Toronto influencer Jordan Shore spends up to $1,000 per month on restaurant food for his videos. He recently featured nigiri from Oroshi Fish Co.Jordan Shore/Supplied
Hi, I’m Olivia Grandy, a Globe business reporter, and I’m filling in for David Berman while he takes some well-deserved holidays.
We’re halfway through the summer of 2026, and online influencers are testing patios, sizzling bites and icy drinks. It looks glamorous, but before you rush out to try their latest recommendations, how much does it all cost?
Jordan Shore is a full-time content creator and actor based in Toronto, who highlights local dining spots and has roughly 65,000 followers across platforms. He estimates that he spends between $500 and $1,000 a month on food at restaurants for his videos.
Although income for digital influencers is highly volatile, Mr. Shore, 31, made roughly $163,000 in take-home income from content creation in 2025 – and expects to top that this year.
Most of that comes from paid partnerships, such as with grocery and alcohol brands. But many followers come to his page for his frequent restaurant posts: In July, he posted about 25 of these videos.
Mr. Shore visits some restaurants as a paying customer, but other times is gifted meals by restaurants in exchange for favourable coverage. When he pays for his meals himself, dining out is a business expense, making the food eligible for tax deductions.
“When I took my friend to Brasserie Côte for a $300 birthday dinner, obviously, A) I get to treat her, B) I get to also enjoy the amazing food, C) I also get to put that against my income because I did create content,” Mr. Shore said.
Here’s a breakdown of one of Mr. Shore’s recent videos that featured some divine-looking fusion spots in Toronto. (I fear that I, too, am being influenced to try the perilla-infused cold noodles at Gyopo Brewery.)
Food video cost breakdown:
- Wafu carbonara from Tatsuro’s in Leslieville: $23
- Chutoro Bluefin nigiri from Oroshi Fish Co. in Dufferin Grove: $16 (Provided to Mr. Shore)
- Kamo tataki (sous vide duck) from Bellis Café & Bar in the Annex: $29 (Provided to Mr. Shore)
- Dotori guksu (cold acorn noodles) from Gyopo Brewery in Little Portugal: $22
- Hansang (multi-course signature experience) at Takja BBQ House in Little Italy: $135 per person (Provided to Mr. Shore)
- Tip (20 per cent): $45
- Total, including provided items: $270
Mr. Shore acknowledges that the world of content creation can, at times, put pressure on both him and his followers.
“Sometimes, being the first one to post about something really is the best way to get noticed. And, if you’re like the tenth creator to post about the viral Dunkaroo latte, not to say the content won’t necessarily do well, it just gets saturated at that point,” he said.
“It’s funny that I will give people FOMO, but I also experience it at the same time.”
The fear-of-missing-out dilemma can be painful for your bank account if you do spend, and painful for your soul if you do not. Shannon Lee Simmons, a certified financial planner, said it can be quelled with a thought experiment:
“I tell people to imagine if they had to post the receipt and the bill beside everything they put on social media. Would you feel proud or not? Or would you feel sheepish?” she said.
Ultimately, Ms. Simmons said social pressure to spend is not unique to young people.
“This is not necessarily a Gen Z problem, this is a social media problem.”
Subscribe to the On Money newsletter
Olivia’s personal finance reading list
The trigger clause more couples want in their prenups
Lawyers are familiar with the marital horror story of divorce cases where the stay-at-home spouse is left with very little. But now, couples are requesting “trigger clauses” in their prenups. These clauses are often designed to financially protect a spouse in the case of certain life events. And couples may be getting tips from prenup info sessions that double as pilates classes. (The Wall Street Journal, paywall)
Don’t rely on AI for personal finance advice, study finds
Although temping, relying on artificial intelligence for personal finance advice is likely unwise. One U.S.-based study found that AI-generated responses can be inaccurate, demographically biased and vary depending on the tool used, pointing to the endurance of human-generated insights. (CNBC)
Should Canada build up alternatives to Visa and Mastercard?
As Canada continues to ask questions about data and financial sovereignty, another vulnerability is emerging: Our reliance on the U.S. in how we pay for stuff. In 2025, Visa and Mastercard controlled 96 per cent of Canada’s credit card market. Vass Bednar explores what would happen if that was turned against us. (The Walrus).
Chart of the day
Investors got what they feared, and the stock market was just fine. Tim Shufelt on how the stock market remains completely unfazed.
New products that caught my eye
This new IKEA magnetic knife block ($24.99). As someone who cooks a lot (and is continuously working on my chopping skills), reducing the friction of grabbing having to grab every knife out of the block to select my tool sounds like a dream.
In the social sphere
Social media
Users on North Vancouver’s subreddit are discussing their experiences negotiating lowered rent prices after the bubble burst. The original poster is paying $3,000 for a 700 square-foot, one-bedroom, one-den apartment. They are hoping for a price that better reflects the current market after previous increases.
The money-free zone
Pop star Dua Lipa is curating a festival, but not a musical one. The 30-year-old British hitmaker, who is also the host of a book club podcast called Service95, is creating the lineup for the London Literature Festival. The October, 2026, event will feature authors from Patti Smith to Sudanese-Canadian poet and musician Mustafa.