Google's plans for Zagat

[evergene]

"Last year, when Google paid $151 million to buy Zagat, the
restaurant-ratings publisher, people wondered how it would integrate
customer-generated restaurant guides and online reviews into its
universe of search."

"Eight months later, Google is announcing that Zagat will become the
cornerstone of a new free service, Google Plus Local, intended to
enhance Google’s growing, potentially lucrative local information
offerings."
http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/30/google-to-use-zagat-to-refine-local-search/

[Steve Pope]

evergene <ge...@geeaitcheekaygee.com> wrote:

>"Last year, when Google paid $151 million to buy Zagat, the
>restaurant-ratings publisher, people wondered how it would integrate
>customer-generated restaurant guides and online reviews into its
>universe of search."
>
>"Eight months later, Google is announcing that Zagat will become the
>cornerstone of a new free service, Google Plus Local, intended to

>enhance Googles growing, potentially lucrative local information
>offerings."

Will wonders never cease.


S.

[Al Eisner]

On Thu, 31 May 2012, evergene wrote:

> "Last year, when Google paid $151 million to buy Zagat, the
> restaurant-ratings publisher, people wondered how it would integrate
> customer-generated restaurant guides and online reviews into its
> universe of search."
>
> "Eight months later, Google is announcing that Zagat will become the
> cornerstone of a new free service, Google Plus Local, intended to

> enhance Google?s growing, potentially lucrative local information
> offerings."
> http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/30/google-to-use-zagat-to-refine-local-search/

Not quite sure I follow this. (As the above excerpt shows, it's not
quite written in English.) A primary use of Zagat is not just for
"local" information, but for information about *other* localities.

What really matters is whether the source of input information will change.
Zagat's advantage has always been a sophisticated core of frequent
diners (the level of sophistication varies with locality, of course,
and there are always some cult places which get undue favor, so, sure,
it's far from ideal). But if it becomes an anyone-can-contribute-online
facility, then we're talking about something more yelp-like.
--

Al Eisner
San Mateo Co., CA

[Peter Lawrence]

On 5/31/12 3:35 PM, Al Eisner wrote:
>
> What really matters is whether the source of input information will change.
> Zagat's advantage has always been a sophisticated core of frequent
> diners (the level of sophistication varies with locality, of course,
> and there are always some cult places which get undue favor, so, sure,
> it's far from ideal). But if it becomes an anyone-can-contribute-online
> facility, then we're talking about something more yelp-like.

But anyone – even before Google purchased Zagat – could contribute their
opinions about restaurants to Zagat too. One doesn't have to pass some sort
of test to submit their restaurant ratings to Zagat.


- Peter

[Al Eisner]

On Thu, 31 May 2012, Peter Lawrence wrote:

> On 5/31/12 3:35 PM, Al Eisner wrote:
>>
>> What really matters is whether the source of input information will change.
>> Zagat's advantage has always been a sophisticated core of frequent
>> diners (the level of sophistication varies with locality, of course,
>> and there are always some cult places which get undue favor, so, sure,
>> it's far from ideal). But if it becomes an anyone-can-contribute-online
>> facility, then we're talking about something more yelp-like.
>

> But anyone ? even before Google purchased Zagat ? could contribute their

> opinions about restaurants to Zagat too. One doesn't have to pass some sort
> of test to submit their restaurant ratings to Zagat.

Perhaps, but my impression is that it was under fairly good control. At
one time, at least, it involved filling out a form. And I'm pretty
sure there was some registered-reviewer arrangement (I'm perhaps using
improper terminology), they didn't accept one-shot reviews. My concern
is if it becomes much easier it will attract the yelping mongrel riff-raff.

[Hans Klager]

I have been a Zagat reviewer for a few years. It used to
be paper based and then moved to on line. The deal was, you
review, we send you a free guide.

My game was to see how many of my snappy comments made it
into the book - Quite a few.

So, yes, in a weird way, I am a published food critic.

Since Goggle bought them, I have declined to be their
bitch.



--
"I believe marriage should be preserved as an institution for one
man and one woman." - Willard Mitt Romney, great-grandson of a polygamist

[Jon]

On Fri, 1 Jun 2012 20:14:54 +0000 (UTC), Hans Klager
<hans....@gmail.com> wrote:

> I have been a Zagat reviewer for a few years. It used to
>be paper based and then moved to on line. The deal was, you
>review, we send you a free guide.

Hans,

How would you compare the online review questionnaire process between
Zagat and Yelp? Was there anything on one or the other web-form that
might yield more thoughtful reviews vs. "I didn't like my waiter's
shoes"?

- Jon

[Tim May]

I don't care about waiter's shoes, but the fact that the local KFC, not
known for waiter's shoes unless they ended up in the grease, got some
kind of Zagat award tells me that Zagat has sunk to the level of the
grease.
'
"Watsonville KFC, a Zagat approved restaurant."

(Not that this place is any worse than other Kentucky Frieds. It's
pretty typical. But having a Zagat approval means Zagat is pure shit.)

--
Tim May

[Peter Lawrence]

According to the 2011 Zagat fast food survey, Five Guys Burgers is the best
fast food chain with 5,000 or less locations or less locations. And Subway
is rated as the best fast food chain with over 5,000 locations.

YMMV.


- Peter

[Hans Klager]

The Zagat guide was assigning points for food, service,
price etc. Then a small space for snappy comments. The a rating
of what you considered the best of the places you reviewed.

You could say "hated the waiter's shoes", but it may not
have made it as a snappy comment in the printed edition

Zagat was a book, yelp is a web site. One of the many
problems with web sites is lack of editing.



--
Take a risk, get the education, borrow money if you have to from
your parents, start a business. - Willard Mitt Romney - 27 April 2012

[Todd Michel McComb]

In article <slrnjspf5p.bf...@adeed.tele.com>,

Hans Klager <hans....@gmail.com> wrote:
>One of the many problems with web sites is lack of editing.

Not inherently, of course.

It's just that the big web industry considers content to be
free/valueless, and spending money on editing would cut into their
business model that says the only value is in delivery/format.

Some people certainly edit their websites, carefully even.

[Peter Lawrence]

But here's why I have to take Zagat's ratings with a grain (or sometimes a
large clump) of salt:

From their 2011 Fast Food Survey:

Best Coffee:

1. Starbucks
2. Dunkin' Donuts
3. McDonald's
4. Peet's Coffee & Tea
5. Caribou Coffee.

Now, I've had many cups of coffee from the Top 4 on this list, and while
McDonald's coffee is alright (and quite decent if you prefer Starbucks style
of roasting), in no way is it better than the various coffees they serve up
at Peet's. Yet according to Zagat, McDonalds serves better coffee than
Peet's. Go figure.

I use both Zagat and Yelp – at times – to help me decide where to dine. But
each has their own limitations. One advantage of Yelp though is that I can
actually read the reviews the go along with each rating, so I get a better
sense if the reviewer knows what they're talking about. Don't have that
luxury with Zagat.


- Peter

[Al Eisner]

> I use both Zagat and Yelp ? at times ? to help me decide where to dine. But

> each has their own limitations. One advantage of Yelp though is that I can
> actually read the reviews the go along with each rating, so I get a better
> sense if the reviewer knows what they're talking about. Don't have that
> luxury with Zagat.

NONE of that information appears in the Zagat books, which is what I
meant by "Zagat". (There is of course online access to the same
information, if one wants to fill out an officious registration and,
maybe, pay for it). Maybe Hans can elucidate whether the above sorts
of information are now on the same footing as the restaurants. Even
the books had some oddities, like In'n'Out getting a rating of 25 --
that's an example of the "cult" status I was referring to. (Maybe
it's those people who have now changed their allegiance to Five Guys.)

If the above categories are arrived at by yelp-style online entries,
then pretty much all bets are off. I'm hoping (but not entirely sure)
that the restaurant ratings have not yet been infected by yelpisma.