Food influencer funds law degree by reviewing Basel restaurants

Food influencer Marko Milic is financing his law studies by reviewing restaurants, cafés and takeaway venues in the Basel region and nearby areas abroad, SRF reports. He has around 20,000 followers on Instagram, and most of the meals he reviews are paid for himself.

Before eating, Milic photographs the dishes while his best friend Youssef films him. His friends are used to waiting for their food, he says.

Milic prefers visiting restaurants unannounced and paying his own bill. He spends a high three-digit to low four-digit amount each month on food. What began as an expensive hobby has become his job alongside his law studies.

Restaurant owners increasingly recognise him and sometimes offer him the meal for free. Milic says this makes him uncomfortable because accepting free food can create expectations. He prefers formal partnerships in which he agrees with restaurants on what he will post and how much he will be paid. Paid videos must be clearly labelled on social media.

Maurus Ebneter of the Basel-Stadt restaurant association says such videos can help restaurants maintain a social media presence and reach a younger audience. The association does not make recommendations, he says, adding that each restaurant owner must decide whether to work with a food influencer based on the audience they want to reach.

The influencer marketing market is growing rapidly. Estimates suggest that up to 200 million Swiss francs could be invested in influencer marketing across Switzerland next year. Darius Zumstein, a professor at FHNW, says working with influencers can be particularly useful for reaching a young audience.

Milic has been regularly reviewing restaurants and events in the Basel region on social media for about two years. The work takes considerable time alongside his studies. He says he sometimes works on a video until late at night before returning to university early the next morning.

After graduating, Milic plans to pursue a career in law. Until then, his friends may have to keep waiting for their meals from time to time.