Rural Manitoba restaurant gains global attention with social media challenge
Posted August 16, 2026 5:38 pm.
Last Updated August 17, 2026 5:23 pm.
At first, manager Jay Freisen’s goal was to have people from 60 towns visit in 60 days to help offset the slow season. That “Little bit of fun” quickly took off for the Somerset Food Bar and Lounge in Somerset, Manitoba. The 60 towns in 60 days happened in just 10, so they decided to escalate it to 100 towns, and four days later they blew past it.
“Usually it’s quiet in our little small town in Manitoba; everyone takes off to the lake for the summer to enjoy some sun, so we decided to have a little fun and see how many outsiders we could get in town,” said Friesen.
“We just passed 200 towns visiting us yesterday actually, we’re at 204 towns as of today, and we have no idea when it’s going to stop. It’s just been this insane reaction from all of Manitoba supporting us.”
Friesen says they’ve had customers visit from 133 communities in the province, but globally, seven countries including Mexico, Poland, France, Belgium, Italy and the U.S.
“They were in love with it. Just like romanticizing the idea of just this small quaint little place is blowing up and getting the attention of the province, and just blown away at the family’s history as well,” said Friesen.
The restaurant has been in the family for generations. Friesen’s grandparents bought it in 1979; he remembers being three years old peeling carrots with his grandmother, and he could never have imagined their business garnering this much attention, seeing over half a million views on social media over the past month alone.
“It’s been a night-and-day experience as far as the traffic we’re seeing, and totally grateful for everyone stopping by and checking it out. It’s been a totally different summer than we’re used to,” said Friesen.
Although Friesen doesn’t know what’s next, it’s been a rewarding journey that’s touched his heart and showed the world what a small town with a population of just over 400 people can offer.
“Hearing the stories and as I make the videos covering the towns that have visited us, I get to learn a little bit more about some of the communities so learning some of these things these small towns have to offer that are just down the road that I never would have heard of otherwise are really awesome and it’s just great seeing how supportive small town Manitoba is,” said Friesen.
