If you’re a restaurant owner in the Las Vegas area, or even in the entire US, you know all about the rise of food reviewer Keith Lee. Lee’s account has grown to over 9.8 million followers as of January 25. 

He began posting videos regularly on Tiktok in late 2020 to help him deal with social anxiety and isolation during the pandemic. His first videos focused on his wife Ronny’s pregnancy cravings. He would cook or buy whatever she craved and eat it with her, jokingly reviewing it and giving his take. But as he reviewed more, he gained traction and by 2022, posted food reviews regularly. 

Lee moved to Las Vegas from Detroit in 2018 as he pursued a career in professional mixed martial arts fighting. He explained that he developed an eating disorder by monitoring his weight for fights. 

In an interview with Business Insider, Lee said,“I think a lot of people in the wrestling world have body issues, but no one was really speaking on it. It just came with the job. Now I’m diving into a healthier relationship with food.”

As Lee gained viewers and a platform, he encouraged his viewers to send him struggling family-owned restaurants in the vegas area so he could review them and help them keep their businesses open. In December 2022, a viewer of his channel requested to review her parent’s restaurant, Aroma Latina American Cocina. The review gained more than 20 million views and the family business grew immensely. 

In January, another request came from an employee of a struggling restaurant, Frankenson’s Pizzeria. Lee’s 41 million view review was so positive that, overnight, Frankenson’s had lines down the block. 

“Just imagine them watching this review and knowing their life is about to change,” a TikTok user commented. 

Frank Steele, the owner of Frankenson’s, explained to Las Vegas KTNV news that “Our phone never stopped ringing. I’ve sold more lemon pepper wings in the last two days than I have in the past four months, I have people coming in from Iowa, people from California, Lake Havasu. I had people come down from Utah, all because of this video.”

Senior Maya Rooney is impressed with Lee’s ability to change owners’ lives, “I love his positivity and energy when he does his reviews, it makes me want to try the restaurant myself.”

Lee has become a game-changer for Vegas restaurants, where one review can make or break your business. His newfound fame has garnered a partnership with famous Youtuber Mr. Beast, where he and Lee review family-owned establishments all over Las Vegas and pick a winner, who wins a trip to meet Mr. Beast as well as his financial support.

Rooney, who has followed Lee in the last couple of months, plans to start food reviews herself. 

“My senior project is coming up this year, and I really want to start a food blog. I think I can make a difference like Keith does, and really change businesses for the better,” she said.