Walked past a boarded-up restaurant that was TikTok famous 2 years ago in Portland

The line used to wrap around the block for their ube pancakes, but now the windows are papered over and some guy was sleeping in the doorway, and it made me wonder how many of those viral spots end up like this within 18 months.

3 comments

3 Comments

thomasgonzalez3d ago

Is it bad that I ate there twice and still can't remember what ube tastes like? I just followed the crowd and stood in line like a sheep. But seriously, the life span of a trendy spot is like a fruit fly at this point. Two years is generous. I saw a place go from influencers filming their matcha lattes to a dollar store in under 12 months. The landlords just jack the rent up as soon as the hype hits. I guess the only thing that lasts longer than a viral restaurant is my ability to not learn from this pattern.

amyh123d agoMost Upvoted

Hold on, some spots actually earn the hype by having legit good food and a solid business plan that handles the rent hikes. I've seen a few places get bought out by bigger groups and turn into lasting staples, not flash-in-the-pan trends.

keith2743d ago

Man, I'm the same way with half the places I try...