Critical Mass

Statesman food writer Addie Broyles and Miso Hungry blogger Jennie Chen facilitated a packed core conversation called “The Yelp Effect,” posing the question, “what happens when everyone is a restaurant critic?”

Broyles took the reins, asking the horde what sites do people use? What kind of stock do you put in the reviews/reviewers? How do you think that restaurateurs should respond to user-generated reviews? Why do we turn to the Internet rather than handle problems in the restaurant? Are we all turning into passive-aggressive wimps?

This initial line of questioning (which made me wonder whether Broyles had been a teacher in a past life – she’s a wonderful facilitator) led to a lively conversation that can best be divided into two categories: What’s at stake for restaurants and what’s at stake for users when everyone is a restaurant critic?

For the restaurant business, this phenomenon and its effects are intensified because it’s such a personal thing: chefs pour their egos, identities, and expertise into their restaurant (and their life savings if they’re chef-owners), so there’s an understandable tension regarding a public that thinks it’s qualified to pass judgment and make or break a career (although some might argue that the power of the dollar is more powerful than the digital pen; if your food ain’t good, people are going to stop coming, Yelp or no Yelp).

For diners, so much of the experience is informed by what you bring to the table. Did you have a fight with your mom before coming to dinner? Did your boyfriend just propose? Are you at a retirement party? Is there a loud table too close to you? All of these external factors contribute to one chef’s theory, according to Broyles, that any given dining experience is 10% about the food and 90% about your baggage, which might skew the tone of user-generated content.

Additionally, the moderators and the audience all agreed that being a Yelp reviewer can – and should – be a virtual extension of your personality. Reviewers should strive to craft a carefully thought-out review that takes all aspects into account: food, service, ambience, family-friendliness, etc. These reviews raise the bar, and those who take the process and the service seriously can use this platform to break in to a career, or at least a freelance gig. It’s an important portfolio-building opportunity with the added benefit of making reviews more reliable.

The takeaway is this: honesty and transparency is key for the Yelp reviewer. No one is going to take you seriously if you earn a reputation as a crank or a whiner with an axe to grind. Restaurateurs should engage with the feedback on Yelp (or Urbanspoon or Trip Advisor, what have you), even if it is just to say that you appreciate the feedback. Any business has to listen, because social networking has forced restaurateurs to have their ears to the ground. One L.A.-based audience member suggested that restaurants harness the power of social networking by taking such steps as hosting happy hours for social media clubs.