A Review of Restaurant Reviews
Jake Joy asked:
Restaurant food critics can be a valuable tool when choosing an eatery. In March 2008 the entire restaurant review industry came under scrutiny from court case arising from a brutal but honest review of Belfastian pizzeria Goodfellas by the Irish News, the review which criticised the food, staff and atmosphere led to the restaurant being awarded £25,000 in libel damages. This decision went somewhat unnoticed by many, however its outcome could have changed review writing, opening the door for companies to take action when they feel they have been unfairly ‘done over’ by a review. However, upon appeal the case decision was overturned on the basis that the original jury was unfairly guided by the judge.
This case has brought to light many questions as to the relevance and validity of reviews; the main being that a review is a persons personal opinion it is not a qualified nor a mediated evaluation- it could be said that to curtail reviews would be to limit a persons freedom to speech, further to this, as unfairly as it is a review published is often tailored to the magazine and its readership expectations- the New York Times food critic reviewer is renowned for being tough yet is this their true opinions or do they go with the most fashionable option or what is expected? When in fact their favourite nosh secretly comes from the Hard Rock Café? Looking at reviewers who perhaps give out too good reviews; suspicion would lead me to think that opinions are swayed by advertisers and investors.
Reviewers should not be influenced by any external factors their job is to act as an independent ombudsman of sorts providing advice and guidance on where we should dine. From all the press coverage of the ‘Goodfellas case’ there seems to be a total disregard for the benefit readers got from the review, the words may have been excessive but the fact remained that the food was unsatisfactory according to the critic.
If you go online there is abundance of blogs that can give you a variety of restaurant reviews, online reviews are a useful tool for obtaining a perhaps more varied and honest review; the reasoning for this being that often bloggers are not swayed by advertisers nor limited by their readers demographics. Much like the newspapers and magazines, it will be one person who is writing the review but people can add to it, posting comments about their own experience with a restaurant. Once a restaurant review blog gains popularity and people are regularly leaving comments then it becomes a valuable resource for varied and honest opinions. As people are attending the restaurant socially rather than with the sole purpose of reviewing it the result will be different experience altogether and the retelling of their experience, for example taking their four children into a quiet bistro, may be of relevance to someone considering going with their own children. Therefore restaurant review blogs are very different to the reviews you read in the papers; and overall more useful.
Restaurant food critics can be a valuable tool when choosing an eatery. In March 2008 the entire restaurant review industry came under scrutiny from court case arising from a brutal but honest review of Belfastian pizzeria Goodfellas by the Irish News, the review which criticised the food, staff and atmosphere led to the restaurant being awarded £25,000 in libel damages. This decision went somewhat unnoticed by many, however its outcome could have changed review writing, opening the door for companies to take action when they feel they have been unfairly ‘done over’ by a review. However, upon appeal the case decision was overturned on the basis that the original jury was unfairly guided by the judge.
This case has brought to light many questions as to the relevance and validity of reviews; the main being that a review is a persons personal opinion it is not a qualified nor a mediated evaluation- it could be said that to curtail reviews would be to limit a persons freedom to speech, further to this, as unfairly as it is a review published is often tailored to the magazine and its readership expectations- the New York Times food critic reviewer is renowned for being tough yet is this their true opinions or do they go with the most fashionable option or what is expected? When in fact their favourite nosh secretly comes from the Hard Rock Café? Looking at reviewers who perhaps give out too good reviews; suspicion would lead me to think that opinions are swayed by advertisers and investors.
Reviewers should not be influenced by any external factors their job is to act as an independent ombudsman of sorts providing advice and guidance on where we should dine. From all the press coverage of the ‘Goodfellas case’ there seems to be a total disregard for the benefit readers got from the review, the words may have been excessive but the fact remained that the food was unsatisfactory according to the critic.
If you go online there is abundance of blogs that can give you a variety of restaurant reviews, online reviews are a useful tool for obtaining a perhaps more varied and honest review; the reasoning for this being that often bloggers are not swayed by advertisers nor limited by their readers demographics. Much like the newspapers and magazines, it will be one person who is writing the review but people can add to it, posting comments about their own experience with a restaurant. Once a restaurant review blog gains popularity and people are regularly leaving comments then it becomes a valuable resource for varied and honest opinions. As people are attending the restaurant socially rather than with the sole purpose of reviewing it the result will be different experience altogether and the retelling of their experience, for example taking their four children into a quiet bistro, may be of relevance to someone considering going with their own children. Therefore restaurant review blogs are very different to the reviews you read in the papers; and overall more useful.
Does a Restaurant Need a Website?
November 21, 2009 by admin
Filed under Ask An Expert
Atlanta Restaurant Exchange asked:
I believe that any business will benefit from having a website. I have worked with internet marketing for many years, and I have seen that people feel like a business has “validity” when they have a website. I do not do this commercially, however it is a passion and hobby of mine. I have created many websites.
One main point is that it should not cost a fortune to have a website. An excellent one page site and maybe a contact page is easy to accomplish. Microsoft Office Live www.officelive.com/ is offering a free domain and hosting for one year, as well as providing an easy way to create your own website without any experience.
Keep it simple is an adage that works well here. People need to only know the vital information about your business. IE: Cuisine, address, contact info, reviews, etc.
There are many ways to promote yourself on the internet. One example is the last restaurant that I owned. Go to google and type in: hot dog charlotte
My place is the first that comes up. City Hot Dogs, or my site www.cityhotdogs.com .. My site is still active, however it tells my friends in Charlotte that I have relocated to Atlanta!
I would be glad to assist anyone who wants to increase their presence on the internet if you currently have a site. Any GRA member is welcome to contact me, and we can meet at my office for 30 minutes and I will provide you with enough information and simple tips to get you started, at no charge! I will provide this information on a personal basis, but not publish it here, because I support the small business folks who are making their living doing this type of work while supporting the restaurant industry.
If you don’t have the time to make your own site, look at the GRA website buyers guide and you will find great resources to create a website for you, and these people can help you optimize your site to be found on the search engines. I would highly suggest that you use one of the GRA partners to do you site. The main thing that you have with these folks is personal contact.
Every day, every restaurant receives solicitation phone calls (especially during lunch hour, don’t they know they are calling a restaurant!!!) and many big companies try to sell you a site for more than 250.00 per month. Once your site is up, their job is done. Spend your money wisely, and preferably with a local designer who knows their stuff (and preferably a supporter of GRA)
So, in summary, Yes, in my experience, a website is important, however, it does not have to cost an arm and a leg!
Doug Marranci
Atlanta Restaurant Exchange
Restaurant Brokers Atlanta Georgia
We sell restaurants in Atlanta and the Atlanta Metro Area
I believe that any business will benefit from having a website. I have worked with internet marketing for many years, and I have seen that people feel like a business has “validity” when they have a website. I do not do this commercially, however it is a passion and hobby of mine. I have created many websites.
One main point is that it should not cost a fortune to have a website. An excellent one page site and maybe a contact page is easy to accomplish. Microsoft Office Live www.officelive.com/ is offering a free domain and hosting for one year, as well as providing an easy way to create your own website without any experience.
Keep it simple is an adage that works well here. People need to only know the vital information about your business. IE: Cuisine, address, contact info, reviews, etc.
There are many ways to promote yourself on the internet. One example is the last restaurant that I owned. Go to google and type in: hot dog charlotte
My place is the first that comes up. City Hot Dogs, or my site www.cityhotdogs.com .. My site is still active, however it tells my friends in Charlotte that I have relocated to Atlanta!
I would be glad to assist anyone who wants to increase their presence on the internet if you currently have a site. Any GRA member is welcome to contact me, and we can meet at my office for 30 minutes and I will provide you with enough information and simple tips to get you started, at no charge! I will provide this information on a personal basis, but not publish it here, because I support the small business folks who are making their living doing this type of work while supporting the restaurant industry.
If you don’t have the time to make your own site, look at the GRA website buyers guide and you will find great resources to create a website for you, and these people can help you optimize your site to be found on the search engines. I would highly suggest that you use one of the GRA partners to do you site. The main thing that you have with these folks is personal contact.
Every day, every restaurant receives solicitation phone calls (especially during lunch hour, don’t they know they are calling a restaurant!!!) and many big companies try to sell you a site for more than 250.00 per month. Once your site is up, their job is done. Spend your money wisely, and preferably with a local designer who knows their stuff (and preferably a supporter of GRA)
So, in summary, Yes, in my experience, a website is important, however, it does not have to cost an arm and a leg!
Doug Marranci
Atlanta Restaurant Exchange
Restaurant Brokers Atlanta Georgia
We sell restaurants in Atlanta and the Atlanta Metro Area
Tips to Choosing a Restaurant When Vacationing
Amy E Nutt asked:
One of the most loved activities when on a vacation is dining at restaurants. Most people enjoy trying new food at the local cuisines. When on vacation, it can often be a bit of a chore to find the most popular and high-quality restaurants. Not every place has a high standard of restaurant health laws, so one has to make sure they do not eat somewhere and end up getting very ill. Not only would it be a miserable experience, but it would ruin the vacation. It is important to have a good idea of what type of restaurant you will be dining at before you actually sit down and order.
Below is a list of tips that will help you choose a quality restaurant on your next vacation:
1. The Hotel staff is usually made up of local residents so they can provide you with information about the best restaurants in the area. They will also know of the various types of restaurants such as Mexican, Italian-etc.
2. Hotels usually carry local tourist guide books that are filled with valuable information about restaurants. If they do not have a guidebook, check the local tourist bureau. Guidebooks will often contain restaurant reviews.
3. If you ask the locals in the area, they will know all of the best restaurants to eat. You can ask store staff, local bar staff, taxi driver-etc. They can also let you know about the costs and if it is a formal or informal restaurant.
4. You can also walk or drive around to find restaurants. Many restaurants post their menus in the front so you can browse to see if there is anything you like. Avoid restaurants with unattractive and unprofessional menus. If you are concerned about the cleanliness of the restaurant, check out the washrooms. If they are dirty, then that may be a reflection of the quality of the restaurant. If the restaurant has tables outside, walk near the tables and steal a peek at what people are eating. Do the customers look happy? Does their food look tempting? If the restaurant is full of tourists or quite expensive, then it will most likely cater to tourists. You should also note how many people are actually dining at the restaurant. If there are not that many people dining, you may want to keep looking.
5. You can also do some online research. There are many websites and blogs that contain information about restaurants. Some sites even post restaurant reviews. As well, some sites will have pictures of the inside of the restaurant.
6. When you enter a restaurant, look for grimy walls, dirty floors, and anything else that may appear unsanitary. As well, look at the wait staff’s uniforms. Are they clean and pressed?
When on vacation, people want to relax, take in the sights, and enjoy quality food. By taking the time to learn how to find a great restaurant, you will spend much less of your vacation wandering around looking for a good place to eat.
One of the most loved activities when on a vacation is dining at restaurants. Most people enjoy trying new food at the local cuisines. When on vacation, it can often be a bit of a chore to find the most popular and high-quality restaurants. Not every place has a high standard of restaurant health laws, so one has to make sure they do not eat somewhere and end up getting very ill. Not only would it be a miserable experience, but it would ruin the vacation. It is important to have a good idea of what type of restaurant you will be dining at before you actually sit down and order.
Below is a list of tips that will help you choose a quality restaurant on your next vacation:
1. The Hotel staff is usually made up of local residents so they can provide you with information about the best restaurants in the area. They will also know of the various types of restaurants such as Mexican, Italian-etc.
2. Hotels usually carry local tourist guide books that are filled with valuable information about restaurants. If they do not have a guidebook, check the local tourist bureau. Guidebooks will often contain restaurant reviews.
3. If you ask the locals in the area, they will know all of the best restaurants to eat. You can ask store staff, local bar staff, taxi driver-etc. They can also let you know about the costs and if it is a formal or informal restaurant.
4. You can also walk or drive around to find restaurants. Many restaurants post their menus in the front so you can browse to see if there is anything you like. Avoid restaurants with unattractive and unprofessional menus. If you are concerned about the cleanliness of the restaurant, check out the washrooms. If they are dirty, then that may be a reflection of the quality of the restaurant. If the restaurant has tables outside, walk near the tables and steal a peek at what people are eating. Do the customers look happy? Does their food look tempting? If the restaurant is full of tourists or quite expensive, then it will most likely cater to tourists. You should also note how many people are actually dining at the restaurant. If there are not that many people dining, you may want to keep looking.
5. You can also do some online research. There are many websites and blogs that contain information about restaurants. Some sites even post restaurant reviews. As well, some sites will have pictures of the inside of the restaurant.
6. When you enter a restaurant, look for grimy walls, dirty floors, and anything else that may appear unsanitary. As well, look at the wait staff’s uniforms. Are they clean and pressed?
When on vacation, people want to relax, take in the sights, and enjoy quality food. By taking the time to learn how to find a great restaurant, you will spend much less of your vacation wandering around looking for a good place to eat.
