Why Zomato Reviews Are Mostly Fake?

​In the pre-Zomato era I used to list of top restaurants, but now you don't even need a list. Zomato can show you near by restaurants just searching with the locality. 

I am a foody, and I was an active member of Munching Monks, a food group based on Facebook. 

As I did some food review based on my group, I got free food in some restaurant, and most of the time it was awesome, and I put it 4.5-5/5. But soon I understood that many restaurants offer best food & hospitality to us only. On my second visit (personal visit) those restaurants seem nowhere near 4 out of 5 unless I told them I came here earlier with my group. It was pretty disappointing for me and those who are coming with me. Many dishes are not available, and taste changes. 
So I just stopped it. Now I find most Zomato reviews are shit! A great pic does not translate into great food. And food pics can be manipulated heavily. 

So these days I do Zomato (as they have largest list) and then Google or TripAdvisor to find out a restaurant is really good or not. Google reviews are better but fake reviews are increasing in all platforms, that's for sure. 

** I reached the 13th level of connoisseur at Zomato in February 3rd, 2020. From now onwards, I will post only photos on Zomato, but no reviews, unless it's extremely important. 

I am not saying Zomato has became irrelevant, as food delivery is now their top priority and a robust platform for monetizing. But cheap business tactics by few or some restaurants are giving me notion that internet is not always right. 

​list of places I visited with group: 

(latest to oldest)

Pisces

Five Mad Men

Afraa Deli 

Ricelicious

E

a

gle Boys' Pizza 

Asia House

Rosenberg

Sultan

BJ​​s Sports Restrau Cum Lounge Café

Zaareen

XII Zodiac - 2

China Wok

Pind Punjabi Dhaba

The Irish House

The Library - De Shovrani

Oceanic - The Peerless Inn

Afraa Restaurant & Lounge

Orko's

Afraa Creperie

N2ICream

India Restaurant

Paris Cafe