The Bold Truth About Ratings & Awards in Las Vegas: Why They Matter More Than You Think
- Britt Whalen
- Mar 24, 2025
- 3 min read
Article written by Britt Whalen, 2025. Image by DALL-E and Britt Whalen.
Las Vegas is obsessed with accolades.
Forbes Stars. AAA Diamonds. “Best of" Vegas. “Best of Nevada.” Industry awards. Reader-voted lists. Digital badges everywhere.
Thousands of businesses proudly display awards to prove excellence. Or at least, to suggest it.
But how many of these awards actually mean something?
Are Vegas Awards Earned or Engineered?
Most locals already know the answer.
Many awards are not rooted in rigorous standards. They are driven by marketing budgets, voting campaigns, paid placements, or manipulated online reviews. Visibility often outweighs merit.
That raises a bigger issue.
If recognition is based on popularity instead of performance, what does that do to customer trust? To business accountability? To Las Vegas’s reputation as a hospitality leader?
And if awards are working as intended, why do so many Vegas businesses continue to fail, even on the Strip?
The Three Types of Ratings and Awards in Vegas
Not all accolades are created equal. In reality, they fall into three distinct categories.
1. Earned Ratings
These are based on strict inspections and industry-specific criteria.
Examples include:
Forbes Travel Guide Star Ratings
Michelin Stars (historically relevant, no longer active in Vegas)
Michelin Keys (hotels only)
AAA Diamond Ratings
LEED Certification
Green Key and Green Globe certifications
These systems rely on professional evaluations, not public opinion. They are credible, but largely limited to luxury or highly specific categories.
2. Expert-Voted Awards
These are decided by industry professionals, critics, or editors, often without standardized scoring.
Examples include:
World’s 50 Best Restaurants & Bars
James Beard Awards
Food & Wine accolades
Esquire and GQ restaurant lists
Vegas Inc awards
Wine Spectator awards
Casino design and spirits awards
These carry influence, but they reflect expert perspective, not consistent customer experience.
3. Public-Voted Awards
These are driven by customer votes and mass opinion.
Examples include:
Best of Las Vegas (Review-Journal)
Best of Vegas (Vegas Weekly)
OpenTable Diners’ Choice
Yelp
Google Reviews
TripAdvisor
Zagat
Best of Nevada
Public input matters. But these systems are highly vulnerable to manipulation, campaigning, and review bias.
The Problem With Award-Driven Marketing
When awards become marketing tools instead of performance benchmarks, consequences follow.
Short-Term Visibility, Long-Term Risk
Many businesses experience a temporary boost after winning an award, yet fail to sustain success. Hundreds of food and beverage businesses closed across Vegas in 2024 alone, despite past recognition.
Erosion of Consumer Trust
When “award-winning” experiences fall flat, customers lose faith. Not just in the business, but in the entire recognition ecosystem.
Misplaced Priorities
Marketing budgets often grow while service quality stagnates. Social media visibility replaces operational excellence.
Or, as I often say professionally:
You don’t need a marketing budget if your CX is unforgettable.
Who Earned Ratings Actually Serve
Systems like Forbes, Michelin, and AAA are globally respected for a reason. Their standards are rigorous, consistent, and difficult to meet.
But they are also selective by design.
Neighborhood businesses, everyday service providers, wellness centers, retail, fitness, medical practices, entertainment venues, and local favorites often don’t qualify. Not because they lack excellence, but because they don’t fit a luxury-only mold.
Las Vegas doesn’t fit a mold either.
The Rating Vegas Has Been Missing
Las Vegas needs a recognition system built for how the city actually operates.
That is why CX Ratings by LA CRITIQUE exists.
It is an earned recognition system that cannot be bought, influenced, or campaigned for. Businesses are evaluated on real customer experience standards, not marketing output.
It is inclusive by design.
If customers can walk through the door and have an experience, the business is eligible.
Hospitality. Retail. Medical. Wellness. Fitness. Entertainment. Services. And more.
Audits are incognito, unannounced, and in-person. Standards are proprietary, industry-informed, and applied consistently.
For the first time, businesses across the entire Las Vegas Valley can stand out in a way that is credible and meaningful.
Why This Matters for Vegas’s Future
The Strip is struggling. Layoffs. Closures. Rising prices. Shrinking value.
When guests repeatedly encounter underwhelming experiences at “award-winning” venues, trust erodes. And when trust erodes, so does the city’s reputation.
Las Vegas’s future depends on more than marketing. It depends on accountability.
Earned recognition does not just celebrate excellence. It incentivizes it.
And excellence is what built this city in the first place.
Final Thoughts
Awards alone won’t save businesses.
But a renewed commitment to real standards will.
We cannot fix what we refuse to acknowledge.
And we cannot raise the bar if we keep celebrating mediocrity.
This is about more than ratings.
It’s about reviving what made Las Vegas legendary.
The real question is simple.
Who’s ready to earn it?
Boldly,
Britt Whalen, MHRM
CEO | Founder
La CRITIQUE
Website & Contact
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INQUIRE ABOUT CRITIQUE SERVICES: HERE
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