Chili’s Spends $750,000 Annually to Make Their Burger Buns Look Better in Instagram Photos

In an effort to promote social media sharing, Chili’s claims they’re spending roughly $750,000 a year to make more photogenic burger buns. The restaurant chain is dishing out major budget for an egg glaze that makes the buns shiny. As a result, they hope diners will find them more photogenic and will be more likely to share photos of them to services like Instagram and Facebook. At the bottom of Chili’s website there is a collection of customer Instagrams, and the company urges others to share their photos with #Chilis.

These updated buns were introduced this Fall after Chili’s began working with Continuum, a brand consulting firm hired to help the chain keep up with the changing times and stay fresh and exciting. Along with the shinier buns, the chain has also added trendier stainless steel french fry holders, and have started stacking their ribs instead of serving them in a single slab.

One more futuristic touch: Chili’s has upgraded its service with new Ziosk tablets, which let customers order drink refills and pay the bill without the help of a waiter.

An egg wash on a bun is certainly nothing new when it comes to food photography. In fact, there are all kinds of tricks food stylists use to make food look appetizing in photographs. Still, it’s interesting to see a big chain like Chili’s going so far out of their way to make their food more photogenic.

Here are some tips for better food photography even if your hamburger bun isn’t shiny.

From: ABC News