Q: How do I know if a restaurant isn’t good if I haven’t even been there before?

A: Check reviews before going! People are more likely to leave a review about a poor experience rather than a good one. So keep that in mind, but pay attention to why people are leaving 1-star reviews. You’ll be able to tell if it is a justified reason or not. Someone writing, “Turned us away just because we didn’t have reservations.” is an example of it not being the restaurant’s fault.

Q: What if I don’t want to try something new? I know what I like already.

A: As my mom would always say, “How do you actually know if you haven’t tried it?” Trying something new is exciting and different. So give it a shot!

Q: What should I do if I try something/somewhere new and I like it?

A: Tell and share it with everyone you know! Like I said in a previous question, people are more likely to leave reviews about their poor experiences than their good ones. So leave a review on their page and tell your friends so that place gets more business and won’t go out of business.

Q: What about trying new store bought products like drinks or packaged goods?

A: These are a little harder to leave a review for, but just as easy to talk about in real life! Tell your friends and family about it. If they try it and like it, they’ll support the product as well. Especially if it is an “available for a limited time only” product, if it sells well, it may become available permanently. So support the products you like!

Q: My friend recommended I try something and I ended up not liking it, who is to blame?

A: Everybody has different preferences. Even this blog will highlight some restaurants and products to try, but that doesn’t mean every single person will have the some positive opinion about it. Just be aware that opinions are opinions and ultimately you’ll have to try it yourself to decide your own opinion.