Ask George: How many times should you try a restaurant before writing it off? —Suzy S, Tucson
For established restaurants, diners generally have higher expectations, especially at upscale places. If I spend more than $200 on a dinner for two and leave disappointed, then I might not return for a while, thinking, For that kind of money, I could have gone elsewhere. Minor issues might not keep me away forever, but I’d be slower to return.
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With mid-priced restaurants/bars and grills, I’m more lenient. If my cheeseburger gets overcooked at the corner bar, I will wait for the transgression to repeat itself before I 86 the spot from my mental rotation. Right or wrong, I allow lesser restaurants more “bad days,” and I think the majority of the dining public is in the same camp.
The real debate arises with new restaurants. I’ve talked to diners who attended the first night of a restaurant’s soft opening, had a less-than-stellar experience, and promptly announced, “I would not go back there” to anyone who would listen. Really? Sorry, but the ex-restaurateur in me says that’s unfair. Sure, it’s natural to share your experiences, but those comments should include a disclaimer like, “They just opened.” Unfortunately, social media has amplified this problem; bad reviews spread fast, and those reviews often garner the most attention.
At one time, there was something called a grace period. Not anymore: Restaurants are expected to hit the fences on day one, though that just doesn’t happen. When I opened Harvest in 1996, we experienced weeks of 45-minute ticket times—but once the food hit the table, the quality and presentation won over customers. With a slow start like that today, a restaurant could get enough negative online reviews right away to put it out of business.
So here’s my advice: If you’re less critical, then give a new place a couple of tries before popping off or withholding your business. If you’re more discerning, wait a month before visiting to let them work out the kinks. Professional restaurant reviewers follow the unofficial rule of not being critical within the first 30 days. Fair enough?
This article has been updated from its original version.
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