Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Free Meals?

The Wall Street Journal reported last Saturday in their Food and Wine section that several, nationally popular food bloggers have been criticized for accepting free meals from restaurants in a food blogger version of a "quid pro quo."
Food and Fort Worth would like to issue the following statement on our complimentary meal policy:
Food and Fort Worth has never accepted a free meal from a restaurant or food establishment of any kind.
Have I have been offered a complimentary meal?
Uhhhh, well, uhhhh, No.
Would I accept, if offered a complimentary meal?
Let me make this perfectly clear, I have not, nor will I ever accept a free meal . . . unless, and I consider this important, that it is obvious to me that it is in the best interest of my readers, and only then when the form of payment usually accepted is denied by the proprietor or manager on duty because he or she considers it expedient at the moment to do so.
Okay?
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For those interested, some of the food weblogs mentioned in the WSJ report and their comp meal policy ( I have not visited all of the sites):
Eater.com / free meals must be disclosed
Chow.com / free meals accepted when restaurant not under review
egullet.com / free meals can be accepted but must be disclosed
tablehopper.com / accepts free meals
amateurgourmet.com / had accepted free meals no longer does
restaurantgirl.com / has implemented a no comp policy

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