, Zagor asks students how many take pictures of their food. “Everyone raises their hand. And then I say, ‘How many of you take more pictures of your food than you do of your family and friends?’ And they all raise their hands.” For Zagor, this signals a shift from enjoying meals as social, organic experiences to staging them for the perfect, shareable moment. “Something’s just weird about that,” he mused.
Despite these concerns, the numbers are hard to ignore. Chains like Chili’s are riding the cheese pull wave to renewed relevance and profitability, while creators like Dumbacher continue to amass followers and shape dining trends. As the line between digital content and real-life cravings blurs, chain restaurants—once thought to be relics of a bygone era—are finding new ways to thrive in a world where a single viral moment can change everything.
For now, it seems the cheese pull isn’t just a fleeting internet fad—it’s a lifeline for brands eager to stay in the spotlight, one stretchy strand at a time.