TikTok Reviews Just Made Choosing a Restaurant Even Easier

TikTok isn’t just shaping food trends—it’s now shaping restaurant reputations. The app has quietly rolled out a new feature allowing users to rate and review restaurants directly, putting it in direct competition with Yelp, Google Reviews, and even Instagram’s food-heavy culture. But could this actually change the way we decide where to eat?

How It Works

The next time you tag a restaurant in a TikTok post, you might see a pop-up prompting you to leave a rating. Instead of just watching food reviews, you can now give your own—using a simple 5-star system.

• 5 stars = Great

• 4 stars = Good

• 3 stars= Okay (probably wouldn’t go back)

• 2 stars or 1 star = You get the idea...

Once you choose a rating, TikTok lets you write a review—emojis included. Think of it as a mix between Yelp’s detailed feedback and Google Maps’ location-based tracking, except it’s all happening within the app’s entertainment-driven ecosystem. Unlike Yelp, which integrates with Apple Maps, it’s unclear if TikTok will rely on a map service or just tagged restaurant accounts for location-based discovery.

What This Means for Businesses (And Foodies)

For restaurants, this could be a game-changer. TikTok already holds massive power over food trends (remember baked feta pasta and butter boards?), so having in-app reviews could make or break a spot overnight.

With TikTok’s algorithm-driven reach, a well-rated restaurant could explode in popularity faster than ever. On the flip side, a wave of negative reviews could bury a spot before it even has a chance to recover.

Will Yelp Survive?

Yelp has long been the go-to for restaurant reviews, but let’s be real—it’s been struggling to stay relevant. Many users complain about its outdated interface, aggressive ads, and sometimes questionable review moderation. Meanwhile, TikTok is where food culture happens. The platform’s ability to mix video storytelling with ratings could give it a serious edge over text-heavy Yelp.

Of course, the real test is whether people actually use TikTok’s review system long-term. Will it become a trusted tool or just another feature that fades away? Either way, if you’re looking for the next great spot to eat, scrolling through TikTok might soon be just as reliable as checking Yelp.

Would you trust TikTok reviews over Yelp?