Eating Across America. Daymon Patterson

that more and more people were starting to do fast food reviews in their vehicles as well, though when I started out it was just me. I felt as if I was on to something great. Now, a community of food critics was being built. That Five Guys review drove my channel in a very different direction. It went viral with the help of a user “Zidar25” and a young man on my Facebook Friends list who contacted me and told me he put my Five Guys review on Reddit (a site that I knew nothing about back then and later found out is the front page of the Internet that will literally take you from the unknown to the known in a short matter of time). Reddit attention is what boosted my Five Guys review from a few thousand views to literally a few hundred thousand within two days of receiving that Facebook message.

      The news on YouTube caught wind of my rapidly growing video and the Gregory Brothers, known for Auto-Tune, reached out letting me know their thoughts and told me to check out how they turned my regular food review into a song called, “Oh My Dayum!” Instantly I fell in love with the song. From that moment, I entered my first major YouTube contract and they helped me shape my career on the platform, getting me linked with Maker Studios and events that I was part of.

      The YouTube news of my video spread fast. Every news outlet jumped on the story and I started making a few TV appearances. In 2012, I signed a limited series contract with the Travel Channel for my own TV Show, Best Daym Takeout (which aired July 31, 2013). In the show I would travel to sample foods from three well known spots within each city, rate which of the three had the best bites, and award that location at the end of the show.

      This attention placed me on episodes of Dr. Oz. Jimmy Fallon had me give him two exclusive food reviews that he did some amazing pieces on. That is how Rachael Ray found me, scooped me up quickly, and signed me to be the Food Correspondent on her show, which I have been for the past two seasons.

      So, I tell people to put themselves out there when it comes to YouTube, you never know where this life will take you, but you have to be ready for what may come. There is no guide to success and fame, you will have to learn what works for you along the way. But YouTube has changed many lives over the years and made kids millionaires, when years ago you needed multiple degrees, wise investments, to be born into it, and/or hit the lotto just to see your first million. Kid stars are born every day with the way social media is set up.

      So again, who am I? My name is Daymon Patterson, the “YouTube Food Titan” and welcome to Eating Across America: A Foodie’s Guide to Food Trucks, Street Food and Cheap Eats.

      My story is a unique one and I love to share it when people ask, “What made you want to do food reviews?”

      If you recall the old TV show on Travel Channel, Man vs Food with Adam Richman, he had (to me) the BEST JOB a person could have−eat food, travel and get paid for it! My only thought was, “How could I get that lucky?”

      Now at this time, YouTube was still fairly new, but it was also a platform to film your passion as you saw fit. In mid-2009, I decided to start talking about the places that I would frequent on my lunch breaks at Walmart in Rocky Hill, Connecticut.

      I mean, why not? I had a Kodak Playtouch (Vloggie Camera) that I would prop up on my steering wheel, look into the camera, and speak my mind on whatever I had for lunch that day from the surrounding fast food locations.

      This all started out as nothing more than a hobby since I had an hour to kill on my break; and honestly, there was nothing else to do but sleep after I ate…until it was time to go back to work.

      I started my YouTube adventure with a new food review each week and over time this started a small base of subscribers (that I would later start calling, Foodie Fam).

      My Foodie Fam was made up of like-minded foodies who enjoyed my direct yet enthusiastic way of describing fast food. Over time they would start leaving comments as to where they wanted me to go next.

      This interactive style of doing requested food reviews definitely helped to shape my YouTube channel. In all reality, the YouTube Community is who I strongly credit for my food review style and persona.

      No fast food was considered SAFE! If I did not like something, biting my tongue at that moment was never an option. You are supposed to lay all of your cards on the table regardless of which QSR is being reviewed, good or bad. I gave the facts straight and broke down each bite with AUTHORITY!

      Let us be honest with ourselves, when you watch a commercial all you will see are smiling faces that seem to be impressed by whatever the “next big thing” is at these fast food locations, and because it is a commercial, the food is made to look its best. But on the consumer end, certain locations fall FLAT on their delivery of what was shown in the commercial.

      You get yourself ready for that first bite that then only sends your attitude quickly spiraling downhill into a pit of despair all over that new signature burger. What a great way to ruin your lunch, right?

      This is how I would feel constantly on my lunch break. But no one knew… prior to my channel. But YouTube allows me a platform to verbalize those thoughts and share them with the masses. Ultimately, this created the brand, “Daym Drops.”

      Daym is part of my first name, Daymon, and Drops because (as I phrase it) I am dropping a new review each week. The channel name that you pick is important; it is the name that will represent you across all forms of social media and becomes a large footprint many others seek out over the years.

      You want to choose something that best describes you and most definitely a name that speaks out LOUD AND CLEAR to the YouTube Community. This would be your next step after setting up your Google Ad Sense account as you begin learning the process and procedures of YouTube.

      Perhaps you are thinking, “Why fast food?” When I look back on my YouTube Career, had I started with a healthier option not as easily accessible without travel versus doing a meal prep schedule at home, had I gone THAT route, would I be where I am today, working with Rachael Ray and executive chefs? Would THIS all still be my story? Perhaps it would be but in a very different way.