Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Supporting Your Favorite Restaurant

It is said that 9 out of 10 restaurants fail in their first year. Recent research though seems to indicate that only 1 out of 4 restaurants close or change hands in the first year. Within three years, the closure rate rises to 3 out of 5. Though those statistics are better, it still is a relatively high rate. If you have a favorite restaurant, how can you, as a customer, help keep it in business?

One of my reasons for this blog is to help keep open my favorite restaurants. I try to spread the word about them, to share my experiences with others so that they too will patronize that restaurant. I recommend my favorites to family and friends. Word of mouth is easy to do and you can do the same for your favorites. The more business your favorite restaurant generates, the better its chances of remaining open.

I also recommend my favorites on this blog as well as other restaurant review sites. You too can spread the word about your favorite restaurants. There are several major food reviews sites where you can post your own thoughts on restaurants. Positive media attention always helps. You can check out the following:

Pat Whitley Restaurant Show
TV Diner
Phantom Gourmet
Boston Chowhounds

You might want to keep your favorite restaurant a secret so that it does not get too popular, too crowded. But, in doing so, you might not be helping the restaurant. Restaurants need patrons to stay in business. And if few people know about a place, it might not generate sufficient business to remain open. So, spread the word!

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