[Trib Live] Pittsburgh bloggers, influencers launch hashtag campaign to support restaurants

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By Joanne Klimovich Harrop

This hashtag is intended to be food for thought.

Amanda Narcisi, chief editor of BOLD Pittsburgh, a local media outlet, collaborated with bloggers and influencers to create a social media presence to promote area restaurants.

Through her blog, podcast, YouTube and social channels, she is urging people to use #mypghtakeout when posting photos of food on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Restaurants are also invited to share menus or daily specials.

Many of these businesses normally struggle this time of year, but have suffered greater financial losses from the dining restrictions because of the pandemic, she said.

“I just wanted to help,” said Narcisi, an Emsworth native who lives in Mt. Lebanon. “I order out as much as I can, promote as much as I can, but I am only one person.”

Narcisi reached out to 40 food bloggers and influencers to join her in this venture and share their dining experiences.

They already have more than 260 tagged on Instagram.

“It is all about helping the phones ring at local restaurants, breweries and markets,” Narcisi said. “Most restaurants, breweries and markets in Pittsburgh have switched to takeout or delivery during this time. But this has not been enough.”

She said social media is a way to give people a look at what the businesses offer, from food to beer to wine and even merchandise.

“These restaurants will now appear on more peoples’ timelines,” Narcisi said.

The plan is to do this for at least the rest of January and into February and longer if needed, Narcisi said.

“I also hope it will create new places for people to go that they might not know about,” she said. “Pittsburgh has had a food boom the past few years and we want that to continue. We want to use social media to connect people and not divide them.”

The idea came during Michael Sorg’s Pittsburgh podcast“Awesomecast,” where Katie Dudas and John Chichilla are co-hosts. Dudas, of Crafton Heights, and Narcisi talked about the restaurant idea off-air. Narcisi told Dudas about wanting to promote local restaurants.

“I am happy to help out,” Dudas said. “I’ve made sure to give extra tips on my takeout orders. It’s about having empathy for these workers and small businesses.”

JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact JoAnne at 724-853-5062, jharrop@triblive.com or via Twitter .