Embrace the power of TripAdvisor, it still seems. A whopping third (31%) of Map Happy respondents replied that TripAdvisor still significantly affects their dining choices while on vacation.
Because we love to have fun with polls, we wanted to know: How do you decide where to eat when you're running around on a trip? It turns out people aren't as nearly original with their dining list as we thought they might be.
Behind TripAdvisor, Yelp or another food recommendation site was the second most popular option (22%). (Many countries have their own version of Yelp. Fun fact: Reputedly, the Japanese are so finnicky that anything above three stars on Japanese Yelp was "excellent.")
Surprisingly, it was actually personal recommendations from other people that were less likely to make a traveler's dining list. Wait a minute, are you saying Instagram isn't as nearly powerful as we all thought it was?
Out of those, suggestions from locals such as hotel staff and Uber drivers rated highest at 18%, though our own personal experiences have been hit or miss with this.
(Mostly because everyone has different preferences when it comes to palate. It makes sense; three-star Michelin restaurants don't make my regular dining rotation at home.)
Friends and family suggestions, came in at 15%, while foodie website Chowhound managed to pull in a recommendable 14% all on its own. Hilarious that our preferred option is dead last, but it hits the mark the majority of the time.
Hopefully the days where a packed restaurant is chanced upon while walking by aren't long dead.
