Rating food is fun and can make for interesting discussions–mostly because people can be so disparate in their food preferences. Learning more about food is also a great way to learn about a culture. For instance, I am learning more about the Philippines simply by trying and rating Filipino candy and treats.
But there is no one “correct” way to go about rating food. Food grading systems can be complicated, with numerous variables and weighing systems. They can also be as simple as, “Oh, I give this an 8” with no real criteria other than the overall impression.
I have attempted to create a system that balances the speed of simplicity with the benefits of a more thorough analysis. This is the Go Sweet Fox Proprietary Food Rater System™.
About the Food Rating System
The Food Rater System scorecard is based on the 5 senses (except sound–which I will address below), the overall experience (which I call the sense of delight), and the cost of the food. I rate these factors utilizing a haptic scale from 1-10:
When I use this scale, 5 is the point where I can’t decide if the food is good or not. I reserve 10s really only for those occasions where something I try is truly spectacular. Because I’m not that picky of an eater, most of the food I rate will probably fall between 6 and 9.
The 5 Senses
The five senses in the scorecard are as follows:
Presentation (sight): How was the item presented? Did it look appetizing or appealing?
Aroma (smell): Does it smell good or does it smell weird?
Texture (touch): My sister doesn’t like watermelon because of the texture. Even if everything else is good, the texture can make or break.
Taste (taste): Obviously, whether you think a food item actually tastes good is a very important factor.
Why no sense of sound? Sound can be a major part of a food’s rating. An example that comes to mind is Corn Nuts. The sound is a deterrent to enjoyment because Corn Nuts are so dang loud. Another example is Pop Rocks or Rice Krispies. The crackling sound those foods make enhances enjoyment. However, most foods don’t make that consequential of a sound. So I elected not to include it as its own category. Instead, I view sound as a factor I may weigh when considering delight.
Sense of Delight (Overall)
Some foods just have an intangible quality that is hard to describe or identify. It brings an emotional impact that is beyond the five senses. This delight factor is designed to give your emotional impact a score. For instance, I once ate shrimp sushi and I swear the sun rose and birds began chirping in the sky, it was 10/10 in delight. Conversely, an old lady once brought over some fruit salad made with what must have been expired mayonnaise. It was a 1/10 in delight (and taste).
Value in terms of Cost
I used to live in Idaho Falls (“IF”). IF is a great little city with a small-town feel. When I moved there, I wanted to find restaurants that had the best chili cheese fries, french dip sandwich, and burgers. In doing this investigation, I found that the price plays a big role in my rating.
For instance, a French Dip sandwich at Jakers ($22.95) was a lot more expensive than a French dip at Franklin’s Cheesesteaks ($8.95). In my mind, this means that Jaker’s sandwich would have to be at least 2.5 times better than Franklin’s to justify the extra cost. If they were otherwise equal, Jakers score for value would have to be 2.5 times less than Franklin’s score. So if Franklin’s was a 10, Jakers should be 10/2.5 or 4.
In this case, though, I would give Jakers a 3. This is because Franklin’s French dip sandwich is actually better than Jakers. This makes the value of the Jakers’ sandwich even worse.
And just so you know, Franklins Cheesesteaks has the best French dip in Idaho Falls AND the best chili cheese fries. I’m going to give Best Burger to Scotty’s Drive In. Many people may say Snake Bite has the best burgers in town, but they are also quite pricey. For me, that ends up bringing down the overall score.
How to Use the Food Rating System™
There is nothing wrong with coming up with a score based on your initial impression. In fact, I like to do that. I then use the Go Sweet Fox Proprietary Food Rater System™ to come up with a more technical score. Sometimes these scores do not align. In those cases, I decide whether my initial impression feels better or the score from the Food Rater System feels more accurate. Maybe it’s an average of the two.
Regardless, the point of rating the food is to enjoy the experience whether you like the food or not. In fact, some of the most fun and memorable experiences are when you go out for food and don’t like it. I think it’s rare, but it’s still fun to share those experiences with others.
Visit or Download the Go Sweet Fox Food Rating System™
You can use my form online or download a hardcopy to take with you. The choice is yours!
Here is the online Go Sweet Fox Proprietary Food Rater Form™.
You can also use the links below:
