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As Jiten Grover prepared to open his first Dipped Donuts storefront in Toronto, he knew the power social media stars possess to boost the profile of a business in the food industry.

When Grover opened the doors to the doughnut shop earlier this summer, a self-proclaimed local foodie posted a photo and rave review after trying the new spot. A prominent local blog reposted her snap and nearly 3,000 people proceeded to like it.

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It’s impossible to say how much sales the publicity generated, but Grover’s convinced there’s a positive correlation. Several people came into the eatery and said they’d seen the Instagram post, he said.

“Our Instagram just blew up,” Grover said. “Influencers do have a big role, at least a significant impact, on a person’s business.”

Instagram stars can deem an eatery trendy and send their hefty following through its doors simply by posting a photo of a menu item, and the makers of a new app want to monetize the influencer-restaurant relationship.