Not so good...

I find myself, from time to time, perusing tripadvisor, yelp, urbanspoon, and other review sites reading reviews from top restaurants from around the world.  Recently I read reviews from the 10 best new restaurants of 2010 just announced by Bon Appetite magazine.  I usually don't read the great and good reviews; the 4 and 5 star reviews.  What I normally head straight for are the poor and terrible, 1 and 2 star, reviews, and then will take in a few of the average rating reviews.  I don't do this because I take joy in the failings of another restaurant but because I am facinated by those who just have not found said restaurant as amazing as the vast majority of the other reviewers.  I mean, why is it out of every 100 reviews there will always be around 10 who have deemed the dinning experience to be average to terrible?  It seems no matter how esteemed the restaurant, it will always have around 10% of the posted reviews come in at the average to terrible rating.  I have read reviews for the top 10 restaurants in the world from tripadvisor and yelp and found even these restaurants having around 6%-10% of said reviews in the average to terrible range.  Facsinating!!

Why?  Who makes up this 10%-ish diners who post such harsh reviews?  I'm sure some of this group is made up of those who want to be "the one" who found whatever top restaurant wanting, but these people really only make up a small minority of a already minority group and are not even worth the trouble thinking about.  There will always be those who want to be the one who calls the Emporer out for wearing no cloths.

 Others may have caught the restaurant on an off day.  Even the best of the best chefs and kitchens in the world have bad days where the mojo just isn't clicking.  And, very often the disappointing dinner may be a slip up amoungst a world of otherwise very happy eaters.  I'm not sure why this happens, but I have experienced it in my kitchens, having a table where it seems everything just goes wrong or at least not as spot on as it should be; where no matter how hard we try it just seems everything going on with a certian table, or even the single guest, just isn't what everyone else has experienced.  Where it seems all the small things begin to add up to a real disaster of a dinner.

I also have to wonder if some people just don't get what the restaurant is trying to do.  I've read some scathing reviews of Noma, El Bulli, the Fat Duck, El Celler da Con Roca, Mugaritz (the top 5 restaurants in the world) from tripadvisor reviewers who had nothing, and I mean nothing, nice to say about the food.  Is it possible that most of these reviewers just did not understand the food they were being served?  But the problem is this, not everyone who posted bad reviews are novice eaters.  Many of the posters are experienced at eating in top restaurants.

For me it is one of those things I can, and do, spend time mulling over.  What makes a great restaurant?  Is it inherently great or is it great because the vast majority of the diners who have eaten there say it's great.  Are there great restaurants in the world that are truly great but don't fare so well when it comes to review time?  You know, like someone who may do poorly on tests but great in the real world application.  How much weight should we put in those bottom 10% reviews.  How serious should we as chef's take the bottom 10% reviews.  I know I pay attention to them but I find myself wondering is there is really something to fix or is this a blip in an otherwise fine operation.  I don't think I'll ever figure it out, but it's fun to think about.

Comments

[Chip]

Eric
I've known people who indeed need to bash others, to complain, and to ALWAYS send at least one dish or drink back.

Mostly, I find these to be people with low self esteem, hidden by ego or bluster.

I also have noted, in my several decades there are some cultural biases.

Few from the Midwest act this way (some do) more from the East Coast do.
It would be interesting to parse the data on where the complainers are from.

[Randy]

"How much weight should we put in those bottom 10% reviews."

Same can be said for the top 10%..or in the case of a certain restaurant on Park Street and one in bowers harbor....the TOP 90% 'cause we all know who's writing those.....

I enjoy reading reviews,although they rarely impact my journey even when traveling. I trust I can make my dining decisions based on a strange combination of restaurant name, marketing/signage and a quick glance at the menu.

Personally, we've taken some review site hits and I must admit the first read is painful. I do the best I can to understand and not over analyze the critique. it usually involves a response, in one case a back and forth banter on the site...of which I'm still fairly proud.

Cool topic, have a great night chef..

[Susan]

Actually, I've given an occasional scathing review. I did this not because I have ego or self-esteem issues, but because I found the restaurant's offering truly wanting at the time. To me its irrelevant whether the restaurant is having an off day: I'm paying for the best the place can offer in terms of service, food, ambiance and general quality for price paid. As a paying customer I expect consistency - I want the same good experience the patron who gave the restaurant rave reviews had. If it is forthcoming, great, it gets a good review; if not, why shouldn't I be truthful about my experience? Based on what Erik is saying, seems I have a >90% chance of having a successful experience.

[Chef Eric]

Now,Susan has an excellent point, and she is correct in expecting the same experience as everyone else recieves. I couldn't agree more that it matters not if the kitchen is having an off day. I guess that's why the accumulated score is important. If the restaurant hits it at least 90% percent of the time then they are doing pretty good. But, it's that last 10% I'm always chasing. I guess we are like Sysiphus in that our task is never done. Great comment!

[Jim]

Chef Eric,

Maybe you continue to chase that last 10% because, like any great artist, you never want to stop learning.

Jim

"I learned more from the one restaurant that didn't work than from all the ones that were successes." - Wolfgang Puck

[research paper service]

He's super bearish, he finds the 'recovery' more laughable than you. You can subscribe to his newlsetter, great read