Keith Lee named TikTok’s 2023 Breakthrough Star thanks to food reviews

Keith Lee has skyrocketed in popularity over the last year thanks to the “Keith Lee effect” where his food review videos have had a profound effect on business for small restaurants.

Although his first bit of growth as a TikTok food reviewer took place in December 2022, Keith Lee has dialed in his process quite a bit over 2023.

Having recently gone on a “food tour” around the country, Keith Lee has changed the lives of restaurant owners in a variety of cities alongside his family.

It’s thanks to this that TikTok has named the former Bellator fighter as their Breakthrough Star in 2023 —for the United States, at least.

Keith Lee named TikTok’s Breakthrough Star for 2023

TikTok published their end of the year report on December 6, 2023, revealing some of the top creators and trends from the app throughout the previous year.

In each section, they reveal things and people from both the US and global popularity lists, and for “Breakthrough Star,” Keith Lee tops the United States.

“Keith Lee is a creator based in Las Vegas, NV who uses his platform to highlight small owned and family restaurants that may have amazing food and customer service, but are not well known. He uses his food review format to give his honest opinion while enjoying one of his passions — eating food,” it reads.

They even shared a link to Keith’s review of Frankenson’s Pizza – one of the first that really made Keith and his followers notice the impact social media can have on a business.

Rounding out the top 10 list for the United States, TikTok included several other rather popular names like Alix Earle, Young Miko, and Sofia Richie Grainge.

1. Keith_Lee125
2. Itsyoungmiko
3. Sofiarichiegrainge
4. ricardomendoza6180
5. angelreese10
6. octopusslover8
7. alixearle
8. _itzpsyiconic_
9. monetmcmichael
10. spectrexgaming

For more of our 2023 TikTok coverage, check out which K-Pop group had a song top the charts on the app.