Regarding the issue of user-based feedback ranking (the Per Se vs. Shake Shack problem), it may not be such a negative thing to have results skewed due to "unequal" ratings. Culinary ratings often are a result of many factors that civilian diners may not consider necessarily important or even relevant. Looking to Foursquare to show search results based on user approval, which often is submitted on a knee-jerk reaction after dining, may be the best thing for a prospective diner. After all, Per Se and Shake Shack may have 5 stars rewarded to them by the same diner, but unless this diner is making hundreds of thousands a year (or is Thomas Keller), they would likely recommend Shake Shack as the spot to eat to their Foursquare friends. To me, hedging this data will end up producing results along the lines of more traditional culinary recommendation systems, and may be devaluing the Foursquare recommendation engine.