The Stranger had an "I, Anonymous" (QUIT YER YELPING) a while ago that caught my attention. It is true, there are some horrible reviews out there from many who fail at basic English grammar. Comments at times are ludicrous and perhaps have little to do with how well an establishment delivers its core product or service.
The concept of Yelp is admirable, but I personally place little value on what people write. I feel like it's noise and doesn't necessarily represent how well a business delivers products or services to consumers. Many of the reviews that I've read are not very helpful to me. Some examples:
The problem: the service. When we got the bill we were pleased with the amount: $46 for a pretty good little dinner. However, when we got the "receipt" we noticed we were charged $68. Well, that was not good. That is not a very easy "mistake" for a waitress to make, and it is an "old trick" for scamming a big tip. Away went the $15 tip we were ready to leave (we know waitresses and believe whole-heartedly in leaving about 1/3 of the bill as gratuity), and out we walked with the residual bad taste in our mouths, and knowing we are a lot smarter than we look. ::sigh:: - Excerpt: Yelp Review about Revel, Fremont
I would certainly consider editing my review if someone wanted to whisk me away and show me the positive aspects of Paseo. Of course, I'm gluten free so can't eat sandwiches. - Excerpt: Yelp Review about Paseo, Fremont
Too pretentious to be in such a cool neighborhood, I wish it never opened or that a less uppity place were there instead. The staff there was just too cool for school and it took forever to get a drink order in, and I am never a fan of a place that serves foie gras. They need to get with it and have some common decency. Overall, just horrible. - Excerpt: Yelp Review about Quinns, Capitol Hill
Loved it all! Boyfriend took me here for our 3-year anniversary, because we wanted to eat someplace fancy. Personally, we love to dress up, so the dress code here is no problem. On a side note, BF humorously observed, "The family sitting next to us is actually fancy. We just like to pretend we're fancy." - Excerpt: Yelp Review about Canlis, Queen Anne
Though I used to appreciate the open kitchen, exposed brick wall, unfinished floor, dishcloth-as-napkin establishments of Seattle, it's starting to get trite. But that is not my real issue with this place. - Excerpt: Yelp Review about Staple and Fancy Mercantile, Ballard
Some reviews have severely damaged any chance of businesses making things right if they did do wrong. Many business owners try to fight back. Consider another example. Scott Parker of Denver, Colorado even took a stab at who these Yelpers are:
When asked - What you'd like to see less of in Denver from a culinary standpoint, he replied:
Amateur instant online restaurant critics -- specifically, those who write reviews for a website that rhymes with "kelp." Think about it: They review a McDonald's and then turn around and review Mizuna. I just imagine bored, jobless layabouts with not many friends who are convinced that they're going to have a bad time before they even step through the door of a joint. The kicker is, you can't respond to these inbreds and try to educate, or at least explain, why some things happen the way they happen. Have a little fun, for chrissakes. Loosen up when you go out, and let me be the stress ball in the kitchen busting my ass for twelve-plus hours trying to make you the best food I can.
- blogs.westword.com Nov. 2010
Some owners take the opportunity to find the humor in the awful reviews. My personal favorite is Zach Bolotin, owner of Porchlight Coffee, Capitol Hill:
How do you get credible reviews, call out things that truly need to be fixed and still have an appetite for what a business is offering? Hard problem to solve. Perhaps there are better ways to qualify reviewers by topic and actual expertise. Additionally, what can business owners do to turn people's opinions around when the bad reviews are still up and visible on Yelp?
What do you think?
Posted via email from feast!
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