Viral TikTok dance to Walker Hayes’ country-pop track “Fancy Like,” which became a cultural phenomenon and sparked an Applebee’s marketing campaign after the song’s lyrics name-dropped the chain restaurant.
Origin & Viral Dance
Released June 2021, country singer Walker Hayes created a simple line dance with his daughter Lela to promote “Fancy Like.” The choreography went massively viral on TikTok, with the hashtag accumulating billions of views by summer 2021.
The song’s hook about getting “fancy like Applebee’s on a date night” resonated as relatable Americana, celebrating middle-class dating rather than luxury.
Applebee’s Marketing Phenomenon
The unexpected brand mention led Applebee’s to bring back their Oreo Cookie Shake (referenced in the lyrics) and feature the song in national TV commercials. The campaign became a business school case study in organic social media marketing.
Hayes’ Spotify monthly listeners jumped from ~200,000 to 5+ million. “Fancy Like” topped Billboard Hot Country Songs for 31 weeks.
Cultural Debate
The song sparked discourse about class, authenticity, and “basic” culture. Some praised its unpretentious celebration of accessible pleasures; critics called it corporate-friendly pandering.
Dance Trend
The simple choreography made it accessible to all ages, spawning family dance videos and becoming a line dancing staple at country bars and weddings.
Sources: