Confirmed: Meta has described a shift toward originality
In its January 2026 update, Meta reported that it increased the prevalence of original content in US Instagram recommendations by 10 percentage points in Q4 2025, with 75% of recommendations coming from original posts. That is a company-reported platform observation, not a forecast for a restaurant account.
Our interpretation: show what only this business can show
Originality does not require an expensive production every week. It can begin with a real preparation process, a useful explanation from an authorized staff member or a recognizable detail of the dining experience.
Hypothetical example: instead of reposting another restaurant’s popular plating video, a local kitchen shows how its own dish is finished and explains what a guest should expect. The business has supplied something relevant and specific rather than borrowing another brand’s identity.
Build a manageable capture routine. Decide which moments can be filmed safely without disrupting service, who approves factual claims and which people have agreed to appear. Retain source files and permissions so future reuse does not become guesswork.
What to watch: useful response, not novelty alone
A trend can still fit the brand, but it should serve a message. Test whether the piece answers a guest question and whether the linked profile supports the next step. A more original video can still be unclear, poorly targeted or unhelpful.
Review the mix over time rather than declaring a format successful after one unusually strong post. Keep platform announcements separate from your own measured results.
Use Social Media & Content to connect production with a purposeful calendar. Limitations: recommendation systems change, company-wide figures do not predict account performance, and originality does not eliminate copyright, music or likeness obligations.
Sources
- 2026: AI Drives Performance Meta Newsroom · 2026-01-28
Written by the PandaPath Growth Lab. Data, platform features and policies are linked to their original sources; examples marked “hypothetical” are illustrations, not client results.
