Since TikTok’s star food critic Keith Lee visited Toronto, business has not been the same

Keith Lee isn’t your regular food critic. The American only orders takeout and always eats the meal in his car, offering bite-by-bite reviews for his more than 16 million followers on TikTok. He mostly eschews the kind of high-end restaurants that traditional critics visit and instead reviews beloved mom-and-pop joints and no-frills spots.But similar to high-profile critics, a good review from Lee can drive a rush of new and eager customers, hour-long waits and lines snaking around the block. Call it the “Keith Lee effect.”Earlier this month, the Las Vegas-based creator visited Toronto for his first international food tour, stopping at seven restaurants downtown, in Scarborough and the Greater Toronto Area. He tried Bahamian and Somali food for the first time, trekked to a backyard bakery in Ajax, and encountered some of the nicest customer-service workers he’s met. “Toronto is the top three of places since we’ve been on this food tour, and it’s not even up for debate,” Lee said in a TikTok.