The Tweet Smell of Success

Consider Kogi, a Los Angeles-based Korean taco truck and virtual restaurant that’s taken the city by storm. It’s an immensely successful new concept that has ascended to a whole new level of viral marketing.

As described in a recent Newsweek article, the rolling restaurant, which offers an eclectic Korean/Mexican fusion menu, has developed a tech-savvy following that mobs it at every stop thanks to its strategy of Twittering its every move to subscribers.

The “Tweets” let fans know where the truck is and when it will arrive at different stops, almost guaranteeing a crowd at every location. Meanwhile, it avoids fixed overhead and can easily move on to a new nearby location if parking or other authorities ask it to move on

A new business model? Clearly. Which raises a few questions for onsite foodservice pros…

• would an operation like this in your neighborhood pose a threat to your business? If so, how big a problem could it be?
• Could onsite operators in locations like college campuses or large corporate complexes use Twitter technology in a similar way to drive “intercept” traffic and special promotions?
• How much of an impact will the emerging “instant messaging culture” have on onsite dining and the way it operates in the future?

We’d like to hear and share your comments with our other readers. Speak—or Tweet—up!

Read Restaurant Hospitality's Tweetin' 'N' Texting' 'Bout Tacos article about Kogi.