If you don’t know by now that what people post on social media often doesn’t reflect their lives IRL, consider this: a new survey says more than one-third of Americans have ordered food they didn’t eat, just so they could post pictures of it.
The non-scientific poll of 2,000 Americans commissioned by California Figs shows 40% post pictures of food or beverages they didn’t consume themselves, with 19% saying they ordered and posted it without ever intending to have it in the first place.
Forty-four percent of those polled say they “frequently” post food pics to Instagram or other socials, with 27% admitting the search for a good food pic has led to a change in their dietary habits.
No surprise then that 57% say they’ve “moved or rearranged” their food for a better snap — and 59% say they’ve prevented their friends from digging in, just to get that important first shot.
Fifty-three percent of those polled say they’ve been inspired to try a recipe after seeing it on their social media timelines, and 85% say they’ve experienced a craving for a food spurred entirely by seeing it on their socials.
Pics of pizza top that crave list, at 41%, though burgers are close behind at 37%. Fancy cocktails that show up on their feeds got 30% to want to wet their whistles.
One respondent even admitted to trying watermelon with yellow mustard on it, after it trended on Tiktok.