"Zagat Guides" news and stories

In some ways, it's probably not a great time to be Zagat. Although the review service covers a wide range of restaurants, it's pretty much a requirement for fine dining. After all, while one might be willing to take a chance on a $10 meal, when it comes to spending serious bucks, it's a good idea to get some insurance. At the end of the day, Zagat is a pretty good tool for ensuring that the big meal isn't a big disappointment.

The thing is, when the economy is down and everybody is trying to cut back on expenditures, expensive restaurant dinners are often the first things to go. As the restaurants go, so do the restaurant guides, and one has to imagine that Zagat is feeling the pinch. Luckily, the publisher has had an online site for a few years; for a small fee, users can take advantage of pretty much every scrap of information in the Zagat universe, including thousands of restaurant reviews from cities across the country.

To sweeten the deal (and help some fine eateries weather the recession) the company now offers Zagat Presents, a series of discussions, tastings, and previews at several of the guide's rated restaurants. The events, which are often priced at below market rates, offer Zagat.com members the opportunity to enjoy a night on the town even when they are watching their pennies. Moreover, Zagat ensures that the evenings will be unique by working with chefs and restaurants to design off-menu meals that showcase the restaurants' versatility and potential.

When I first heard about Zagat.com, I was a hesitant. After all, there are numerous free restaurant reviews on the web, and the idea of paying for such a service seemed a little silly. After a little thought, however, I reconsidered. After all, we're talking about Zagat, the top restaurant guide, which has yet to fail me; the same, unfortunately, cannot be said of City Search.

To be honest, the site is pretty amazing. Like the restaurant guides, it organizes its reviews based on location, price, cuisine, and several other considerations. Moreover, it also offers reviews of hotels, nightspots, and attractions, basically applying the Zagat experience to almost every aspect of city tourism. Even better, for people who live in cities that aren't covered by the guides, it includes user reviews of hundreds of local eateries.

Of course, there's still the cost. Zagat charges $4.95 per month or $24.95 per year for premium membership. At first, this seemed a little high, but then I did a little math: the basic Zagat guides retail for around $15 apiece. For less than $25 per year, the online site gives its users ALL the guides, as well as a variety of other services. Best of all, the site can also be accessed from mobile phones, making it possible for users to enjoy their Zagat without having to tote around the unwieldy books.