Struggling Californian Restaurant Saved Thanks To Viral Social Media Post

One loving daughter has turned to social media to help her father’s restaurant.

Lee’s Noodle House opened in 2003 and is owned and operated by Lee’s parents, Vuong and Ha Tran. Serving authentic Vietnamese food, both Lee and her older sister had, at times, worked for their parents.

Not a Soul To Be Found

Hit by the effects of the global pandemic and struggling with the economic crisis, the restaurant was faring worse than most.

In a TikTok video posted by Lee, Vuong is shown leaning against a counter, appraising his completely empty restaurant. “It makes me so sad to see my parents just wait for customers to walk through the door to eat at their Vietnamese restaurant,” Lee captioned the video, pairing it with sad music.

She also explained that her parents had been struggling with financial issues. She added the address at the end of her caption, saying, “If you want to check it out, they make delicious Vietnamese food.” 

@jennif3rle

tiktok do your thing & help support my parents Vietnamese restaurant:( my parents haven’t been having that many customers & been feeling stressed dealing with financial issues. if you want to check it out, they make delicious vietnamese food:) 1010 Hopper Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 #fyp #vietnamesefood #restaurant

♬ The videos under this audio breaks my heart – •.༺𝓕𝓻𝓮𝓳𝓪༻.•

It Seemed Like a Shot in The Dark

Prior to posting her video, Lee, whose username is jennif3rle, had only ever made one video. It was entirely possible that her shot at promoting her parents’ restaurant would go unnoticed.

The algorithm had other ideas. The video now stands at over 1.6 million views with thousands of comments.

An Outpour Of Support

Commenters were quick to support, some saying that they would “check it out” soon, and others asking questions like, “What would you recommend from the menu?” 

Others, possibly unable to help by physically visiting, chose to simply comment randomly, which boosts a video’s popularity on the app and increases its chances of reaching more people.

Many viewers chose to tag a popular creator who is famous for taste-testing food around America, and while a response was not found, the comments encouraged others. “I’m definitely coming by!” said one person, another saying, “I ate here 3 days a week when I was in Santa Rosa for a wine harvest season; the food is so special, and your parents are so nice!”

TikTok Understood The Assignment

In a follow-up video, Lee showed the exterior of Lee’s Noodle House, writing, “Thank you guys for all the support and love to my parent’s restaurant!” She continued to show some of their popular dishes and again received overwhelming support. 

The restaurant now has hundreds of positive Google reviews, with many complimenting the wonderful and friendly service. “Best Vietnamese food in town!” one reviewer said, joining others in agreement. 

Since her viral video, Lee has posted a few more videos, one detailing her favorite meals and another showing her working at the restaurant, though she is back at college most of the time.

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Growing Exponentially

Additionally, it seems that the restaurant’s popularity has increased significantly, though it was just one video that broke into the viral sphere.

The Instagram account has over two thousand followers, substantially more than other restaurants in the area.

Multiple news sources have reported on Lee’s video, providing further publicity for their cause.

There’s Still Hope!

While Lee has not announced whether her parents are still struggling financially or not, the reviews and public response tell a different story. “Hope business is still doing well,” one user wrote on a more recent video of Lee’s. 

@jennif3rle

day in the life working at lee’s noodle house! we are located at 1010 Hopper Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95403! thank you guys for all the support & love. we hope you can continue to come check it out & say hi to my parents!! #vietnamesefood #restaurant #fyp #bayareafood #santarosa #sonomacounty

♬ Cupid – FIFTY FIFTY

Lee, who now has almost five thousand followers on TikTok, still has the address 1010 Hopper Avenue, Santa Rosa, 95403 CA, in her bio, with their Instagram handle linked as well. 

It shows that amidst the whirlwind of social media, there is still a wealth of goodness and support from those online. Even months after the original video was released, new comments spread positivity on the post.

For the business that was struggling, this simple move by a caring daughter may have just been the last lifeline. 

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This article was produced by TPR Teaching. Source.

Caitriona Maria is an education writer and founder of TPR Teaching, crafting inspiring pieces that promote the importance of developing new skills. For 7 years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.

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