Ethiopian restaurant sees surge in customers after #TikTok video goes viral
Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant, a U Street staple in Washington D.C. for nearly 30 years, has experienced an unexpected influx of customers thanks to a viral #TikTok video. Lydia Tefera, daughter of the restaurant's founders, posted an impromptu plea on the platform, voicing concerns about the business's future.
"Nearly almost 30 years in, it's coming to the point where we don't know how much longer this business is going to last," Lydia said in the video, which amassed nearly 1 million views within five days.
Founded in 1997 by Tefera Zewdie and Hiwot Gebru, Dukem has recently faced challenges common to many D.C. restaurants: rising costs and declining foot traffic. Following Tefera's unexpected passing in 2022, Lydia and her sister Yodit stepped up their involvement in the business, contemplating various options for its future while striving to maintain its legacy as one of U Street's pioneering Ethiopian eateries.
Yodit reflected on their social media outreach: "Right now, we're hoping that what we're doing, [our dad] would be proud." The strategy seems to be working, as many new diners cited Lydia's TikTok as their reason for visiting.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/08/23/dc-dukem-ethipoian-restaurant-tiktok/
Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant, a U Street staple in Washington D.C. for nearly 30 years, has experienced an unexpected influx of customers thanks to a viral #TikTok video. Lydia Tefera, daughter of the restaurant's founders, posted an impromptu plea on the platform, voicing concerns about the business's future.
"Nearly almost 30 years in, it's coming to the point where we don't know how much longer this business is going to last," Lydia said in the video, which amassed nearly 1 million views within five days.
Founded in 1997 by Tefera Zewdie and Hiwot Gebru, Dukem has recently faced challenges common to many D.C. restaurants: rising costs and declining foot traffic. Following Tefera's unexpected passing in 2022, Lydia and her sister Yodit stepped up their involvement in the business, contemplating various options for its future while striving to maintain its legacy as one of U Street's pioneering Ethiopian eateries.
Yodit reflected on their social media outreach: "Right now, we're hoping that what we're doing, [our dad] would be proud." The strategy seems to be working, as many new diners cited Lydia's TikTok as their reason for visiting.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/08/23/dc-dukem-ethipoian-restaurant-tiktok/