AAA’s Undercover Inspectors Release their Final Review
of more than 31,000 Restaurants
ATLANTA, Ga. (February 21, 2018) – AAA’s anonymous inspectors have experienced all the horror stories of dining out, from being served food that hit the floor to finding a hair in their hamburger. Yet, the only places that make it on AAA’s Diamond Lists are the ones that meet a rigorous set of standards.
“AAA has a consumer-friendly rating system for restaurants and hotels that is unlike anything else in the industry,” said Vicky Evans, Assistant Vice President, Travel Sales Development, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Our professionally-trained inspectors conduct unannounced, onsite evaluations every year. Properties are rated from One to Five Diamonds, based on the dining experience; which can range from a simple sandwich shop to a swanky 7-course meal. However, if quality or cleanliness is in question, the restaurant will not make the list at all.”
Defining Diamonds
To qualify, restaurants must first meet a list of common-sense standards for cleanliness, management, and appearance. Once approved, inspectors will complete a surprise inspection and assign a rating of One to Five Diamonds. Diamonds help define the dining experience a guest should expect. Review the Rating Guidelines
- One Diamond – Quick-Serve
- Two Diamonds – Casual
- Three Diamonds – Trendy
- Four Diamonds – Distinctive
- Five Diamonds – Leading-Edge
Search Diamond Rated Restaurants
Finding Diamonds
Travelers can find Diamond Rated establishments and inspector insight in AAA’s trip planning products: the free AAA Mobile app, the online AAA Travel Guides and Travel Planner and the AAA TourBook guides available to members at AAA offices.
2018 Five Diamond Award Winners
Last year, more than 31,000 restaurants in North America, Mexico and the Caribbean received a Diamond rating by AAA. On Wednesday, AAA announced the recipients of its coveted Five Diamond Awards. Of the 68 restaurants on the Five Diamond list, one is in Georgia.
The Georgian Room located in Sea Island, Georgia is an experience like none other. Gorgeous antique gold and crystal chandeliers, grand molded stone columns, majestic arches and a stately fireplace create an impressive backdrop for the equally magnificent menu. A highly trained staff provides unparalleled tableside service and impressive knowledge of New Southern cuisine and world-class wine. The menu changes seasonally and offers freshly sourced selections.
“It is no small feat to be named a AAA Five Diamond restaurant. Receiving this rating is a rare honor that signifies the highest-quality flavors and innovative presentations, with personalized service in memorable surroundings,” added Evans.
Restaurants receiving a Five Diamond Rating undergo a number of checks and balances including multiple unannounced evaluations and a final decision by a panel of experts to ensure credibility.
Diamond Stats
- Total number of restaurants inspected and approved by AAA every year – 31,000
- Inspection region: United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean
- Total number of AAA Five Diamond Restaurants – 68
- Total number of AAA Four Diamond Restaurants – 665
Four Diamond Award Winners
AAA Four Diamond restaurants are also an exclusive group, offering distinctive, creatively prepared cuisine, skillfully served in a notable environment. Only 2.1 percent of AAA Inspected & Approved restaurants – 665 – made the Four Diamond list for 2018, including 13 in Georgia. View the list
ATLANTA
- AG
- Aria
- Atlas
- Bacchanalia
- Bar Margot
- BLT Steak
- Canoe
- La Grotta Ristorante Italiano
- Nan Thai Fine Dining
- Nikolai’s Roof
- Restaurant Eugene
COLUMBUS
- Epic Restaurant
JEKYLL ISLAND
- Grand Dining Room
About AAA Inspections
For more than 80 years, AAA has used professional inspectors to conduct in-person property evaluations. AAA offers the only rating system using comprehensive, on-site professional hotel and restaurant evaluations guided by member priorities. With a far greater inventory than any other rating entity, AAA’s rating system covers the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Travelers can find Diamond Rated establishments and inspector insight in AAA’s trip planning products: the AAA Mobile app, the online AAA Travel Guides and Travel Planner and the AAA TourBook guides available to members at AAA offices.
AAA began field inspections of lodgings and restaurants in 1937, then went to a formal rating system in 1963 that in 1976 evolved into the Diamond Rating system for lodgings. (The Diamond Ratings for restaurants started in 1985.)
About the Inspectors
The AAA inspectors who assign Diamond Ratings have a wide range of hospitality experience – their resumes include experience as hotel managers and food and beverage experts – that gives them an authoritative perspective. Inspectors provide an unmatched first-person, on-site view of emerging trends. To see the complete lists of 2018 AAA Four and Five Diamond restaurants, visit AAA.com/DiamondAwards. To see which cities and states have the most award winners, see AAA Four and Five Diamond Restaurant Facts.
About the Auto Club Group
The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA club in North America. ACG and its affiliates provide membership, insurance, financial services and travel offerings to over 9.4 million members across eleven states and two U.S. territories including Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; most of Illinois and Minnesota; and a portion of Indiana. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 57.7 million members in the United States and Canada and whose mission includes protecting and advancing freedom of mobility and improving traffic safety. Motorists can map a route, identify gas prices, find discounts, book a hotel, and access AAA roadside assistance with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Learn more at AAA.com/mobile. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.
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