Comments on: A Question for our Mad Diners

By: Ken

Ken — Fri, 01 May 2009 09:27:19 +0000

How influenced am I by the reviews?
It depends mainly on whether I have personally been to the place or not. Also how likely I am to consider going there.

Probably more influenced by negative reviews, I mean you expect to have a good dining experience. However HOW influenced I am depends on the reviewer, the specific negative experience, etc.

YES, older reviews are great, especially if you haven’t gone to a place in awhile, has it gotten better, is it getting worse, is it a must go to place or a must avoid place.

NO, older reviews should NOT be deleted, however the older a review is obviously the less it means individually and the more they mean as establishing a trend line.

Regarding restaurants contacting you about bad reviews.
If they have something constructive to say, I wouldn’t mind letting them have the ability to add a reply to the listing. How a restaurant deals with a bad situation can say a LOT about the management. Frankly I would avoid ANY place that threatened to sue you over it, just because that is crazy behavior.

By: DM

DM — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:15:47 +0000

I would agree with the previous two posts. Please do not remove the negative reviews. Both negative and positive reviews are beneficial. If all reviews are not posted, the value of having a user review site will diminish. Maybe a section could be created for restaurants to respond to a review. Just a thought.

By: JoJo

JoJo — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 14:33:38 +0000

I find value in all comments, positive or negative. I think that leaving the “old” reviews and comments lets people see improvements and weaknesses in the industry. When trying a new restaurant, it’s nice to read about it and then form your own opinion based on your experience.

By: Review Addict

Review Addict — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:16:08 +0000

I don’t think that reviews should be deleted that are over 6 months old unless there are a substantial number of recent reviews. As to removing negative reviews, I personally rely on others’ bad experiences as inexpensive life lessons. Both positive and negative reviews are essential to getting a fair appraisal of a restaurant’s performance. You should NEVER cave in to their demands!!!