Don’t Put Online Restaurant Reviews on the Back Burner

In today’s digital world, diners have become self-proclaimed food photographers and food critics. Armed with social media accounts and mobile apps, they flock to restaurants and describe their experiences in illustrated detail for the entire world to see. Information flows quickly over the internet, and when the user experience is a positive one, the restaurant reaps the benefits. In fact, a slight improvement with online restaurant ratings can increase a restaurant’s business during peak hours by 19 percent.[1] It’s a no-brainer that a strong online presence is a worthy asset.

But, when the user’s experience is a negative one, the repercussions for any restaurant can be troublesome. And in some cases, restaurants are unable to recover from the online criticism and are forced to shut their doors.

Founded in 2004, Yelp is a (if not the) dominant review platform in the United States.[2] Users can rate restaurants and other businesses on a scale of one to five stars. Along with…