Yes, that's a really good point! I didn't discuss the cultural element as much, but I think it's certainly embedded in how we evaluate a good restaurant. The Michelin Guide came to mainland China for the first time last year (itself a reflection of bias?) and received criticism for its preference of Hong-Kong/Cantonese restaurants over local cuisines and chefs, and its reliance on foreign inspectors who were not familiar with the local food scene. The Michelin inspectors certainly have cultural expectations embedded in their evaluation rubrics, whether it's taste, service, restaurant experience, attitude towards traditional foods, etc. These are traditions with heritage that is difficult to comprehend if you are not an insider.

Another element to consider is whether collectivism or group mentality affects our experience of restaurants. Asian consumers are known to have a remarkable tolerance for long lines, whether its lining up for Shake Shack months after its launch in Seoul, or waiting hours for a cup of "cheese" tea in China. This probably has to do with long lines signaling high value of the product, or the "bragging rights" and mob psychology of being able to "foodstagram" something that is scarce. This happens in New York as well with Cronuts, and with Franklin Barbecue in Texas. There's research that suggests that long wait times can increase consumer satisfaction based on consumption motivations, and it seems to me that consumption motivations are largely dependant on cultural values.

Thank you for reading and thanks your insight!