In December 2021, Eat Out announced that its judging process would move from a top 20 ranking to a star rating system.

The restaurants rated for the Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards are selected based on several factors, including the quality of their offering – from the décor, ambience and service to the wine list, ingredients used and quality of the food. Based on their collective experience and expertise, the Eat Out team, the judging panel and the Awards chief judge then select the restaurants to be judged.

 

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From the list over 90 restaurants are visited by the six expert judges and rated on Eat Out’s online rating tool that comprises a comprehensive scorecard. Restaurants are judged in a number of categories, including:

• Menu composition: 15 points
• Presentation: 10 points
• Taste and technique: 25 points
• Beverages: 15 points
• Service: 15 points
• Ambience: 5 points
• Perceived value: 10 points
• Brand promise: 5

Five to 10 factors are rated within these categories before the entire rating is rolled up into the total score out of 100.

One star is awarded to those restaurants that scored 70 – 80, two stars to those scoring 80 – 90 and three stars to those scoring 90+, with Restaurant of the Year awarded to the establishment with the highest score.

There is also a list of special awards to be won. These awards applaud individual restaurants, chefs and food personalities that are doing meaningful and great things to push the industry forward. Our panel of judges submit their nominees for each award and then deliberate as a group in order to arrive at the result. The final decision is made by the chief judge.

Follow Eat Out on social media for more updates as we get closer to 19 November.