A new viral trend has surfaced on TikTok, calling out millennial burger joints, restaurants, and cafes for their overpriced trendy food. What exactly is a millennial burger joint? They’re usually characterized by their “quirkiness,” for example, using chalkboard menus, measuring cups to serve drinks to customers, or using anything but a plate to serve food.
These spots can get away with serving overpriced food because of their instagrammable aesthetics. A millennial restaurant is composed of exposed brick, minimalist decor, and neon signs boasting cheeky slogans. There’s nothing revolutionary about the food they serve, but “vibes” tend to always bring in customers.
The focus on aesthetics over substance is a big flaw in millennial burger joints. Undoubtedly, these places thrive over social media buzz with their colorful milkshakes and perfectly stacked brioche-bun burgers that tend to go viral. Yet, these places become a one-time novelty rather than a lasting culinary destination for many.
This TikTok trend also hilariously points out that almost all of these spots have a section on their menu or website explaining why the owners opened the place, with slogans like, “It all began with two guys with a crazy idea.”
Is paying for $20 burgers really worth your trendy Instagram pictures, though? I would say these “cringe hipster” restaurants aren’t worth all the hype that they get. Who knows, maybe this TikTok trend finally calling out millennial places will prompt new Gen Z trendy restaurants. We’ll just have to wait and see if Gen Alpha will make fun of those in the future, too.
