1. A Guide to Restaurant Ratings

2. What are restaurant ratings? They identify restaurants according to quality Symbols are often used Popular symbols include: stars, diamonds, chefs hats or numbers

3. Where do ratings appear? Appear in guidebooks such as Frommer’s or CAA/AAA Media & Press Releases: Newspapers, Lifestyle Magazines & Webzines New York Magazine Websites such as : Tripadvisor or Restaurantica TripadvisorRestaurantica

4. Are health inspections included in ratings? Public health agency inspections are rated separately from restaurant ratings Inspections are rated on level of sanitation practiced by the establishment *improper food storage, rodent/vermin infestation, failure to use certified equipment

5. Cont'd Ratings are on a numerical scale with 100 being perfect Letter grades correlating to the rating have to be displayed in restaurants in the U.S.

6. What are the most prestigious rating systems? The following, are rated by professional food critics Michelin Guide -holy grail of food - One “*” good restaurant, two “*” worth a detour, three “*” “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey” The Michelin Guide: Famously Anonymous

7. Cont'd Gayot -worldwide team of professional reviewers -20 point rating scale -19 = Exceptional – 10/20 = Average -rated on décor, service, ambiance and wine list Restaurant Rating System Restaurants: Gayot.com

8. Why are customer ratings so popular? People don't necessarily trust food critics (1 persons opinion) If have bad/good experience people like to feel like their feedback is being heard

9. Cont'd Zagat, Tripadvisor & Restaurantica all customer based sites which provide critiques Food blogs are also popular A Passion for Food