Earlier this year, we talked about what kind of online reviews about hotels and restaurants consumers may trust. Today, Bruce Palling at the Wall Street Journal discussed the differences between Zagat and Michelin reviews on restaurant ratings. My questions are: (1) Between Zagat and Michelin, which one do you value more than the other? (2) Which rating method do you trust the most?
Zagat, on the other hand, is a relatively new guide for restaurant ratings. Zagat solely relies on reader surveys. North America is the biggest market for Zagat, followed by Europe and Asia. Zagat updates its online review more frequently as compared to Michelin’s annual printed review. A recent trend identified by Zagat is that it earned more revenues from iPhone or iPad apps than those from other channels.
To me, both ratings can be trustworthy and very useful. Michelin uses “experts” or “inspectors” to evaluate a restaurant. These “experts” can provide in-depth descriptions of their restaurant experience and explain why a star is given or taken off. Zagat asks readers to rate their restaurant experience in a survey. If the scale is valid and reliable, a consumer can easily predict his/her experience of a restaurant based on other readers’ ratings. Honestly, I cannot see how one method is absolutely superior to the other. I prefer to see a rating system that values both inspectors’ and readers’ feedback because I believe a mixed methods approach will allow consumers to see a more complete picture as compared to a single method. What do you think?
References:
The Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/ai7qMm
Picture was downloaded from http://www.cakehead.com/archives/2007/10/
For more than a century, Michelin is “the guide” for restaurants. Initiated in Europe, Michelin rates restaurants based on the feedback from anonymous inspectors and publishes their review once a year. Its territory has expanded from Europe to U.S. and Far East. Recently, it started using social media tools like Facebook and Twitter to promote Michelin and the ratings.
Zagat, on the other hand, is a relatively new guide for restaurant ratings. Zagat solely relies on reader surveys. North America is the biggest market for Zagat, followed by Europe and Asia. Zagat updates its online review more frequently as compared to Michelin’s annual printed review. A recent trend identified by Zagat is that it earned more revenues from iPhone or iPad apps than those from other channels. To me, both ratings can be trustworthy and very useful. Michelin uses “experts” or “inspectors” to evaluate a restaurant. These “experts” can provide in-depth descriptions of their restaurant experience and explain why a star is given or taken off. Zagat asks readers to rate their restaurant experience in a survey. If the scale is valid and reliable, a consumer can easily predict his/her experience of a restaurant based on other readers’ ratings. Honestly, I cannot see how one method is absolutely superior to the other. I prefer to see a rating system that values both inspectors’ and readers’ feedback because I believe a mixed methods approach will allow consumers to see a more complete picture as compared to a single method. What do you think?
References:
The Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/ai7qMm
Picture was downloaded from http://www.cakehead.com/archives/2007/10/
I think both of these restaurant guides are both very useful. Since the Michelin Guide, uses “experts”, it would be better for the upscale restaurants. I also believe the Zagat Survey is better for those restaurants in those little towns that the common folk do not realize that they are there. Those restaurants that just have the local flavor but it is not one of those high scale places that would stand out to the common eye. Of course you should use both these ratings comparatively in order to influence the best restaurant to go to in your opinion. It is easier to sway your opinion to the negative then it is to the positive.
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks so much for these tips! My blogs usually do bring readers and responses. One thing I do is engage with the readers. Answer questions in responses and make clarifications where needed. I think they appreciate that I take the time to talk to them.
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