The Michelin Guide story: why a tyre company decides which restaurants get stars
What the three Michelin stars mean, and what they have to do with tyres
A tyre company created the most famous scale in the world of food: one, two or three stars. Each level comes with a few short words that most diners never read closely. What are those words really asking you to do?
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1
That small sign is a star. In 1926, the guide gives its first stars. A single star next to a restaurant's name tells drivers: here, the food is very good.
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2
In 1931, two more levels come: two stars and three stars. Then, in 1936, the guide writes down what each level means. Today, Michelin explains the three levels like this, and some of the words are strange words for food.
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