(MSN): A TikToker who shared a video of her parents’ empty Vietnamese restaurant has drawn sympathy from local TikTok viewers who are now visiting the business in droves, she said.
Jennifer Le posted a clip on January 18, where a man who she said was her father could be seen standing behind the counter of his restaurant, Lee’s Noodle House, in Santa Rosa, California, surrounded by empty tables.
“It makes me so sad to see my parents just wait for customers to walk through the door to eat at their Vietnamese restaurant,” an on-screen caption on the post read.
Le’s video went viral, receiving 1.2 million views, and dozens of commenters said they looked up the restaurant’s location on Google and were planning to visit and support the family.
“Seeing this right before my trip to Santa Rosa tomorrow it’s a sign! I’m definitely coming by!” wrote one commenter.
Other viewers said they liked or commented on the clip in the hope that interacting with the post would cause the algorithm to boost the video, a common theory among TikTok users.
On January 21, Le posted a follow-up video in which she thanked viewers for their kind comments and interactions on her initial post. In another video from February 2, she wrote in a series of on-screen captions that she has been working at her parents’ restaurant for the past six years, and while she had recently gone back, she would be returning soon to post more updates on how the business was doing.
“The amount of love & responses from the TikTok community has been insane! also, thank you for the customers who have been coming for years too! the comment sections has brought my parents and I to tears. we are so grateful for all the support, and for everyone who is coming out,” a secondary caption under the post read.