App Check: Where's The Next Cafe, Please?

Helping you find a shop close by in a city you don't know, that's what the Yelp app promises travelers. All entries are made by the users themselves making this application crowd sourced content.



Restaurant, bar, coffee shop - these are the categories that the user sees first of all. These are the most important ones on the app, but there are others listed such as shopping, nightlife, beauty, hotels, religious organizations, doctors and many more. This is because Yelp was developed based on the business related Yellow Pages phone book.



By switching on GPS and selecting a category the traveler will be presented with a list or marked map containing search results. The scope of listings was a positive surprise: when looking for cafes in Munich in the run-down area of the Ostbahnhof it spaned everything from coffee-to-go at the next Starbucks to the relaxed sitting room style Cafe Zimtzicke.



The entries to each listing contain all important information, including how to get there. At the heart of the listing are the users' reviews. After registering with Yelp, which is quick and easy, anyone can write reviews or enter new places such as restaurants or cafes. The US company that created the app has been repeatedly accused of pressuring restaurants into buying advertising. It claims though that it does not influence or make any changes to the reviews. According to Yelp users recommend over 75 percent of places that they liked. The reviews we found in our snap sample test were realistic, often containing anecdotes - which is a matter of taste.



A playful additional function offered by this app is the so called monocle: if the traveler holds the camera at eye level, in the direction of the flow of traffic on the street, the names of the closest recommended places appear in the camera scope. This is also useful for orientation.



Our verdict: Yelp's strength lies in the many personal impressions and opinions contained in the reviews in its listings. It is especially useful for sight seeing, as the app offers more information than traditional travel guides.



Android, iOs, WindowsPhone, free app, tested 26 MB, German, English