DEFINE YELP PROFESSIONAL
In that sense, Yelp was initially something of a populist victory, giving regular people the perceived ability to wield, to a certain extent, the power formerly only held by professional critics and other press. The site (and the app, which launched in 2008) would forever change the way business owners and customers interacted with one another, giving diners the ability to give restaurants the kind of honest, specific feedback that had previously been relegated to comment cards - except now in a very public forum. Based on the concept of asking friends for recommendations, Yelp was founded in 2004, and by 2006, it was attracting one million users a month and had a database of more than 100,000 user-generated reviews. Restaurants and Yelpers haven’t always been at odds.
So does the rise of the Instagram influencer - both in their inescapable allure to marketers, and the inevitable resentment that goes along with that surge in popularity - signal that Yelp Elite is going obsolete? And just like Elite Yelpers, Instagram influencers are facing similar backlash: Using the same language that once defined restaurants’ relationships with Yelp, some have proclaimed influencers the newest blight on the industry. The power of said influencers is undeniable: Restaurants often partner directly with them to get more butts in seats, giving rise to the marketing strategy of simply “going viral” - or at least attempting to - with stunt-y foods like birthday cake croissants and obnoxiously over-garnished milkshakes. Where the media was once obsessed with the sometimes- bad behavior of Yelpers, that attention has now largely shifted to Instagram influencers.
DEFINE YELP FULL
During (arguably) Yelp’s cultural peak in 2011, one study showed that independent restaurants who see a one-star bump in their Yelp rating also see a significant jump in revenue, and in 2012, a study emerged indicating that even just a half-star increase means a restaurant is much more likely to be full at peak dining hours.īut over the past few years, a new, even-thirstier-for-attention internet archetype has emerged: the Instagram influencer. Where the media was once obsessed with Yelpers, that attention has largely shifted to Instagram influencers.Īnd it’s a well-established fact that, like it or not, Yelp ratings can have an outsized impact on a restaurant’s business. The late Anthony Bourdain said in a 2017 interview, “There’s really no worse, or lower human being than an Elite Yelper,” declaring them “universally loathed by chefs everywhere.” For years, restaurateurs and chefs have waged war against petty reviewers who hit them with one-star reviews for offenses ranging from refusing to serve them any more alcohol to not offering takeout, and numerous internet complaints suggest that pay-for-play ploys like Cartman’s were a semi-frequent IRL occurrence at restaurants across the country. Many restaurant owners and others in the hospitality industry see it otherwise. In order to be considered a Yelp “Elite,” a subgroup launched in 2005, users must be recognized by the Yelp mothership for “well-written reviews, high quality tips, a detailed personal profile, an active voting and complimenting record, and a history of playing well with others.” Yelp’s website says it considers its Elite members “the true heart of the Yelp community, both on and offline.” One of the top user-generated review sites, particularly in the U.S., Yelp hosts recommendations for everything from plumbers to tattoo shops, but it’s arguably most well-known for its restaurant reviews.
DEFINE YELP FREE
Titled “You’re Not Yelping,” the episode centers on Cartman using his status as an “Elite” Yelper to extort free food from restaurants. “I mean, I can probably be persuaded with free desserts,” Cartman replies. Visibly concerned about an impending online review, a manager asks what he can do to help.
“I was thinking of giving this place five stars, but I’m kind of teetering on five stars or one star,” says South Park’s Eric Cartman, surrounded by half-eaten plates of food in a 2015 episode.
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