Dayton’s Crustymcg: Championing Local Restaurants One Viral Video at a Time
Inside the World of Crustymcg: Mike Woody's one-on-one with Dustin McGillivray, the Tecumseh grad turned local foodie and social media influencer known as Crustymcg.
Tecumseh Grad Turned Influencer: Meet Miami Valley Foodie Crustymcg
If online scrolling results in an increased appetite and the urge to say, “Let’s have lunch,” you have been watching Crustymcg aka Dustin McGillivray. With a following nearing 100,000, McGillivray’s videos are shining a spotlight on restaurants of all kinds across the Miami Valley.
In early 2025, McGillivray began filming himself eating at area restaurants and turning them into short reels. The project has become much more popular than McGillivray ever expected. Active on all major social media platforms, McGillivray produces reviews that consistently engage a massive audience—frequently amassing views in the hundreds of thousands and often reaching into the millions.
Though McGillivray loves good food, it’s satisfying the audience that really feeds his soul. “I love helping people find great places to eat, and the response I get from people is what keeps me wanting to find new and more exciting places,” he said.
A 2001 graduate of Tecumseh High School, McGillivray previously worked for Pepsi in various positions for almost twenty years. With the knowledge that some local restaurants were struggling, he decided to start the videos to provide some online exposure. “My goal was to make one video a day for three months and see what happened,” said McGillivray.
One review a day remains the goal, with McGillivray’s first thought after entering a restaurant being where he can sit for the best lighting. He films himself eating, aiming to let the story unfold naturally without any script to follow. The editing of each video then takes between one and three hours, based on forming the dialogue.
Though usually by himself when recording, on occasion, McGillivray has guests with him, and with their permission, are included in the video. The most familiar recurring ‘character’, who is known as the ‘camera man,’ is actually McGillivray’s father and provides some comic relief.
From classic staples to innovative new places opening up, McGillivray is delighted with the restaurant selection in the Miami Valley. He is dedicated to doing whatever he can to help support them and their owners. Despite all the delicious offerings he consumes, it’s the relationships formed that fill him. “My favorite part of all this has been getting to meet all the amazing people that keeps these restaurants going,” he said.
With aspirations of expanding upon what he’s started McGillivray has paired with Brand & Partnership Manager, Jessica Valle, to work on building a brand, merch, developing a website, and creating new marketing opportunities for restaurants in the area. In the future McGillivray would like to continue what he’s doing on a larger scale. “My dream would be to travel the world, try everything, meet people, and have an opportunity to tell their stories,” he said.
For Dayton area restaurant reviews follow Crustymcg:
Check him out, if you haven’t.
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