Yelp Is Quickly Becoming Useless
As you all know, one of the things I’m into is bad reviews. Limpets are another thing I’m into. I woke up from a nap around 8:30pm one night last week with a craving for Filipino food. I needed to find a restaurant that stays open past 9. Sadly, I didn’t find any, but I did find some horrible reviews.
Here’s one for Manila Cafe:
I’ve only been once and it was really disappointing, but I hate giving a bad rating after only one meal. That said, I don’t know if I really care to go back.
Had a beef dish that was basically super salty beef and some dry rice. I’m inclined to give just one star based on how bad this dish was, but based on some other reviews I think I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt and try giving it another chance sometime. [Source]
You hate giving a bad review after only one meal, but you will anyway. Is it some sort of contractual obligation? OH BUT WAIT YOU’RE GOING TO GIVE IT ANOTHER CHANCE! How many people are you?
Here’s one for Kusina Filipina that really chaps my ass:
As always I was very excited coming here. I’ve eaten here so many times but not since I’ve started writing reviews in Yelp. Finally was given a chance today. I had no reason to not expect a good review to come out, since from past experience this place has always over satisfied. Unfortunately today, its not going to happen. Sadly, I hate having to review this so poorly. Such a place that has brought me so much wonderful tastes deserves better. But I will not let my past experience dictate how I write this. Lets begin. [Source]
!!?
Restaurants have off days. This is a fact of life, and it can happen to any restaurant. If you’ve eaten here a million times and loved it, but THIS time it wasn’t good, and you admittedly know that the restaurant deserves better, HELLO DOUCHEBAG! You are under no obligation to write a review! Go again and make sure it was a one-off thing before diminishing the reputation of a place you claim to love!
And finally, one for Inay’s:
Ick. I am Filipina, have grown up on good Filipino food. Good Filipino food Inay’s ain’t. I walked in there at around 4:30pm, and saw the food swimming in grease. So, I asked the guy how long the food had been sitting there. He said, “Uh, I dunno, a couple of hours?” Uggh! Gross! He didn’t even know how long since it had been cooked? Yay for e.coli, I guess. I practically ran outta there. [Source]
So here’s a review from someone who didn’t even eat there. You don’t need me to point out how useless this is. Actually, there is one good thing in this review, if you’re a fan of quotemines:
Ick. I am Filipina…
Stumble it!
July 6th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Ick. I am Filipina…Ugggh! Gross!
July 7th, 2009 at 6:15 am
This tends to be the nature with user reviews, too many people love to give opinions vs facts. Its simply human nature. To say Yelp is becoming useless is a stretch, but a change in relevance as more content is added I can see.
Phil Novara
July 7th, 2009 at 7:17 am
I meant it more as hyperbole than a stretch. Yelp is still useful for the objective information that users inadvertently share, and of course, there are still a lot of good reviewers. Making fun of this stuff is a hobby, so I milk it for all it’s worth.
If you happen across any interestingly horrible reviews, please feel free to send them my way!
July 7th, 2009 at 7:39 am
Maybe “ick” is the written form of her clearing her throat. Or maybe it’s like an “Ahem”
“Ick, your table is ready, sir.”
“Pardon?”
I said, ick, that your table is ready. Sorry I have something in my throat.”
“Ick”
“Ick ick ick”
“Ick ICK!”
“Icky shuffle”
July 8th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
You’re absolutely right!
We notice this problem and our solution is to have both parties share feedback.
For example, with the restaurant experiencing an off day, the customer could post a problem on FeedbackJar.com for the restaurant to resolve. Since the all the feedback posts are public, other customers and the owner can reply to the feedback.
Since people are going to talk about the business, why allow the owners embrace the conversations with their customers and left other customers join in as well?
July 8th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
I think that’s a great idea, Nick. I guess the trick is getting the owners to participate. Have you had success with that?
Also, what I think any type of review site needs is the ability to mark a review as “not useful”. Amazon has this, and I find it helps a lot. Yelp lets you mark something as useful, but it doesn’t let you mark something that’s not useful, and I think you need both to be effective.
July 13th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
Rarr, Dinosaur is happy to see updates.
August 29th, 2009 at 8:28 am
I’ve been contacted by two of my negative reviews restaurant owners on Yelp. Yelp lets them contact you if you are open to it. Also they can post answers to reviews. If they want, they have opportunities to either set the record straight or rectify a bad situation. I’ve also been contacted by a couple of my better reviews for permission to quote me on their websites.
There are messed up reviewers out there and there are people with serious chips on their shoulder. Any anonymous system is going to allow these trolls access but it won’t mask who they are. If you can learn about the reviewers in your area and begin to guage who is most like you, then you have a great resource with lots of reviews from people you know. With Yelp and it’s unauthorized yelp events, there are tons of chance to meet your fellow reviewers.
I havent’ seen any other social network spawn so many events except for twitter with it’s multiple tweetups.