We answer every email. There is no ticket queue, no chatbot, and no on-hold music — only the desk, at a quiet inbox.
Write about anything: an account, a dish, a correction.
Every rating is three quick reads — texture, flavor balance, and value for the plate — plus one honest yes/no: would you bring a friend back. theBEAT weights them into a single score, blended with an editorial baseline the desk sets; as votes come in, the room takes over. The full methodology is published in The Engine.
A single number, 0 to 10. Each rating weighs texture, flavor balance, and value, plus the honest test — would you bring a friend back — then blends with an editorial baseline. Shorthand for worth your night.
The same way long-running rating registries weight repeat raters over first-time entries, and the same way community Q&A platforms weight high-reputation answers above brand-new accounts. No plan buys a heavier vote on theBEAT, and a brand-new account counts for half. Weight is earned, never bought — diners with a real history on the app count for more. Members also get monthly Spotlights (1 on Free, 3 on Plus, 5 on Priority & Lifetime) — a pick counted at 3×, or 5× on a confirmed visit. It’s a small, earned lever, never a paid placement. theBEAT’s Score reflects diners with a track record, confirmed visits, and members’ Spotlights — the structural defense against spam, brigading, and one-night-stand voting that would otherwise warp the rankings. The editorial baseline sits underneath everything; earned community trust shapes it over time. Socially powered. Editor-led.
Priority is an optional membership that deepens the app — occasion presets, the Concierge, unlimited voting, 5 Spotlights a month, and deeper rankings. Every regular vote counts the same regardless of tier; membership buys features, access, and a monthly Spotlight quota — never a paid placement. The app is free to use — Priority is for readers who’d like the room a little quieter.
Write to [email protected] with the dish or restaurant name and what you observed. We re-read the source and correct the page.
Washington, the Maryland suburbs, Baltimore, Annapolis, and Northern Virginia — what we call DC, Maryland & Virginia. NYC, Chicago, Miami, and Austin are next — we’re seeding the rolls now. New cities open one at a time, once each holds enough dishes to rank honestly. If you’re somewhere else, reserve anyway: the Atlas moves where the demand is, and your reservation is the vote.
Yes. The Request a Dish form lives inside the app. We read every submission, though we cover what the editorial team finds worth covering — quietly, on our own clock.
No. Rankings are not for sale and never will be. Partnership inquiries go to [email protected] — we are open to thoughtful collaborations that sit outside the rankings.
Monthly and annual memberships are billed through your Apple ID under Settings › Subscriptions, and Apple handles those refunds. Lifetime is purchased on thebeatedit.com through Stripe, with a full refund within 14 days of purchase, no questions asked. If something is amiss, write us — we will help where we can.
