Yelp Help

I hope this prediction is accurate. It certainly seems like Yelp and other applications for the iPhone such as UrbanSpoon will give small restaurants an assist against the big chains.

From the Atlantic...

What I am hoping is that Yelp plus smart phones, and other similar applications, will tip the competitive balance away from chain restaurants and toward exceptional independent eateries, bars and coffee shops. The uncertainty that is a cost of trying these establishments is growing ever lower with crowd-sourced ratings and reviews that are readily accessible even in neighborhoods far from where one lives. There is some lost fun finding hidden gems oneself, but I nevertheless welcome my new Yelp overlords

For the citizens of the iPhone nation, check out this demo for UrbanSpoon. It's a pretty nice app.