Yelp: If You Can’t Beat ‘Em….
Restauranteurs Join Yelp
The NRA’s SmartBrief Newsletter alerted us to this very interesting article about how restaurants are responding to reviews on Yelp.com. It discusses how restauranteurs have stepped into the fray of online discussions to specifically address reviewers’ comments on their establishment. Some have gone so far as to invite Yelpers for a meal or special event at their restaurant, occasionally generating a swell of positive reviews. (But sometimes backfiring). While many restaurants once lived in fear of the expanding universe of review sites, many are realizing that it is a mass of voices that can no longer be ignored.
“Nevertheless, plenty of restaurateurs say that Yelps have helped them improve their operations. Whether that leads to more business remains to be seen.”
“It’s a way to take the pulse of what locals are thinking about you, and also hear what non-critics have to say,” said Todd Stillman, general manager of Fifth Floor. “I think this is the next generation. We want to be part of it instead of sitting on the sidelines and saying we don’t like it.”
