Free guide for restaurants & cafés
13 food reels that need almost no editing.
Short formats where the caption does the work: 1 to 6 clips, 4 to 15 seconds. Each one tells you what to film, what to write on screen and how to cut it. Plus a one-day shot list so you can batch-film several in one session.
What's inside
The 13 formats, at a glance.
The guide has the full breakdown for each one: the shots to get, the caption pattern with examples, timing, and the one edit move that makes it work.
- Setup → Payoff2 clips · 5–8 s
Anticipation first, then the food arrives. The caption sets up the joke; the dish answers it.
- Send-to-Friend3–5 clips · 6–8 s
Quick pull shots of different dishes under one line that begs to be shared.
- Color Reveal1–2 clips · 4–8 s
Black and white until the pour or the chili hits, then it snaps to color.
- Word Per Clip3–5 clips · 4–6 s
Three words, three clips, under a second each. Works great with a second language under each word.
- Quote → Denial2–3 clips · 4–6 s
A polite suggestion, a beat, then the indulgent truth.
- Comment Bait1 clip · 4–6 s
One satisfying action and a "this one owes you a ___" line that gets people tagging friends.
- Story Stack1 clip · 5–8 s
One table shot, then escalating lines stack up while the frame freezes.
- Everybody Wants… This2 clips · 4–6 s
Something ordinary, then your hero dish. Two clips, one contrast.
- One-Caption Recipe3–6 clips · 8–15 s
The whole recipe in one line, with a small label on each step.
- POV1–3 clips · 4–8 s
The customer's view of ordering or plating. The simplest one to film.
- Order This, Not That2 clips · 4–6 s
Two dishes, one winner. Your regulars will argue in the comments.
- What $X Gets You3–6 clips · 6–12 s
A price up top and every item labeled. Value, shown instead of told.
- Menu ASMR3–6 clips · 6–12 s
Sizzle, pour, crunch. Sound-led, no music, barely any text.
- The one-day shot listBonus
What to film, in what order, in one session, so you have clips ready for several of these.
Why these work
The caption does the work. The b-roll is interchangeable.
Short on purpose
Every format is 4 to 15 seconds. Fewer clips means fewer edits, and short reels are easy to watch twice.
One idea per reel
Each format has one caption idea. You don't need a script, a voiceover or a trending sound.
No face needed
All 13 work with only food on camera, so whoever is on shift can film them.
Want Claude to edit these for you?
CounterCut is a reel-editing kit for food businesses: you film, Claude edits, you direct scene by scene. Launching December 2026.