hook-engine

name	hook-engine
description	6 hook types × platform compatibility matrix
plugin	git-plugin-amc

Skill · Hook Engine

F&B Content Engine · core/hook-engine.md

─────────────────────────────────────────

Purpose

Every post needs a hook — the single line or frame that stops the scroll and creates an emotion BEFORE the audience reads or watches further.

Food hooks must create EMOTION (craving / curiosity / comfort). Pure information is NOT a hook.

---

The 6 Hook Types

1 · Craving Hook (smell / sizzle / steam)

Make them hungry before they see the photo.

Best platforms: Instagram ★★★ · TikTok ★★★ · RedNote ★★★

Examples:

• "That sizzle when the wok hits the oil... 🔥"
• "Close your eyes. Now imagine 麻辣香锅. That's what we just made."
• "Steam rising. Chopsticks ready. You know what time it is."
• "The sound your lunch makes when it's almost ready."

Writing rule: Use sensory verbs. Sizzle, steam, pour, drip, pull, wrap, char.

---

2 · Deal Hook (value first)

Lead with the number. Price, portion, or saving — upfront, not buried.

Best platforms: Instagram ★★★ · RedNote ★★★ · Facebook ★★★

Examples:

• "$12.90 lunch set. Feeds two. You do the math."
• "Family meal for 4 under $40. Yes, really."
• "This combo just dropped and it's cheaper than cooking at home."
• "Lunch special ends at 3pm. Don't say we didn't warn you."

Writing rule: Never bury the price. It must be in the first line or on screen in the first 2 seconds.

---

3 · Discovery Hook (something new or hidden)

Make them feel like they found something others don't know about yet.

Best platforms: RedNote ★★★ · Instagram ★★★ · TikTok ★★★

Examples:

• "We added this to the menu and nobody can stop ordering it."
• "Hidden menu item: most people don't know we make this fresh daily."
• "The dish our regulars always order but never appears on the front page."
• "Ask for this by name. It's not on the photo menu."

Writing rule: Frame it as insider knowledge. The reader should feel privileged.

---

4 · Community Hook (social proof / belonging)

Anchor the content in what real people are doing and ordering.

Best platforms: Facebook ★★★ · RedNote ★★ · Instagram ★★

Examples:

• "Our regulars order this 200+ times a week."
• "The dish that keeps the neighborhood coming back."
• "You asked for it. It's back."
• "When the lunch rush hits and everyone orders the same thing — this is why."

Writing rule: Use real numbers when possible. "200+ times a week" beats "very popular".

---

5 · Contrarian Hook (challenge a food assumption)

Start with an opinion that pushes back against a common belief.

Best platforms: X ★★★ · TikTok ★★★

Examples:

• "Delivery doesn't mean soggy. Not ours anyway."
• "You don't need to spend $30 for great Chinese food."
• "Authentic doesn't mean complicated. Our best dish has 4 ingredients."
• "Hot food delivered cold is a choice. We chose differently."

Writing rule: The opinion must be defensible and specific to your product. Never attack competitors by name (YELLOW compliance flag).

---

6 · Behind-the-Scenes Hook (kitchen / process / realness)

Pull back the curtain. Show the work behind the food.

Best platforms: TikTok ★★★ · IG Reels ★★ · YouTube ★★★ · RedNote ★★★

Examples:

• "5am. Wok already hot. This is how your lunch gets made."
• "Hand-pulled noodles. No machine. Just skill and 30 years of practice."
• "What goes into a $12.90 set meal. (More than you think.)"
• "The prep that happens before we open so your food is ready in 15 minutes."

Writing rule: The rawer and more real, the better. Imperfection reads as authenticity.

---

Platform Compatibility Matrix

Hook Type	IG	TikTok	RedNote	FB	YT	X
Craving	★★★	★★★	★★★	★★	★★	★
Deal	★★★	★★	★★★	★★★	★	★
Discovery	★★★	★★★	★★★	★★	★★	★★
Community	★★	★	★★	★★★	★	★
Contrarian	★	★★★	★	★	★★	★★★
BTS	★★	★★★	★★★	★★	★★★	★

★★★ Primary fit · ★★ Works well · ★ Use sparingly

---

Rules

1. Test 2-3 hooks per topic before committing. The best hook isn't always obvious.
2. Track engagement per hook type per platform. Update this file weekly.
3. Remove underperformers monthly. Add new winners from top-performing posts.
4. The Instagram hook is almost never the same as the RedNote hook. Different audiences, different triggers.
5. One hook per post. Mixing hook types dilutes the emotional signal.

---

Maintenance

This file is a living document. After every weekly review ([[core/scheduling]]):

• Note which hook type drove the highest engagement per platform
• Add new hook examples that performed well
• Remove examples that fell flat
• Update the compatibility matrix if patterns shift