Post Reports Why does everyone want your 5-star rating?
Sep 25, 2025
Ashley Fetters Maloy, a Features and Culture reporter for The Washington Post, dives into the fascinating world of review culture. She shares how ubiquitous requests for five-star ratings impact consumer choices, highlighting stories from everyday businesses like liquor stores to more serious fields like healthcare. The discussion reveals how ratings can simplify feedback but often strip away nuanced criticism. Ashley also touches on the importance of reviews in guiding decisions, from dining to medical care, prompting listeners to think twice before hitting that five-star button.
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Ubiquitous Review Requests
- Elahe and Ashley describe being bombarded with review requests after routine experiences like hotels, airlines, and parking garages.
- Ashley notes even medical providers asked for Google reviews, highlighting how pervasive prompts have become.
Review Prompts Even After Surgery
- Ashley shares varied stories: HelloFresh nags, a cannabis shop texts for ratings, and a man reviewed his hospital stay while groggy from surgery.
- Corey Lonis gave five stars after cochlear implant surgery because he loved his doctor.
Reviews Boost Google Visibility
- Doctors ask for Google reviews because higher ratings improve search visibility on Google.
- Ashley found her surgeon's practice ranked highly and attributed that partly to their strong Google rating.