I enjoy using restaurant review sites like Yelp or Google Maps to find new restaurants worthy of trying.
However, at some point, I would have tried all of the established restaurants that I care to try in a given area. At that point, I look for new restaurants that opened up recently.
Also, a problem with the aforementioned restaurant review sites is that they can be manipulated by either the reviewers or the company hosting the reviews (I’m looking at you, Yelp). Even if there is no foul play, the earliest reviews a restaurant receives have an outsized influence on the future of the restaurant. A single one-star review at a restaurant’s debut can make the restaurant look pretty bad, whereas if an established restaurant starts going downhill and receiving one-star reviews, it may take quite a while before users notice a dip in status.
There should be an app dedicated to new restaurants. It would notify users of new restaurants opening nearby. Since the restaurants are new, the app would not be a review service, nor would it allow reviews. Instead, perhaps the app could collect news articles in local publications featuring the restaurant. Or, the app could have written reviews, but no ratings or stars. The app would probably make money by advertising and negotiating coupon deals for the restaurants.
Leave a Reply