Perhaps you need to live a bit and explore outside your comfort zone a bit more!!!Originally Posted by wrpac00
Perhaps you need to live a bit and explore outside your comfort zone a bit more!!!
Have to agree with PF Changs being "Americanised" we ate there in Boston next year and it didn't feel in the least bit Chinese, the food was good though.
Liz
Although, to be honest, none of the "Chinese" food outside of china is anything like that eaten in China. It is all westernised in one way or another.
Lost me there Jill, I am not sure what my 'comfort zone' as you call it, has to do with me not knowing about the 'Zagat fast food survey'.
For the past 4 years I have spent 3 months of more in Florida and I have never heard them mentioned once.
Having looked at their website it would appear that the likes of you an me vote for these things so it is hardly an expert view is it? And as such should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Been going to the USA for almost the last 20 years and I've never heard of them either.
Very much along the lines of tripadvisor and the hundreds of similar sites on the web, Zagat is based on customer reviews and has around 250,000 participating members although has been in existence many years longer pre-dating the internet. Just like tripadvisor, sometimes the reviews have to be treated with caution but a strong recommendation by either of them can provide massive benefits to the business concerned.
I posted the results because I thought some members might be interested, not because I necessarily think they're some sort of supreme authority on eating out. I have a couple of their guides and I have to say that I don't by any means always agree with all I've read but I have found it invaluable when I travel around the US but, to be fair, if you only stay in the same place all the time then it's going to be of limited use to you.
If members have never heard of them and are sufficiently interested in broadening their awareness, next time you go into, for example, the Cheesecake Factory, (there are many other places as well) have a look on the glass door and you will almost certainly see the maroon Zagat recommendation sticker if they are in it. You will also see it on a few restaurants in the UK because they publish a UK guide as well. Alternatively, go into any decent bookshop in the US or the likes of Waterstones in the UK and you will see their various guides on the shelves in their trademark maroon. Amazon's UK site gives 1,145 results on 100 pages if you search "Zagat books'.
If you don't get out much, have a look on restaurant websites and you will also see the Zagat logo prominently displayed. The Cheesecake Factory and Five Guys both have this recent survey at the top of the awards sections of their websites.
Of course, if you're not interested in what others think and have decided that the views of 250,000 other diners aren't worth anything, then it isn't going to be of any use to you so you can just disregard it.
Finally, if you have a couple of minutes, just Google them - coincidentally, Google bought them out a couple of years ago for $125 million.
Last edited by Katys Grandad; 12-09-2011 at 04:49.
One assumes that this forum is doing its job then. Providing new and interesting information even to 2 seasoned florida experts!!!
I too have never heard of Zagat nor many of the food outlets mentioned but would agree that Panera is on the list - I think their food and service ethic is second to none.
Clare R
To be honest I had heard of this survey before and perhaps I am sad but there you go it takes all types to make a world. Even if you are not interested in results or have not heard of them, it does throw some other names of places to eat into the arena which some people might or might not like to try out that they are not aware of.
Yay Panera, anyone thats read my previous trip reports will know we love it here, 148 days to go!
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