“Alright guys,” said Dylan McArthur in his most recent mukbang video on TikTok, where he sits in front of the camera to review popular food items for his audience of 850 thousand followers.

McArthur is a 2024 Florida Atlantic University graduate and a social media influencer known as “Dylaneatss” across social media platforms. He shared his story about gaining popularity online for his mukbang videos while attending FAU classes for a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice degree—which he completed last spring at 19 years old. 

He explained that he was able to graduate at that age because he earned an associate’s degree through his high school’s dual enrollment program in Ocala, Fla.

After graduating high school, he enrolled at FAU in 2022 and lived in the dorms at Parliament Hall on the Boca Raton campus. During his first year of in-person classes, he began filming mukbang videos ironically and shared them on social media.

“It’s funny because when I got to high school, I always would always make mukbang videos with my friends just for fun,” McArthur said. “I always just found it interesting and weirdly satisfying, just hearing and watching people eat.” 

McArthur continued to post videos throughout his college career after noticing an increase in views. He said his social media presence grew in his sophomore year and was bigger than anticipated. He says that sudden momentum “felt unreal.” 

Molly Mensch, a junior at FAU studying international business and one of McArthur’s best friends, reflected on how consistently posting content led to his success.

“When Dylan started getting popular on TikTok, it was pretty funny and hard to believe but genuinely so exciting,” Mensch said. “He was so consistent and real with his content that I knew he deserved it, and it would continue.”

McArthur continued to post more mukbang content on TikTok, by setting up his mobile phone with a light stand in the comfort of his room. While filming, he would eat and review popular food such as Chipotle Mexican Grill, Chili’s Grill & Bar and Crumbl cookies. He says his non-picky taste and adventurous palate help him create unique content for his fans. 

McArthur mentioned that his top three most-viewed videos, each with over 10 million views, featured him eating food from Chipotle Mexican Grill.

He added that he recently collaborated on a video with the “Costo Guys,” A.J. & Big Justice, a father and son duo that reviews food items at Costco Wholesale. He has also teamed up with Chipotle and Chili’s Grill & Bar to create content reviewing their food items. 

Additionally, McArthur has landed paid advertisement partnerships with companies such as Poppi, which sells sparkling probiotic soda, and Bloom Nutrition, a supplement brand. He added that he is able to stay afloat financially on his own by making videos and from paid sponsorships. But he’s not always going to rely solely on these means.

“I make a good amount, but I’m personally still in the process of looking for another job,” McArthur said. “So basically, I just put the money that TikTok pays me, and I put it towards my food, so it’s kind of like a business transaction.”

At some point, he plans to visit different continents, including Europe and Asia, to try new foods. 

McArthur said the social media influencer industry is competitive, with many social media creators hopping on popular trends, including food reviews and Mukbangs. So, he plans to take a few years to see where his social media career takes him. If it serves him well, McArthur said he will stick with it. If not, he plans to attend law school.

“I just try my best not to be a trend hopper… but I will say it is kind of hard,” said McArthur. “I just try my best not to copy, but I do take ideas [for inspiration] from other people.”

He attempts to remain unique with his content by ordering large portions of food and adding generous amounts of sauce and cheese to make it visually appealing. 

Roxy Taylor, who has been friends with McArthur since high school, commended his personality with his rise in popularity and his weekly reviews of foods.

“I’ve always been a fan of ‘Crumbl’ cookies, personally,” Taylor said. “I look forward to their weekly flavor reveals and I also look forward to Dylan’s weekly review.”

Michael Cook is the News Editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email michael17cook@gmail.com.