How We Survey

Zagat surveyors (everyday people who have a strong interest in the topics we cover) rate and review a wide range of lifestyle/leisure products and services including restaurants, nightlife, hotels, golf courses and movies. Our consumer surveys are compiled by Zagat's content department in conjunction with expert editors and consumers submit their own ratings and reviews on ZAGAT.com and ZAGAT.mobi. The Zagat Rating & Review is based entirely on the opinions of these consumers, with numerical ratings reflecting the average scores given by all participants who voted on each establishment and reviews based on direct quotes from, or representative paraphrasings of, participants' comments.

All survey participants are eligible for a reward as a “thank you” for their input. A complimentary copy of the guide once it is published or a free subscription to ZAGAT.com is our way of thanking our loyal surveyors.

For more information, see the Vote section.

Survey Guidelines

Zagat Survey® strives to summarize the honest opinions of the thousands of people who share their experiences with us. In turn, using this input, our guides are designed to provide consumers with trustworthy information, allowing them to make smart decisions about their dining, travel and other leisure activities.

Zagat's Content Creation Policy mandates the completely honest and objective gathering and compiling of our surveyors' ratings and reviews. The use of deceptive or unfair practices in an attempt to manipulate these ratings and reviews is a clear violation of this policy and may result in the removal of an establishment from Zagat Survey's publications. Unacceptable practices include, but are not limited to, the distribution of surveys by anyone other than an official Zagat Survey representative, encouragement of surveyors to vote a certain way, offering incentives or rewards for surveyors to vote for an establishment, and voting by establishment owners, employees or agents with respect to their own establishments. Besides violating this Zagat Survey policy, such conduct may constitute an actionable legal claim under many states' laws, including those of the State of New York.