Health inspection data on Yelp

A new reason to complain about Yelp What will happen when restaurant customers can view the nitty gritty of a restaurant’s health inspection report while deciding where to eat?
We grant that, in the name of transparency, it’s good that customers know the restaurants in which they intend to eat have passed a rigorous health inspection. But we’re not so sure it’s a good idea for city and county health departments to have partnered with review site Yelp to create the data standard that makes the inspection details accessible.  That’s especially true in light of the 685 complaints against Yelp now on file with the Federal Trade Commission, most of them coming from restaurant owners.

Writer Robert Delaware recently filed a Freedom of Information request for Yelp-related complaints, among other complaints about the site's practice. Most complaints allege that Yelp manipulates positive and negative data on a restaurant’s page to better sell ads to that restaurant.

More here http://restaurant-hospita...on-complain-about-yelp

I don't think that many people use Yelp anymore. IMO, there are too many snarky comments, and unreliable information. Bottom line,,,,,,,,,,,has a "bad" but untrue review cost anyone business? Has a glowing review, and Yelp advertising helped anyone to build business????? I don't know, but the few restaurant pros that I know are putting efforts elsewhere.  One savvy young owner that I know is putting most effort towards Facebook. She has a sign up asking customers to tag pictures with her info when they post pictures of her cupcakes.
 
I know that Roadfood is not a major site, but for those of us who use it, it is very reliable. Updated threads and back and forth comments expose misinformation very quickly. Yelp lost me a year ago. They still send me email, but I ignore it.

I'd say 685 complaints is a drop in the bucket compared to how many people use Yelp.
 
I wouldn't take the site too seriously, but it is useful.

I think it is questionable if they're linking the health inspection to the yelp site for a restaurant.  We have very easy access to that in FL wherein anyone can find out scores, both current and past, but I think they should stay separate of any actual reviews.
 
But again I could do without Yelp...or Trip Advisor...although they do get a lot of use.  When I worked in the Keys the number one thing you heard anywhere was regarding Trip Advisor...and almost all the restaurants would hit every customer up for a good review upon paying their bill...I think if it's a genuine review then great!  If it's constructive criticism-even better!  But that should at least START in the restaurant with the appropriate manager so any issue can actually be taken care of...for the betterment of the whole operation.  Not bad mouthing online.

People all review differently. Some reviewers are only active if they have something good to say, and then some people only review if they had a lousy experience. Some are way into the social aspect of yelp. Yes, there is a social scene of reviewers in the yelp community.
You can't really do much about how people come to their conclusion about your business. I've seen reviews of other places where the people are reviewing a place they have never been to. How does that work!? Its like they are commenting on the idea of the place, and not their experience.
I imagine many reviewers are influenced by what other people, either in their own dining party or out, think about a place they are about to review. Should that be relevant? "I had a friend who ate here and had the same experience..." Maybe, maybe not. I mean, its a review based on "your" experience, right? I think the same goes for public info like HD scores. I could see them being useful as a reference to a feeling you had while in a restaurant. Like "wow, despite its reputation, I found this place to be immaculate and professional. They must take criticisms to heart and improve where needed."
But as a way to kind of pull away the curtain on a system like HD inspections as a way to draw more negative criticism to a business because you may have a chip on your shoulder is kind of harsh.
In my experiences as a cart owner, my super positive, 100% passing (or nearly) inspections would not really tell a consumer much about what to expect when eating at my establishment, in my opinion. Only that I follow the rules. On the flip side, I could see how a barely passing inspection would have all kinds of interesting juicy comments for people to judge.
So, I don't think this info would give people a very balanced approach to helping them figure out if they should eat somewhere. But it might tell them where they might want to steer clear of if there are egregious repeat offenders of the HD rules.