Understanding Restaurant Reviews on this Site

If you have ever read a restaurant review on the Memphis site at About.com, you may have wondered how we came up with a certain number of stars for a particular restaurant. In an effort to create uniformity across the board, restaurants are reviewed on five different factors. These factors are:

• Food -- Did the food taste good? Were the ingredients fresh and of good quality?
• Service -- Were the servers friendly, attentive, and prompt? Were any problems resolved satisfactorily and with courtesy?
• Cleanliness -- Were the tables free from debris and residue? Was the floor kept swept or vacuumed? Were the restrooms clean and free from odor?
• Value -- Was the meal a good value for the money? This is not to say that an expensive restaurant can't score a star in this area. It can, as long as the quality, preparation, and presentation of the meal make it worthy of a high dollar figure.
• Atmosphere -- Was the restaurant inviting? Did it provide plesant music? Was the decor appealing?