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Top 5 Tips For Writing Restaurant Reviews

Today we have a special treat for Freelance-Zone readers…a post about writing restaurant reviews by someone who knows this market both inside and out. Christine Tully-Aranza is a 20+ year veteran of the restaurant industry.  She has run some of the country’s finest restaurants, including Chicago’s legendary Spiaggia.  Christine owns and operates a consulting business which provides marketing and communications direction to hospitality and retail clients. She is also a published freelance food writer and blogger. For those of you who dream of being paid to review various dining establishments, we give you:

Photo by Jeff Kauck
Photo by Jeff Kauck

5 Key Tips For Writing Fair & Informative Restaurant Reviews

by Christine Tully-Aranza

Much like those who desire to open a restaurant based solely on the fact that they like to eat out, many writers feel qualified to review restaurants based on the same. But we seldom apply this standard to other industries. I like shoes, but that does not mean I should be writing for Women’s Wear Daily.  So while the average Joe should feel free to publish his or her opinion on comment sites, those who wish to undertake the effort more seriously should always keep the following five tips in mind…

  1. Do your homework.  Contact the restaurant to see if you can obtain information about the Chef/Operators of an establishment as well as the restaurant’s brand statement (if possible) so that you can properly evaluate how well succeed at what they are trying to execute.  Thanks to the internet, most of these materials are at your fingertips on the restaurant’s website. 
  2. Do not review a restaurant the first week it is open, and visit more than once.  Most publications recognize that it takes a bit of time to work out the kinks in the imperfect world of food service, and they seldom review a restaurant in its chaotic first week. Additionally, many good reviewers will visit a restaurant more than once before penning their review.  This is one of the best ways to confirm that your initial assessments are correct.  Continue reading Top 5 Tips For Writing Restaurant Reviews