TikTok is a mixed bag of short-form video. Some posts are highly tailored, overproduced content from influencers who invest thousands in crafting each clip. Others are down-to-earth influencers who offer audiences a simple glimpse into everyday joy. For Chaz Arro, falling into the latter category came naturally, and the payoff looked like millions of likes in just a matter of months. Here’s how he went from construction foreman to social media titan so quickly.
Who is Chaz Arro?
Chaz Arro grew up in San Jose, California, and has worked full-time for his uncle’s company in underground utility construction for the past 22 years. At the age of 40, Chaz is now a site foreman, working with crews to handle pipe installation and trenching for gas, water, storm, and electrical needs. The company works in the broader San Jose area.
Chaz has been a casual TikTok and Instagram user, never thinking to strive for influencer stardom. But since blowing up in 2024, Chaz’s @Chazjason TikTok account has garnered over 185,000 followers and millions of views. And the on-site concept was so simple, it was accidental.
How Chaz Arro is building influence in construction
At work, Chaz and his crew would often make an event out of a particular bright spot in between periods of hard work: Lunch.
In July 2024, Chaz decided to post what he calls a “lunch check!” where he walks up to his crew, primarily Mexican workers, and asks what they’ve got packed for lunch. As the team excitedly opens their containers one at a time, they’re each met with a resounding “oooh” and “ahh” from their colleagues. It’s a time to hype each other up, admire the lunch-packer’s hard work, and maybe express a hint of jealousy.
Check out one of his most popular lunch checks below:
The unique combination of humour, storytelling through food, cultural focus, and wholesome energy tore through TikTok and Instagram like a wildfire. Millions began commenting daily on the “fine dining” meals that many of the crew brought, and some users even started to identify crew favorites.
As of now, the new primary account has almost 207,000 TikTok followers, and their Instagram account has nearly caught up with 170,000 followers. Each near-daily post generates almost 50,000 views across both platforms, and the fandom shows no signs of slowing.
From jobsite to side hustle
An unexpected part of social media stardom? How lucrative it is. Chaz’s accounts now accept brand deals and sponsorships, and companies like Pepsi have partnered with the crew on multiple occasions to pair themselves with the elaborate lunchtime meals.
Some fans have raised concerns about the partnerships, asking Chaz if the revenue generated from the sponsorships is distributed among everyone featured in the video, to which he confirms. Others are happy to see genuine, fun, hard-working crew members making a little more for themselves by doing what they love.
The best part for Chaz is that balancing their on-site jobs and content creation comes easily. The videos are filmed in one take, with minimal editing, and eating lunch together is a daily ritual. This means the content people want is simple, repeatable, and scalable.
Why construction needs more people like Chaz Arro
If you were to ask Chaz yourself, he wouldn’t consider himself a construction influencer. But he says that while the world is full of noise and negativity, Lunch Check can bring a universal language of love. Everyone can relate to discovering something delicious.
The construction industry has long been attempting to fill the growing labor gap. The work itself has a bad reputation for being non-diverse, unsafe, and toxic. Chaz’s warm-hearted, inclusive content could make a significant impact in attracting women, Gen Z, and other underrepresented minorities to the industry.
The videos also shed light on Mexican culture and how Mexican values of community, love, and kinship can be shared through something as simple as food. Positively spotlighting minority communities is particularly impactful now, in times of great divide and immigration uncertainty. These videos naturally bring everyone together, while leaving out preachiness and politics.
More people are reshaping construction
It takes a village to reshape the construction industry. If you’re looking to learn more about the individuals doing the heavy lifting to make the industry a better place to work, check out these articles.
- Alisa Bailey on building a career in construction
- Building smarter job sites with Scott Peters
- Tia Perry and AEC Unites: Empowering Black professionals in construction
- The future of safety in construction with Raffi Elchemmas
- Safety, mental fitness, and the future of construction: A conversation with Ian Gray
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