The structured impact of digital platforms on consumer behavior
In the catering consumption ecosystem dominated by digital platforms, consumers' decision-making behaviors are being deeply reconstructed by algorithmic evaluation systems and visual presentation mechanisms. The research of David Streitfeld (2022) reveals the unique trust logic in online review systems - consumers tend to prefer ratings with minor flaws (such as 4.2/5 points), and this tendency stems from the cognitive value of "imperfect truth". When consumer Luna saw the description "The skin of the shrimp dumplings is slightly thick but the shrimp meat is plump" in Google reviews, this kind of humanized feedback that combines both advantages and disadvantages is actually more convincing than a perfect score. Such evaluations build a more credible "image of real data" by presenting the limited flaws of the product. This behavior indicates that in this algorithmic era, consumers can dispel their doubts about the manipulation of platform data by accepting controllable imperfections.
This phenomenon is further explained in the "Principle of Visual Priority" proposed by Jose van Dijck (2013). Social platforms represented by Instagram have reshaped food culture into "visual aesthetic objects" through algorithmic screening mechanisms. Take The operation practice of The Eight restaurant as an example. Its account continuously posts close-ups of slow-motion cooking - the caramel layer of honey-glazed barbecued pork reflects an amber luster under the lights, and the rice noodle batter solidifies into a semi-transparent gauze in the steamer. These contents strictly adhere to visual principles such as "high contrast", "fluid dynamics", and "material collision", essentially transforming cooking techniques into "aesthetic data packets" recognizable by algorithms. This strategy not only validates the new consumption cognitive model of "vision precedes taste".
Consumers obtain information through digital platforms, but they do not fully trust the content of digital platforms. Meanwhile, digital platforms, in pursuit of traffic, use filters and shooting techniques to make food look more appealing.
Zoe
25 years old, heavy user of Xiaohongshu
"I've never believed in advertisements, but in that video on Xiaohongshu about "ordinary people visiting stores", the sister took a bite of barbecued pork, and the meat juice flowed all the way to her chin - it was so real! Save it now and pull it out at the weekend."
Sophie
28 years old, student
“For me, the description that the skin of the shrimp dumplings is slightly thick but the shrimp meat is plump is more convincing than a perfect score.”
Digital promotion strategies for restaurantsClick here to add text.
Under the double pressure of platform rules and traffic competition, restaurants have constructed a two-way cultural strategy system, which both actively adapts to algorithmic logic and tries to break the shackles of data alienation.
- Algorithm adaptation: digital translation of cultural symbols
Through the cultural downgrading strategy, the restaurant transforms local symbols in the physical space into recognizable data units on the platform. For example, the Cantonese specialty “Leaky Milk Wah” is deconstructed into the hashtag “#SaltedEggYolkToast”, which not only retains the “salted egg yolk and flowing heart”, but also provides an opportunity for the restaurant to create its own cultural symbols, which can be recognized by the platform. The Cantonese specialty “Leaky Milk Hua（漏奶华）” is deconstructed into the hashtag “#SaltedEggYolkToast” - preserving the core imagery of “salted egg yolk with flowing heart” while achieving cross-cultural readability through English lexical grafting. Here, tradition is not dissolved, but rather “algorithmized” to achieve digital survival. - Data-driven cultural compromise
Real-time sales data from delivery platforms forces kitchens to adapt culturally. To match the “#VeganCharSiu” hashtag, which is frequently searched by vegetarians, the restaurant introduced “faux barbecue pork” with gluten instead of pork, with texture and color optimized for the algorithmic buzzword. - The Symbiosis of Traffic Dividend and Cultural Communication
Despite the risk of alienation, digital media provide a new path for cultural transmission. Social media promotion not only brings exposure growth, but also triggers cross-generational dialog - young users interact with each other person-to-person through activities posted by the restaurant, while the older generation shares memorized scenes of Cantonese morning tea in the comment section. The construction of this digital intergenerational bridge enables local food culture to break through geographical boundaries and realize dynamic inheritance in the virtual community.
Digital platforms are like cultural double-sided mirrors - both compressing the space for local expression and giving it unprecedented potential for dissemination. The restaurant's oscillation between legal discipline and independent innovation is a microcosmic portrayal of cultural subjectivity in the age of globalization. When “Leaky Milk Hua（漏奶华）” gained millions of views on TikTok, its symbolic significance went beyond the food itself.
Mei Lin
Server at The Eight Restaurant
Fluent in Cantonese, English, and Mandarin, with 8 years of experience in the hospitality industry.
"When I overhear guests chatting in Cantonese, like asking, 'How much is the shrimp per catty today?', I immediately switch to the traditional Chinese menu and highlight our fresh live shrimp. For British guests, I adapt my approach: 'These prawns took a morning flight from Cornwall—still jet-lagged!' 🦐
“It’s not just language—it’s about crafting moments that feel culturally familiar, whether you’re from Guangzhou or Glasgow."
Jay
Social Media Manager at The Eight
oversees digital content
"Our Instagram strategy revolves around slow-motion Reels—like caramelized char siu glistening under golden light, tagged #CantoneseSoul and #LondonEats. These visuals align with the platform’s aesthetic-first algorithm.
“For holiday campaigns, we blend cultural motifs: during Christmas, we designed 'Roast Duck Xmas Trees'—sliced duck layered into conical shapes with cranberry-port glaze. Holidays aren’t just sales peaks—they’re cultural bridges.
Reference:
- Dijck, J. van (2013) The culture of connectivity : a critical history of social media / Jose van Dijck. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
- Bhabha, H. K. (1994) The location of culture / Homi K. Bhabha. London: Routledge.
- Zukin, S. (2010) Naked city : the death and life of authentic urban places / Sharon Zukin. New York ; Oxford University Press.
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