Chart Rewind: In 2021, Walker Hayes’ Commercial Song Was ‘Eatin’ Good’ at No. 1
A TikTok dance and shake spurred a phenomenon in “Fancy Like.”
In 2021, Walker Hayes' song "Eatin' Good" ascended to the top spot on the charts, becoming the most popular track in his career. This commercial song was inspired by the family's frequent visits to Wendy's and Applebee's. Hayes, along with Josh Jenkins, Shane Stevens, and Cameron Bartolini, co-wrote the track, which was produced by Hayes, Shane McAnally, and Joe Thibodeau. The song earned seven times-Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
The catchy tune was featured in a popular dance created by Hayes and his daughter for the song "Fancy Like." This dance trended on TikTok, leading to a TV advertising campaign for Applebee's. At its peak, the advertisement aired over 100 times a day on national TV, boosting the song's popularity on various platforms. After debuting on Billboard's multimetric Hot Country Songs chart on June 26, 2021, "Fancy Like" quickly climbed the charts, reaching No. 1 on July 24 and maintaining its position for a record-breaking 10 consecutive weeks starting September 25.
Simultaneously, "Fancy Like" dominated other charts, including the Country Streaming Songs chart, the Billboard Hot 100, and Country Airplay, peaking at No. 5, No. 3, and No. 1, respectively. The success of the song even prompted Applebee's to bring back its Oreo cookie shake on the menu. As a token of appreciation, Hayes was granted free food for life at any Applebee's location.
However, in an August 2025 interview on Taste of Country Nights, Hayes revealed that he had taken a break from Applebee's due to the old adage, "familiarity breeds boredom."
Written by urgent.news from Billboard's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
