There are many songs that get stuck in my head because TikTok made them viral: “Best Friend” by Saweetie, “Transparency” by Willow, and “Kiss Me More” by Doja Cat are just a few.
And then there are those songs that seem a little more kitchy than serious, but somehow you still end up singing them like they are a pop hit by Ariana Grande (I’m looking at you Bo Burnham). “Fancy Like” is one of those songs. The lyrics "We fancy like Applebee's on a date night, got that Bourbon Street steak with the Oreo shake. Get some whipped cream on the top too, two straws, one check, girl, I got you” are cute and quirky, and I still find myself humming them throughout the day.
Applebee’s is taking full advantage of said catchiness and bringing back the Oreo shake name-dropped in the song. Appebee’s president John Cywinski, told CNN Business the song created a renewed buzz around the drink after the restaurant chain nixed it when they slimmed down the menu during the pandemic.
"We do have people singing it and dancing to it in our restaurants," he said: "We love being part of the conversation." Soon, you’ll see commercials featuring the shake as it makes its way back to the menu at different locations.
The song, which is by Walker Hayes, has been featured in about half a million videos on TikTok. “There's a window of opportunity when you have a cultural phenomenon like ‘Fancy Like,’”Cywinski continued.
Applebee’s sales rose 102 percent last quarter, part of which could be from the song’s popularity. In 2016, Red Lobster saw a 33 percent increase in sales after Beyonce dropped the restaurant’s name in the song “Formation.” Maybe soon we will see Texas Roadhouse tap Katy Perry for a mention on her next hit single?
