Business Feedback Ratings - Fussy customers?

[Brother D]

I do some marketing/SEO etc for a few companies and I seem to notice people with zero issues rating businesses with 3 or 4 stars out of 5?

The last couple of feedbacks for one of the restaurants I handle was

"The absolute highlight of my month visit to the UK - great food and friendly staff" 4 stars
"Great food, lovely staff, will be back again soon!" 3 stars
"Fabulous food amazing, the roast dinner was gorgeous and the Cheesecake was yummy, friendly staff too. Well worth a visit" 4 stars

It seems only recently I'm seeing this aspect usually it's a majority of 5 stars (or rightly 1/2/3 if they messed up something). But I just don't get saying you have a great experience and only giving 4 stars? Is this a new trend?

Do you contact the person and ask what you need to do to get 5 star rating?
Its difficult to get a strong 4.5 or 5 star rating, unless like my competition you just buy likes etc.

[dacouch]

5 Stars is exceptional

4 Stars is very good

[mcflurry]

I'd usually give 4 stars in that scenario too.
A 5 star would be the best meal of your life, served by the finest staff, with the best Petrus wine, with change out of a tenner

[Brother D]

Crikey - I'm guessing I'm in the minority with being liberal with 5 stars then!

I always give 5 stars if the food and service is good (I think probably about 95% of my reviews on places are 5 stars).

[strain]

If i'm happy and cant fault the service then its 5*

The problem these days is everybody thinks they are an expert and 'nobody is perfect' so 4 star seems to be normal. If you rate a place based on what you wanted, what you got and what you paid then 5* is reasonable if perfect.

We run it for our business, at the minute we have 67 5* and 3 1*, no 2/3/4 which i find amusing, surely a 'would you recommend this business' type thing would be better