Everybody gets a star: Yelp's effect on restaurants and reviews
Yelp, founded in 2004, transformed restaurant reviews by enabling consumer feedback, but faces criticism for review bombing, biased reviews, and the elitism of its Yelp Elite Squad.
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Yelp, founded in 2004, has significantly transformed the landscape of restaurant reviews and consumer feedback over the past two decades. Initially created to provide honest, user-generated reviews, Yelp quickly became a dominant platform for restaurant ratings, with nearly half of its reviews focused on dining establishments. This shift allowed everyday consumers to share their experiences publicly, challenging traditional restaurant critics and democratizing the review process. However, the platform has also faced criticism for fostering a culture of review bombing, where businesses can be unfairly targeted by coordinated negative reviews. Additionally, the emergence of the Yelp Elite Squad created a tiered system of reviewers, undermining the platform's original egalitarian ethos. While Yelp has provided valuable insights for restaurant owners, it has also led to challenges, including the potential for biased reviews and the impact of anonymity on accountability. The platform's influence extends beyond dining, shaping a broader culture of consumer ratings across various services. Despite its flaws, Yelp remains a crucial tool for both consumers and businesses, reflecting the complexities of modern review culture.
- Yelp has transformed restaurant reviews, allowing consumers to share experiences publicly.
- Nearly 50% of Yelp reviews focus on restaurants, making it a key resource for diners.
- The platform has faced criticism for review bombing and the creation of a Yelp Elite Squad.
- Anonymity in reviews can lead to biased feedback and accountability issues.
- Yelp's influence extends beyond dining, impacting consumer ratings across various services.
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8 commentsI’m actually surprised they still get enough traffic to be sustainable.
Some of these problems seems like the cause is because its hard to complain in person. I guess we all get labeled "karens" now for showing any kind of negative feedback in person, so we just suck it up and never go back and maybe leave a negative review.
i dont really rely on yelp, there's to many people with poor to average taste. google maps is ok, but same issue with taste. like the complaints people leave on some top tier restaurants are crazy.
eater has led me to some great restaurants locally and abroad. when traveling ill look at travel and food shows, or look and see whats busy, get local recommendations. one of my most memorable meals in bali was a rec from a kid working a cash register.
The most "real" reviews for restaurants right now is from city subreddits, of all places. Many of these suggestions are from people who live in the city instead of tourists who don't typically eat out (and have unrealistic expectations) or chronic reviewers who must be seen (I was one of them).
Adding stars or grades opens the door for gamification and petty tyrants who want to see businesses burn.
Must be an North American thing
It's the same reason that Meta is still raking in billions a year despite nobody in the tech community using it.
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