How many trips should a reviewer make before publishing a review? I think at least two, if not three.(Exceptions would apply when one is revisiting an establishment that one has reviewed previously, or when one is traveling and a second visit is impractical.)
One can review after one evening, but a single, first-visit review just doesn’t seem fair to me.
Published reviews like that should be deprecated accordingly. They’re more filler for a publication than thoughtful appreciation of food, ambiance, and service.
While I’m at it, I’d suggest that food or drink deserve primary consideration, even above service or ambiance.
That’s certainly true for me: I’d travel far for good food, but wouldn’t visit even nearby for ambiance without enjoyable food or drink.
Design and demeanor matter, but a proper meal or good brew matter more, at least to me.
One last point on this, from a trip to see some of my friends from school (that is, from among those at university during the late Pleistocene). We had a great time having breakfast, lunch, and dinner over an extended weekend, and never once fussed over small matters.
This is true because our time with each other mattered vastly more than quibbling over tiny details, etc., and because we made good food a priority. One should have the equanimity to meet glitches calmly, and even with a bit of fun.
A plate, a glass, and good conversation should be one’s goals, and so, one’s focus.
Agreed. One visit does not a vaild review make.
Perhaps reviewing a restaurant after one meal would be unfair but I would suggest that many consumers, myself included, may well decide whether or not to continue to patronize a restaurant based on their initial visit.
I completely agree on the consumer side – it would be unreasonable to expect patrons to keep going back to establish a baseline experience. If a first experience is disappointing, there are always other places to try.
No one is owed a second visit; it should be earned.
For reviewing, I like the idea of multiple visits before publishing a recommendation; for simply going out to eat, I’d not expect anyone to follow that standard. Time is short, and places are plentiful – it’s sensible to move on to other establishments.