Zagat Survey, the well known provider of diner produced restaurant ratings and reviews, has recently released their redesigned website. The new website includes many more free features for non-subscribers, as well as a powerful and flexible restaurant search tool. Member contributions are also recognized in a new way, offering contributors more incentive to add their own restaurant information and reviews.
Zagat Survey relies on the responses of diners from across the world to create their famous yearly handbooks of fine dining and to create listings on the website. To reward respondents, they’ve added new Buzz dining blogs and increased the amount of free content any visitor can access. The website also has plans to add new features over the next few months, some of them free and some only available for subscribers.
Interactive maps will allow visitors to find restaurants by neighborhood or by choosing a popular spot or landmark to focus on. Restaurant genres and cuisine types are also part of the search system, allowing all visitors to narrow down their dining choices with just a few clicks.
Review quotes published on the site will no longer be anonymous either. Member profiles will be linked to each quote so review readers can see the person behind the review. Contributors can earn special badges by being the first to review a new restaurant or by making a particularly well written review.
Members who would like to highlight the best Chinese restaurants in their city can now do so through creating a list. Zagat editors will produce regular Top Lists for certain cuisines and locations as well. These lists will be available for free to all visitors.
For exciting deals and one of a kind experiences, the ZAGAT Presents and ZAGAT Exclusives programs will give members chances to purchase meal coupons or join in on special meals. Menu access and online reservations are also a part of these special programs. For full access to all features, the website requires a premium membership that costs $25 a year.