How much are restaurants affected by critics’
Does anonymity still matter? Does having an expense account alter your experience of a meal? What makes a good restaurant review? These were some of the questions that came up at a recent discussion of the past, present and future state of restaurant criticism at the 2010 Roger Smith Food Writers Conference in New York.
The questions varied, but every time the conversation seemed to return to the question of power — how much influence restaurant critics have over their readers’ dining decisions, whether the rise in consumer criticism (blogs and rating sites such as Yelp) has decreased that power, and whether that has had a positive effect on critics, restaurants and consumers.
One of the most thought-provoking statements was a comment made by longtime Village Voice critic Robert Sietsema that a good review can destroy a restaurant. His point was a restaurant that is pretty good, even great, when just a small number of people have discovered it, may find itself overwhelmed by the rush of customers that come with a good review from a major New York critic.
In his experience, some restaurants have had a hard time coping with the high expectations of sudden crowds, and quality declines, the crowds disappear, and the restaurant winds up closing, with the positive review at least partly responsible.
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