Source Consensus
How many independent, attributable sources agree.
- Strong +0.15
- Moderate +0.05
- Limited −0.15
Forkin methodology · version 1.0
How the Forkin Score Works
Our proprietary scoring algorithm — transparent, unbiased, evidence-based.
01 / The premise
What is the Forkin Score?
The Forkin Score is a 0–10 desk-evidence calibration, not a personal dining opinion or a crowd-rating average. It is built entirely from published, independent and attributable food journalism, then rounded to one decimal place.
We begin each calculation within its assigned evidence band, assess the quality and shape of the supporting evidence, and keep the final result within that band. The score is designed to make our evidence legible — not to impersonate a universal truth about a meal.
02 / The calculation
The Algorithm
Start with the editorial band’s base score, apply five deliberately small evidence adjustments, then clamp the result to that band. No single factor can move a venue into another tier.
Evidence Recency
How current the published assessment or verification is.
- Current +0.05
- Recent +0.00
- Dated −0.10
Praise Specificity
Concrete dish and experience signals, rather than generic praise.
- High +0.10
- Medium +0.00
- Low −0.10
Critic Calibre
The editorial standing of the publication providing the evidence.
- Major +0.15
- Established +0.05
- Independent +0.00
Consistency
The degree of agreement across the attributable sources.
- High +0.10
- Moderate +0.00
- Low −0.15
Base band score + evidence adjustments → band clamp → rounded to one decimal place
03 / Reading the result
Score Bands
8.5–9.5
Forkin Worth It
Exceptional — strong independent consensus.
7.0–8.4
Worth a Look
Solid — positive independent coverage.
5.5–6.9
Mixed Forks
Divisive — conflicting signals from sources.
—
Unrated
Insufficient independent evidence to score.
04 / The boundary
What We Exclude
- Google reviews and other crowd-rating data
- Sponsored or paid-for content
- AI-generated sentiment analysis
- Our own editorial opinions — stamps are separate
- Personal dining experiences
05 / The promise
Independence & Transparency
The numeric score is calculated independently from editorial stamp copy, even where the two may naturally correlate; its evidence band is a published safeguard, not a paid placement. No venue can pay for a higher score, and no Google data is used. Every source used is attributable and disclosed.
Where independent evidence is not sufficient, we show Unrated rather than invent precision.