How We Work
Last updated Version 2.0 Change history
Where the data comes from
Every field on a listing comes from one of four places, and we record which one so an editor can re-check it later:
| Field | Usual source | Re-checked |
|---|---|---|
| Menu items and prices | Photograph of the printed or posted menu, or the restaurant's own site | Every 6 months, or on report |
| Opening hours | Restaurant's public business profile or its own site | Every 3 months |
| Address and phone | Public business profile | Every 6 months |
| Service options and accessibility | Public business profile, confirmed in person where we have visited | Every 12 months |
| Photographs | Taken by us, supplied by the owner, or licensed | Replaced on request |
| Diner notes | Written by Menu Pick readers, reviewed before publishing | Not applicable |
What "checked" means
The date on a listing means a person confirmed, on that day, that the restaurant was still trading and that the details on the page matched the source. It does not mean we ate there that day, or that the price is guaranteed.
Where we cannot confirm something we leave it out. An empty field is more useful than a guess, because a guess looks exactly like a fact.
Our position on generated text
Menu Pick does not publish machine-written restaurant descriptions. A paragraph that says a place has a "warm and welcoming atmosphere" without anyone having been there is not information — it is filler that happens to be grammatical, and it is the same paragraph on every listing.
We use software to transcribe menu photographs and to flag listings that look stale. An editor checks the output before it goes live.
Reviews and ratings
We publish only notes written by our own readers, who tell us what they ordered and when. We do not copy review text from Google, Yelp or Tripadvisor onto our pages, and we do not present ratings from those platforms as if they were ours. Where they are useful, we link out to them.
Notes are read before publication. We decline notes that are copied, that come from someone connected to the business, or that make claims we cannot stand behind.
Editorial independence
Nothing on Menu Pick can be bought. No listing, no ranking, no badge, no mention in a guide. Claiming a listing is free and gives an owner control over their own data — it does not affect where they appear.
Where content is sponsored it will say so at the top, before the body text.
Corrections
Report anything wrong through the contact page. We aim to respond within five working days. When we change a published fact we update the checked date, and for anything material we note what changed at the foot of the listing.
Owners can have a listing removed entirely, with no reason given, once we have confirmed they represent the business.