From Coke floats to Cronuts, going viral can have a lasting effect on a small business

John Philis, a third-generation owner of the Lexington Candy Shop, prepares a Coke float at the luncheonette, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, in New York. The old school business met the new world when Nicolas Heller, a TikToker and Instagrammer with 1.2 million followers, popped in for a traditional Coke float. Naturally, he made a video. It went viral, garnering 4.8 million likes. – The Lexington Candy Shop in New York City has served burgers, fries and shakes to hungry patrons for decades.

“We just couldn’t adjust,” he said. “We would stay late hours to prep for the next day and then the lines would continue and continue and continue and continue.” He rushed to prepare food and put his vendors on standby, but the demand was overwhelming. He bought all of the ingredients he could find at nearby Sam's Club and Walmart stores, and had friends check stores in their areas. The fire marshal was called twice about the crowd.

“We refer to everything as pre-Chimetime and post-Chimetime,” he said. “What Mr. Chimetime did for our small business changed the fabric of what we are for forever.”

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From Coke floats to Cronuts, going viral can have a lasting effect on a small businessLexington Candy Shop has had a line outside for over a year since a TikTok of its Coke float went viral. The owner of Fatima's Grill parlayed his viral fame into an expansion. When a smaller restaurant unexpectedly goes viral on TikTok or other social media, the sudden demand can be overwhelming. Owners have to adapt on the fly, revamping operations to quickly serve a crush of people. But savvy business owners who are able to adapt can parlay newfound fame into a lasting boost for their business
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