TikTok is expanding beyond short videos with a new restaurant discovery feature that could put it in direct competition with Yelp and Google Maps. Called Must Eat, the new in-app guide brings restaurant recommendations, user reviews, maps, and booking options together in one place.
The feature uses more than 40 million food-related posts, reviews, and comments shared on TikTok. It aims to help users discover popular local restaurants through the videos and conversations that have already made many dining spots famous.
Must Eat collects restaurant recommendations from TikTok’s content and organizes them into searchable guides. Users can explore two categories: “Everyday Eats” for casual meals and local favorites, and “Elevated Dining” for special occasions and upscale restaurants.
The guide allows users to filter restaurants by cuisine, rating, distance, and whether they are currently open. Restaurant pages also link to relevant TikTok videos, letting diners see the food and atmosphere before deciding where to eat.
Users can save restaurants for later, post their own reviews, call businesses and make reservations at participating locations. Selected restaurants support bookings through OpenTable.
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Unlike traditional restaurant directories, TikTok’s approach leans on food creators and viral recommendations. A popular video can introduce a restaurant to millions of viewers, and Must Eat aims to turn that attention into actual visits.
TikTok US CEO Adam Presser described the feature as a collection of conversations involving creators, restaurant owners, and everyday users.
The company said that restaurants cannot pay to appear in Must Eat’s recommendation lists. This could help distinguish the guide from paid promotional placements, although the recommendations still draw on content shared across TikTok.
Must Eat is initially available in New York City, Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. TikTok has not announced a wider rollout timeline. The launch builds on TikTok Go, a feature introduced earlier that lets users discover and book hotels and attractions through on-platform content.
According to TikTok, 27 million US diners visited a restaurant, café or shop for the first time after discovering it on the app last year. With Must Eat, TikTok is trying to close the gap between watching a restaurant video and visiting the business.