Why do Asian establishments seem to have lower Google reviews than in the West?

[TheGrassGuy]

Like, Tokyo vs. New York

[Road Hog]

I for one will rate some Asian establishments QUITE HIGH.

[Max Rockatansky]

The two a mile from me are 4.0 and 4.3.  All the others I frequent near downtown Fresno and the Tower District are also over 4.0 on Google.

[hotdogPi]

I think the OP is referring to locations actually in Asia.

[Max Rockatansky]

I think the OP is referring to locations actually in Asia.

Yeah how the OP phrased it didn't make a ton of sense.  Japan and much of Asia is traditionally the "far east."  

Either way, an observation I've had over the years is that there is a far larger concentration of Asian restaurants on the west coast versus the east coast.  Whether or not that has something to do with review averages on the east coast I can't really speculate, but the OP seems to be insinuating they are lower.

[bing101]

I think the OP is referring to locations actually in Asia.

Yeah how the OP phrased it didn't make a ton of sense.  Japan and much of Asia is traditionally the "far east."  

Either way, an observation I've had over the years is that there is a far larger concentration of Asian restaurants on the west coast versus the east coast.  Whether or not that has something to do with review averages on the east coast I can't really speculate, but the OP seems to be insinuating they are lower.

Is there a specific district we need to look at where these questionable reviews are coming from?

[kphoger]

Like, Tokyo vs. New York

I think the OP is referring to locations actually in Asia.

Yeah how the OP phrased it didn't make a ton of sense.  Japan and much of Asia is traditionally the "far east."  

What's confusing?  Tokyo is in Asia, New York is in the West.

[Max Rockatansky]

Like, Tokyo vs. New York

I think the OP is referring to locations actually in Asia.

Yeah how the OP phrased it didn't make a ton of sense.  Japan and much of Asia is traditionally the "far east."  

What's confusing?  Tokyo is in Asia, New York is in the West.

Reread the title:

" Why do Asian establishments seem to have lower Google reviews than in the West?"

I'm aware the OP cited Tokyo as an example the first post.  All the same, what's the west I'm the title that is being referenced?  Is it a reference to the west coast or is the OP saying Asia is the west?

[kphoger]

Hmmm.... OK...?

I still thought it was perfectly clear:  establishments that are Asian (such as Tokyo) vs establishments that are in the West (such as New York)

whatevs!   

[kphoger]

Anyway, I've come to realize that practically every US place that's not truly awful seems to get at least 3.5 stars on Google.  It has become less and less reliable in that regard.

[hotdogPi]

Anyway, I've come to realize that practically every US place that's not truly awful seems to get at least 3.5 stars on Google.  It has become less and less reliable in that regard.

Does 3.6 vs. 4.5 not tell you anything useful?

[kphoger]

Anyway, I've come to realize that practically every US place that's not truly awful seems to get at least 3.5 stars on Google.  It has become less and less reliable in that regard.

Does 3.6 vs. 4.5 not tell you anything useful?

A bit, yes.  But the 3.6 to 3.9 range contains a WIDE variation in quality, and the exact number in that range has a lot to do with how many reviewers there were, and how many of them had dumb complaints.

[vdeane]

Like, Tokyo vs. New York

I think the OP is referring to locations actually in Asia.

Yeah how the OP phrased it didn't make a ton of sense.  Japan and much of Asia is traditionally the "far east."  

What's confusing?  Tokyo is in Asia, New York is in the West.

Reread the title:

" Why do Asian establishments seem to have lower Google reviews than in the West?"

I'm aware the OP cited Tokyo as an example the first post.  All the same, what's the west I'm the title that is being referenced?  Is it a reference to the west coast or is the OP saying Asia is the west?

"The West" as in "Western Civilization" (the US, Canada, Europe, etc.).

[J N Winkler]

Anyway, I've come to realize that practically every US place that's not truly awful seems to get at least 3.5 stars on Google.  It has become less and less reliable in that regard.

I've personally found consistency and staff turnover to be better markers, but it does take time to build trends.  The Taco Shop near me (4.3) usually has my order ready within 10-15 minutes and has the same two people each in the order-taker and order-caller roles.  Its neighbor, a Popeyes (3.6), usually has a completely different person in each customer contact role each time I visit, and I have had waits range from five to 40 minutes for the same exact order.  It has also gone from accepting online orders to not allowing them to accepting them again.

I rarely give ratings or write reviews--they are both uncompensated labor and, when I do that, I prefer that it be explicitly for a charitable purpose.  I'm also wary of inviting retaliation.

[TheGrassGuy]

Seems this conversation has derailed a bit, so allow me to clarify:

Let's say I'm in Kitaikyushu, Japan and am looking for a place to go shopping. What are my options?

* SAINTcity Shopping Mall (3.6) - Low-key high-rise shopping mall with multiple levels housing stores, restaurants & services.
* Amu Plaza (3.8) - Large, upscale shopping center at a transit station, known for its women's fashion & food offerings.
* Aruaru City (4.0) - Compact mall with shops selling anime, manga & cosplay merchandise, plus karaoke clubs & eateries.
* ChaCha Town Kokura (3.7) - Urban mall featuring retail shops & specialty stores, plus eateries, a movie theater & Ferris wheel.
* Tanga Market (3.9) - Storied covered market lined with 100+ vendors for fresh seafood, produce, meat & prepared foods.
(Average: 3.8)

Now, let's say I'm in Wan Chai, Hong Kong and am looking for a place to eat. What are my options?

* 牛魔王清湯腩咖喱專門店 (3.7) - Chinese noodle restaurant
* The Yuu (4.0) - Japanese restaurant
* 城發粥麵店 (3.0) - Porridge restaurant
* Kuen Kee Won Ton Noodle (3.5) - Chinese noodle restaurant
* Yeung Ming Restaurant (3.4) - Cantonese restaurant
* TamJai Yunnan Mixian (3.7) - Chinese restaurant
(Average: 3.55)

As you can see these are kinda low, I guess?

Control group, let's check out the dining options in Omaha, Nebraska:

* Spaghetti Works (4.3) - Italian restaurant - Casual, family-friendly chain eatery offering Italian classics such as pizza & pasta, plus a bar.
* Twisted Fork (4.3) - Bar & grill - Contemporary American restaurant cooking inventive comfort food in funky digs with patio seating.
* Nicola's Italian Wine & Fare (4.5) - Italian restaurant - Laid-back osteria featuring familiar pasta, meat & fish dishes plus a spacious outdoor garden.
* Jams Old Market (4.3) - Eatery & lounge with contemporary style serving New American food with global influences.
* Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe (4.4) - Sandwich shop
* Sullivan's Steakhouse (4.3) - Steakhouse chain serving beef, seafood & cocktails in swanky surrounds with live music.
(Average: 4.35)

Now if you try the same for shopping areas in Liverpool, UK:

* Liverpool ONE (4.5) - Vibrant, open-air complex featuring top global retailers, restaurants, bars, mini golf & a cinema.
* Cavern Walks - Shopping Centre (4.4) - Small selection of fashion, beauty and jewellery stores in a boutique-style shopping mall.
* St Johns Shopping Centre (4.0) - Large indoor mall housing high street fashion, homeware and electronics stores, plus food court.
* Clayton Square Shopping Centre (4.0) - Light-filled mall with domed glass ceiling, housing high street fashion, beauty and homeware stores.
* Metquarter Liverpool (4.0) - Glass-fronted, split-level mall housing designer fashion brand stores, lifestyle shops and cafes.
(Average: 4.18)

I mean, I think we can all agree that Japan and Hong Kong have better cuisines than the US and the UK, right, so it's kind of counterintuitive for the reviewing patterns not to adequately reflect this. My hypothesis is that it chalks up to East-West cultural differences regarding standards and expectations for good food and good service.

[Rothman]

I mean, I think we can all agree that Japan and Hong Kong have better cuisines than the US and the UK, right, so it's kind of counterintuitive for the reviewing patterns not to adequately reflect this.

No, you are just ignoring the data you've collected to support the mantra you've accepted.

[formulanone]

This thread feels like a trap.

2.0 / 5.0

[wanderer2575]

What are the cultural differences with regard to posting reviews of these types of places?  If a significant percentage of reviews of those Japanese and Hong Kong venues are from Western tourists who are unhappy because they (a) can't communicate because they haven't bothered to learn the language and (b) get grossed out or let down when actually authentic food is served, that will skew the ratings. 

As a simple example, traditional Japanese sushi is quite different from the Western bastardization.  Anybody expecting the latter at a venue in Japan is going to be disappointed.

[kphoger]

I mean, I think we can all agree that Japan and Hong Kong have better cuisines than the US and the UK, right, so it's kind of counterintuitive for the reviewing patterns not to adequately reflect this.

I think US cuisine is top notch, actually.  We have some of the tastiest food in the world, in my opinion.  You're perfectly free to disagree, of course.

But that has nothing to do with the quality of the restaurants.  I mean, when I review the local burger joint, the number of stars doesn't reflect what I think of US cuisine in general, and I certainly hope you don't expect it to.

[J N Winkler]

I mean, I think we can all agree that Japan and Hong Kong have better cuisines than the US and the UK, right, so it's kind of counterintuitive for the reviewing patterns not to adequately reflect this. My hypothesis is that it chalks up to East-West cultural differences regarding standards and expectations for good food and good service.

I think a broad statement like "Japan and Hong Kong have better cuisines than the US" is extremely contestable just at a conceptual level.

I'd also wonder to what extent the observation that restaurants tend to have lower ratings in East Asia than in the US and western Europe might reflect sampling bias.  This said, if it indeed is a robust finding, then I can think of reasons it might be true that do not pertain to the quality of the food and service.  For example, it might be the case that:

*  Restaurants are more tightly regulated, so that the spread in ratings reflects the "narcissism of small differences"--small downward variations in quality correspond to much greater penalties in ratings

*  There is less of a perceived social penalty to assigning an establishment a less-than-favorable rating

To get an idea of the extent to which these and other possible reasons might be in play, we would have to know more about who rates places on Google in East Asia versus the US and western Europe (as Wander2575 suggests).

[dlsterner]

I mean, I think we can all agree that Japan and Hong Kong have better cuisines than the US and the UK

Opinion; not fact.

[hotdogPi]

I feel like reviews should be weighted, so that if your average review is 3.4, your standard deviation is 1.6, and you give a restaurant a 5, the website sees +1σ. Someone who gives mostly 5s will have each individual 5 count less, while someone who goes by "average means average" will result in a significant boost in rating for a 5-star review.

It's possible that you could even give more than 5 stars, but doing so increases your standard deviation and therefore results in less weight for all your reviews.

[bm7]

My guess is the idea of "5 stars = good, 4 or less stars = bad" is not as prevalent there. I looked at a couple of random restaurants in Tokyo with under 4.0 overall, and they both had 4 stars as the most common rating. Reading through some of the translated reviews, most of the 4 star reviews didn't mention anything negative in them, like you'd generally expect to see in a review that's less than 5 stars.

[kphoger]

Someone who gives mostly 5s will have each individual 5 count less ...

This devalues the reviews of people who only choose to post reviews when the establishment truly did far exceed all expectations.

[bing101]

How much of this is that there are YouTube shows doing review of food are a factor here. Yes this is there's some correlation but no proof of causation type argument here.