Food Critics go Viral: YouTubing ‘The Pengest Munch’

By Jack Brumby

*Originally published on 20 December

Younger consumers mean you cannot ignore the internet…

• ‘Online’ isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a key battleground. Social media engagement (when navigated correctly) is a potent asset.
• A canny young food critic called The Chicken Connoisseur has popped up on Langton’s news feeds, prompting a lively discussion on ‘the pengest munch’ (essentially, good food).
• When even the budget chicken shop experience is so critically deconstructed, perhaps it is time to accept that online reviews cannot be ignored.

The online Petri dish:

• Digital culture and trends evolve rapidly. With the advent of the internet everyone can be a critic, and a lot of us are.
• The overnight popularity of the Chicken Connoisseur reminds us that younger age groups often shape long term trends.
• Research from Cardinal suggests that some 19% of customers look at a pub’s website before visiting.
• This number may be higher for bars and restaurants with a younger mix.

Still a worthwhile investment for those late to the game

• Some 80% of the UK’s c52,000 pubs are rural or community-based and there are 19,000 independents in the market.
• There is still a flow of applications for various pubs to be turned into Assets of Community Value (ACVs), suggesting that many find current conditions tough.
• A coherent, linked up offer (across website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest et al.) is a valuable way of connecting to cash-strapped younger generations who can be so vital to word-of-mouth trading momentum and yet are proving notoriously difficult to prise away from their Netflix accounts.