Food Tour Guide

About Viral Food Tours

Viral Food Tours is New York City’s first tour dedicated entirely to the city’s most viral restaurants — the ones with lines down the block and millions of views online. We make it possible to experience 6–8 of NYC’s trendiest spots in under 3 hours without waiting in line. Our West Village route features icons like Apollo Bagels, L’Industrie Pizzeria, and L’Appartement 4F, blending incredible top-rated food with storytelling, history, and insider access.

About the Role

We’re looking for charismatic, food-loving guides to lead our West Village tours. You’ll bring energy, humor, and local insight to each stop while helping guests experience NYC’s food scene like true insiders.

What You’ll Do

• Lead 2.5–3 hour walking tours featuring 6–8 viral restaurants and tastings
• Share stories about NYC’s food culture, restaurant history, and neighborhood landmarks
• Coordinate seamlessly with partner restaurants to ensure smooth logistics
• Capture and upload photos and videos during tours for marketing and documentation

Schedule

• Tours most frequently run on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, starting at 10:30 AM or 12 PM.
• Each tour includes roughly 30–60 minutes of prep, 2.5–3 hours of guiding, and a brief wrap-up afterward.
• Occasional tours are offered on Wednesdays and Thursdays (10:30 AM or 12 PM), along with private and corporate events throughout the week.
• Guides choose which tours to accept. We simply ask for reliability once a tour is confirmed.

Compensation (per tour)

• $115 - Weekday public tours (~3.25 hrs total)
• $140 - Weekend public tours (~4 hrs total)
• $150–$200 - Private or corporate tours (varies by size & customization)
• Guides may also receive tips directly from guests at their discretion.
• Guides are eligible for cash bonuses for being mentioned in 5 star reviews
• Guides are welcome to enjoy plenty of amazing leftover food on and after the tour as well!

Training & Onboarding

New guides complete a paid onboarding process to learn our routes, restaurant partnerships, and tour flow:

• One-hour orientation session — $35
• Several 4-hour “training tours” — $140 each, including prep, live observation, and debrief. Before leading tours independently, guides typically complete 2–3 paid training tours (some shadowing, some co-led with the Viral Food Tours team)

Who You Are

• Licensed (or license-eligible) NYC Sightseeing Guide
• Confident speaking to groups up to 12 guests
• Passionate about NYC’s food scene and great storytelling
• Friendly, punctual, and detail-oriented
• Experience in hospitality, performance, or tourism is a plus

Brand Presentation

Guides are encouraged to wear Viral Food Tours–branded shirts or apparel during tours to create a consistent, professional guest experience. Shirts are provided by the company at no cost.

Contract Type

Independent contractor (1099). Flexible schedule, paid per tour, no guaranteed minimum hours. As Viral Food Tours grows, there may be opportunities to transition into part-time employee roles for those interested.

Interested?

If you’re the kind of person who can make people laugh and make them hungry — we’d love to hear from you!