Tots are the new fries. Raw milk is the new store-bought milk. Soda pop is being replaced with Poppi. A nightcap is now a Sleepy Girl Mocktail. If you’re clinging to your shoestring fries and Diet Coke and wondering what on Earth any of this means, don’t worry. Chattanooga isn’t really trading your old favorites for TikTok trends — but products gaining popularity are available to explore for those interested. Here’s how local businesses are keeping up with trending digestive drinks, freeze-dried candy, boba products and more.
Got the Hots for Tots
When Burger Republic opened in Nashville in 2012, Chief Operating Officer Wayne Neeley says it was ahead of the curve on tater tots. The Nashville chain recently came to Chattanooga in 2022 and is located across from the Tennessee Aquarium.
The restaurant opened with a tater tot fondue on the menu that has still earned a place in the lineup 12 years later.
The American and Swiss cheese fondue blend is made with lager beer and garnished with Benton’s Tennessee-made bacon bits, Neeley says, resulting in an “amazing taste.”