User:Mike Cline/Restaurant Notability and Sourcing Checklist

Wikipedia articles on restaurants are subject to the notability demands of WP:CORP. A restaurant, whether or not it is a chain or a single enterprise, is a company. Notability requirements for companies are clear and easily adapted to the world of restaurants, food and drink. Key parts of WP:CORP apply especially to restaurant enterprises.


 * An organization is generally considered notable if it has been the subject of significant coverage in reliable, independent secondary sources. Trivial or incidental coverage of a subject by secondary sources is not sufficient to establish notability.  All content must be verifiable.  If no independent, third-party, reliable sources can be found on a topic, then Wikipedia should not have an article on it.


 * The source's audience must also be considered. Evidence of attention by international or national, or at least regional, media is a strong indication of notability. On the other hand, attention solely from local media, or media of limited interest and circulation, is not an indication of notability; at least one regional, national, or international source is necessary.

Typical types of coverage for restaurants

 * Reviews - A critic or reviewer discusses the cuisine, ambiance and service of a given restaurant. Review can be found in periodicals, newpapers, travel guides and destination guides.
 * Business news - News or editorial coverage that covers ownership, financing, profitability, etc. related to a given restaurant.
 * Destination Articles - Articles discussing the restaurant in connection with other travel or entertainment options for a given travel destination.
 * Best of Lists - Coverage of a restaurant by media that compiles and publishes Best of ... lists
 * Featured appearances on television - A restaurant is visited and commented on by celebrities or notable food and drink personalities on Food, Travel or Business related television.
 * Chef Profiles - Published profiles of important chefs most always associate the chefs with select restaurants.

Established reliable sources meeting the regional, national or global standard of coverage
Although the list below is certainly not all inclusive, a restaurant enterprise that is discussed in some significant way by any of the below is probably sufficiently notable to satisfy WP:CORP. Editors should be encouraged to consult these sources for coverage of restaurants for new articles or to strengthen sourcing of existing restaurant articles.

Reviews and Best of lists
There are a number of significant Best of lists published by these sources. Many have online versions. For periodicals, indexes and back issues should always be consulted for potential restaurant reviews.


 * Michelin Guide - Michelin Guides currently publish annual starred restaurant lists and Bib Gourmand lists for San Francisco, Chicago, and New York in the U.S. Many other European cities are covered by Michelin Guides.
 * Gayot Publishing - publishes hundreds of restaurant reviews and best of lists from cities all over the U.S. and Canada.
 * Bon Appétit - a monthly food and restaurant magazine
 * Epicurious - a foodie website associated with Bon Appétit
 * Gourmet Magazine - now out-of-print, but back issues pre-2009 have loads of restaurant reviews
 * Food & Wine - a foodie magazine with cuisine and restaurant reviews

Restaurant industry media

 * Nation's Restaurant News - an American trade publication that covers the foodservice industry, including restaurants, restaurant chains, operations, marketing, and events.
 * National Restaurant Association
 * FastCasual.com - A food industry website since 1997 that reports on news, events, trends and people in the fast casual restaurant industry segment.  Good for reviews, best of lists and business related information.
 * QSR Magazine - an industry periodical focusing on the Quick Service Restaurant sector

Travel related media

 * AmericanWay Magazine - Monthly inflight airline magazine for American Airlines
 * Sky Magazine - Monthly inflight airline magazine for Delta Air Lines
 * Hemispheres - Monthly inflight airline magazine for United Air Lines
 * U.S. Airways Magazine - Monthly inflight airline magazine for U.S. Airways
 * Condé Nast Traveler - Monthly travel magazine