9. Red flag: The place is empty
If you walk into a restaurant at peak meal hours and the only persons who are present are you and the staff, the absence of others may be sending a warning message. “The number one thing to look for when choosing a restaurant is customers,” says Kenny Colvin, who runs a food and drink branding, design, and consulting agency.
“Are there other customers dining there? If no one is eating in a restaurant, there’s a reason for it. It could be overpriced, it could be bad customer service or bad food, but if the seats are empty, consider it a red flag.”