By: Kasey Hullett
Entering into the world of food criticism and review is more precarious than I thought.
Recently, there has been an outbreak of lawsuits from bad reviews on not only Yelp but blogs as well. In California, a groundbreaking law was set forth to protect Yelpers from defamation charges. You would think that first amendment rights would apply here–but they do not.
In France, a blogger was fined $3,200 for a negative review on her blog.
However, apart from these less formal ways of publishing reviews, there is a set process for food reviews. You guessed it, a code of ethics.
The Association of Food Journalists has its own code, listing five core principles.
- We take pride in our work, and respect the work of others.
- We do not abuse our positions.
- We avoid conflicts of interest.
- We recognize and respect diversity.
- We are committed to total transparency in our work.
First, there is a set process to write a review fairly and ethically. One must visit the restaurant three times to get a fair taste of the menu. He or she must also visit the restaurant anonymously–so that the food is prepared the same as a common customer. The food must be paid for by the publication. If said restaurant advertises or sponsors in the publication, that must be indicated in the review.
What about negative reviews? What does the AFJ have to say about those?
Negative reviews are fine, as long as they’re accurate and fair. Critics must always be conscious that they are dealing with people’s livelihoods. Negative reviews, especially, should be based on multiple visits and a broad exploration of the restaurant’s menu. Following a consistent reviewing policy without deviation may protect a critic from charges of bias or favoritism, while providing a platform from which to defend the review.
Above all, one must be factual in their review. There will be opinion because everyone has a different taste. However, one cannot mix up facts. If the chicken is raw, it must be completely red. If it is burnt black, it must look like a piece of charcoal. However, if you say it is still red and raw in the middle–this is more precise. Likewise, you could say that the outer layer is completely black. This cannot be stressed enough. For negative reviews, the facts can save you from legal and ethical dilemmas.
As far as ethics go, the importance of food reviews directly affects the restaurant owners’ livelihoods. A positive review in a newspaper or magazine can skyrocket business and give much-needed attention to lesser-known restaurants. Likewise, a negative review can financially hurt an owner and its workers. This can even turn into an emotional damage if the business’s reputation suffers enough.
This brings us to the debate of the first and second principles of the SPJ Code of Ethics.
- Seek the Truth and Report it
- Minimize Harm
Say this is your third time to visit the restaurant for a review. You order a cheeseburger and fries. You take a bite and feel something stabbing you in the mouth. You spit the bite into your napkin and find a metal wire–probably from a grill brush. What do you do?
This piece of information could be particularly catastrophic to the review. You could have swallowed the metal and choked or it could have done significant damage farther down the line. The last two meals were decent enough. This is a problem.
Should you report this fact? It could be argued that the public should know that this could happen. However, the harm in this would be tremendous. The restaurant would most likely suffer a great deal.
Fortunately, the decision doesn’t have to be made on your own. This is when your editors can help you come to a conclusion.