Wikipedia:Notability (restaurants)

This guideline is intended to extend WP:CORP, in no way to replace its purpose, in regard to restaurants. It is also not intended to replace, supplant, or otherwise alter the standard notability requirements.

The reason this extension of the notability requirements is necessary is that there is a constant inflow of pages for restaurants/pubs/saloons/delis/cafeterias/etc. that do not have, or have a very tenuous, notability.

Notability of a restaurant
A specific restaurant may be notable for events which occurred at that restaurant, but only if the restaurant itself or staff of the restaurant played a specific role in the notability. However, in most cases the event which occurred at the restaurant keeps the notability to itself. An example of this is the saloon where Caleb Claiborne Herbert was shot to death, for which the event and the person are notable, but the specific saloon is not.

An example of a restaurant having its own notability is Tom's Restaurant in Manhattan, which received fame through the actions of others (in song and television).

Local newspaper reviews do not serve to convey notability to restaurants. Since these reviews strive to provide complete and exhaustive coverage of the area they serve, their reviews will cover the notable and non-notable alike. Coverage must at least reach the regional level before being treated as a source of notability, and even then multiple reputable sources should support this notability.

Restaurant guides
Inclusion of a restaurant in a restaurant guide generally does not confer notability. The vast majority of restaurant guides attempt to be inclusive rather than exclusive. If a notable restaurant guide determines that a restaurant is notable enough to be top-ranked on its list, then certainly other reputable sources will discuss this restaurant and provide proof of notability.

Notability of a restaurant chain
Simply put, the size of the restaurant chain is the most important factor in the notability of the restaurant chain. While other issues, such as the popularity and impact on popular culture have an impact, generally a restaurant chain becomes notable if there are enough individual locations that knowledge of the chain's existence is very widespread. Note that very notable chains do not necessarily exist in multiple countries.