Tourists Give Restaurants Higher Ratings Than Locals, New Study Finds

Travelers’ emotions and experiences drive more generous online reviews

Key takeaways

• Tourists are 13.4% more likely than locals to give restaurants higher online ratings.
• Travelers’ reviews are shorter, more emotional and include more photos.
• The “tourist bias” can mislead consumers and affect restaurant reputations worldwide.

BALTIMORE, Nov. 14, 2025 — Tourists don’t just bring cameras and appetites on vacation, they also bring rosier opinions. A new study in the INFORMS journal Information Systems Research finds that travelers systematically give restaurants higher online ratings than locals do, revealing a “tourist bias” that could distort how diners and platforms interpret online reviews.

The study, “Why Is the Grass Always Greener on the Other Side? Tourist Bias in Online Restaurant Ratings,” was conducted by DaPeng Xu of South China University of Technology, Xiaoquan (Michael) Zhang of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Hong of Tongji University and Qiang Ye of the University of Science and Technology of China.

Analyzing nearly 71,000 restaurant reviews from a leading Chinese review platform, the researchers discovered that consumers were at least 13.4% more likely to leave a higher rating when visiting as tourists rather than locals. The effect remained strong across restaurant price levels, reviewer genders and city sizes.

“Travel changes how people experience and evaluate dining,” said Xu, the study’s lead author. “When people are away from home, they’re more emotional, more excited and more forgiving. That emotional uplift translates directly into higher ratings.”

The study ruled out simpler explanations, finding that tourists’ higher scores weren’t due to visiting more expensive restaurants or receiving better service. Instead, the researchers found that travelers focus less on practical factors like price or location and more on feelings, ambiance and service quality. Their reviews also tend to be shorter, use fewer analytical words and include more photos, signs of a more emotional response.

“Online platforms and businesses should recognize that not all ratings mean the same thing,” added Zhang. “A restaurant with many tourist reviews may appear better than it truly is for locals, or vice versa.”

The findings underscore the global relevance of the research. Although the data came from China, the authors note that the emotional lift of travel and its effect on ratings likely extends to any destination or culture where tourists share online experiences.

You can read the full study here.

About INFORMS and Information Systems Research

INFORMS is the world’s largest association for professionals and students in operations research, AI, analytics, data science and related disciplines, serving as a global authority in advancing cutting-edge practices and fostering an interdisciplinary community of innovation.

Information Systems Research, an INFORMS journal, focuses on the utilization of information technology to enhance organizational efficiency. INFORMS helps its members advance research and practice through cutting-edge journals, conferences and resources. Learn more at www.informs.org or @informs.

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Rebecca Seel

Public Affairs Specialist – INFORMS

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