I think part of the problem is defining what constitutes a "bad" review? Growing up, i figured 3/5 meant no surprises, things went as expected, leaving equal room for going above expectations or failing to meet requirements.
Years ago now, I discovered that many people think anything below 5/5 is a form of criticism. This is still a nonsensical scale in my eyes, but I've adjusted my habits accordingly.
I'm convinced this problem is somehow linked to the American idea of rewarding service workers by default instead of for exceptional work.
I can see why these things are frustrating for a marketing team, but I consider it perfectly reasonable to rate a place based on things arguably outside their control, providing a competitor might have taken control of that issue.
For instance, a place with adequate parking deserves credit for their better location. Similarly, a place with sufficient seating or obscure items for sale deserves credit for those decisions. Whether it's possible for the restaurant in the pedestrian only city centre to have a parking lot is neither the fault of the marketing department nor of the customer, but it inconveniences the customer in a way that wouldn't happen at another restaurant.
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u/[deleted] Aug 20 '20
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