Restaurant Success Secrets: Polling the Public to Understand Customer ChoicesErik Shellenberger2025-10-15T23:58:29+00:00 Polling the Public to Understand Customers Wanna know what customers are REALLY thinking? We know because we did something absolutely crazy! We simply asked… (Click on “show Results” to see how the public has voted) You're on vacation to a place you've never been and want to find a good restaurant, what do you do?Yelp appTrip Advisor appAsk a random localSocial MediaAsk a hotel concierge or valetOther phone appOpen Table appGoogle itStart walking until you find something that looks goodAsk your Uber driverLocal Guide magazine or print pieceOther:VoteView ResultsCrowdsignal.com Take Our Poll What factor would make you return to a bar or restaurant the MOST?great foodfriendly/ great servicegreat ambiance/ atmosphereconvenience/ ease of usecleanlinessgreat price/ valueOther:VoteView ResultsCrowdsignal.com Take Our Poll What factor is the BIGGEST deal-breaker for never returning?bad foodbad/ slow serviceoverpricedlong waits to be seateddirtyhard to find parkingtoo far awaystale/ bad atmosphereOther:VoteView ResultsCrowdsignal.com Take Our Poll How influential are a bar or restaurant's social media posts to the frequency of your visits?I go there almost exclusively based on what they post on social mediaI see their posts but don't pay too much attentionI don't make dining/ drinking decisions based on social mediaI only pay attention if it's an event like a UFC fight or specific band playingThey have zero effect on my visitsI don't even follow my favorite places on social media at allOther:VoteView ResultsCrowdsignal.com Take Our Poll Has a #hashtag search on social media ever resulted in a visit to the restaurant who posted it?Yes, I search hashtags to find new places to eat or drinkI have found new places like this but not oftenNo I don't often pay attention to hashtagsI only post them from time to time, I don't ever search themNo, I'm not sure of their purpose and they do not factor into where I eat or drinkOther:VoteView ResultsCrowdsignal.com Take Our Poll What best describes your dining/ drinking habits? (check all that apply)I go out sometimes but mostly to drink at barsI go out sometimes but mostly to eat at restaurantsI eat and drink out almost exclusivelyI go out several times a weekI rarely go out unless it's a special occasionI go out at least once a wekOther:VoteView ResultsCrowdsignal.com Take Our Poll What type of place do you visit most frequently?neighborhood dive bar serving comfort foodhigh end fine dining restaurant requiring reservationstrendy dance/ night clubnewly opened restaurants or bars with a media buzzthe place with the best food regardless of the conceptthe place with the best service regardless of the conceptsmall family owned businesses with usually 1 locationthe places with the best atmosphere/ ambiancemostly chain restaurantsOther:VoteView ResultsCrowdsignal.com Take Our Poll If you could only have 1 of these, which is more important?average food but awesome serviceaverage service but awesome foodOther:VoteView ResultsCrowdsignal.com Take Our Poll What are your thoughts on a bar or restaurant's Yelp and other online reviews?I base my impression of that business off of their overall star ratingI read some good reviews and some bad ones and draw my own conclusionsI avoid places with overall poor star ratings altogetherI don't take poor reviews that seriouslyI think too many 5 star reviews are most likely fakeReviews are a huge factor in choosing new places to eat or drinkReviews are a minimal or non-existent factor in my choices of where to eat or drinkOther:VoteView ResultsCrowdsignal.com Take Our Poll What is your age?21 or below21-3536-4546-5556 and upOther:VoteView ResultsCrowdsignal.com Take Our Poll Take Our Poll Take Our Poll In your home town what are your dining/ drinking habits?Usually visit the same bars and restaurants repeatedlyAlways looking for new places to visitGo where my friends happen to beGo where the deals are (Groupon, online offers and coupons, etc.)Wherever is the closest at the timeOther:VoteView ResultsCrowdsignal.com Take Our Poll What approach to social media does NOT grab your attention?event/ theme party flyersmemesadvertisements or promotions (happy hour, etc.)funny/ informative content unrelated to the businessprofessional photographs of atmosphere/ ambienceprofessional food photographsattractive staff photosOther:VoteView ResultsCrowdsignal.com Take Our Poll When it comes to Facebook and Instagram posts, what would influence you to visit a bar or restaurant the most?professional food photographsprofessional building/ atmosphere photographsattractive staff photoshappy hour specials or promotionsevent/ theme party flyers or adsfunny memesfunny/ informative random contentOther:VoteView ResultsCrowdsignal.com Take Our Poll What review sites do you use and trust most?ZomatoFacebook reviewsGoogleTripadvisorYelponline reviews aren't important to meOther:VoteView ResultsCrowdsignal.com Take Our Poll When looking for NEW restaurants or bars to visit, what is most important to you?Great online reviews (Yelp, Google, Facebook, Tripadvisor)Top of the Google search results/ easy to findRecommended by friendsWord of mouth excluding close friendsHas received great press lately on tv/ print/ mediaSocial media postsOther:VoteView ResultsCrowdsignal.com Take Our Poll
