While planning your next vacation, you might be saving restaurant recommendations from your favourite travel influencers or browsing location tags for the most photogenic food spots.
But according to digital marketing specialist Mark Baldwin of Baldwin Digital, this popular approach might be steering you toward overpriced tourist traps rather than authentic culinary experiences.
“What most travellers don’t realise is that the restaurants dominating their social feeds aren’t necessarily the best local dining options,” explains Baldwin, who has analysed how digital algorithms influence consumer behaviour. “They’re simply the ones that generate the most engagement online.”
Baldwin’s insights reveal how social media’s recommendation systems can actually prevent travellers from discovering the true flavours of their destination. Below, he explains why you should reconsider your food-finding strategy on your next trip and offers better alternatives for authentic dining experiences.
Why Social Media Leads Travellers Astray
Social media platforms aren’t designed to help you find the best food—they’re built to keep you scrolling and engaging. This fundamental misalignment affects everything you see in your feed, including restaurant recommendations.
“Social media algorithms favour content that gets likes, shares, and comments,” Baldwin points out. “This means the restaurants you see most often are those that photograph well or have a viral gimmick, not necessarily those serving the most authentic or delicious food.”
The consequences of this algorithmic bias are particularly evident in popular tourist destinations, where viral visibility can transform a mediocre restaurant into a must-visit attraction virtually overnight.
The Problem With Trending Restaurants
Restaurants that trend on social media often share common characteristics that may not align with an authentic culinary experience:
1. Designed for photos, not flavour
Many trending restaurants prioritise visually striking presentations or unusual serving methods that capture attention online but don’t necessarily deliver on taste or cultural authenticity.
2. Inflated prices for social status
Once a restaurant becomes a social media hotspot, prices typically increase to capitalise on the newfound fame, leaving travellers paying premium rates for what locals might consider average food.
3. Cultural dilution
To appeal to international visitors and their preconceptions, many popular restaurants modify traditional dishes, resulting in watered-down versions of local cuisine that locals rarely eat themselves.
4. Overcrowding and rushed service
The influx of social media tourists can transform once-pleasant dining spots into overcrowded venues where quality and service suffer under the pressure of high turnover.
5 Better Ways to Find Authentic Food While Travelling
Instead of relying on social media algorithms, Baldwin recommends these alternative approaches to discover genuine local cuisine:
Talk to locals away from tourist zones
“The most valuable food recommendations come from people who live in the area but aren’t directly involved in the tourism industry,” Baldwin suggests. “Strike up conversations with shop owners, taxi drivers, or residents in neighbourhoods away from major attractions.”
Explore local markets
Fresh food markets offer both an authentic cultural experience and insights into local cuisine. “Markets are where locals shop for ingredients and often where you’ll find some of the freshest prepared food in any city,” says Baldwin. “They’re also perfect places to ask vendors where they eat when they’re not working.”
Look for restaurants without English menus
Establishments catering primarily to locals often don’t bother with translated menus. “While this might seem intimidating, these restaurants typically offer the most authentic regional cuisine at fair prices,” Baldwin explains. “Translation apps can help you navigate the menu, or you can simply point to what others are eating.”
Follow food-focused local blogs
Unlike global influencers, local food bloggers often highlight lesser-known establishments. “Search for food blogs specific to your destination that are written by residents rather than travellers,” recommends Baldwin. “These writers typically have no incentive to promote tourist traps and can lead you to hidden gems.”
Join food tours led by residents
“Small, locally-operated food tours can provide access to authentic establishments while offering cultural context that enhances your appreciation of the cuisine,” Baldwin notes. “Look for tours with small group sizes that visit neighbourhoods outside the main tourist districts.”
Mark Baldwin, Digital Marketing Specialist at Baldwin Digital, commented: “The disconnect between social media popularity and food quality creates a parallel universe where travellers eat completely different meals than locals, often at triple the price. This isn’t just about missing out on better food—it’s about missing a genuine connection with the culture you’re visiting. Food is a gateway to understanding a place, and when algorithms dictate your dining choices, you’re experiencing a version of that destination filtered through engagement metrics rather than authentic culture.
“What’s particularly concerning is how this algorithmic curation creates feedback loops that can transform entire neighbourhoods into tourist-only zones, where prices rise, authenticity fades, and locals eventually leave altogether. To truly experience a destination, we need to break free from our digital habits and embrace the unpredictability that makes travel worthwhile—including the willingness to eat somewhere that doesn’t have a thousand tagged photos.”