Terms & ratings

How ratings work

Our rating is a calculated summary of available external review scores, not a review from a personal visit by Ask Cape May. It can reflect both overall business experiences and category-specific experiences, such as pizza.

We convert eligible scores to a common five-point scale, then average them using the square root of each source’s review count as its weight. This gives larger review sets more influence without letting their size completely overwhelm smaller ones. If a review count is unavailable, the weight is one. We round the result to one decimal place.

We use one aggregate per source and business. Missing ratings, zero-review placeholders, non-displayed imported scores, and uncertain business matches are excluded. If only one usable score is available, that score supplies the rating. If none is available, we show no number. Not every business has the same sources or amount of review coverage.

Different services have different audiences and scoring habits. This is an approximate comparison, not a guarantee of quality or a statistical confidence measure. Reviewers may overlap across services, so we do not present a combined review count.

Ratings reflect the information most recently imported, not a live feed. They may change as data is updated or corrected. Featured placement and advertising do not change the rating.

Using local information

Hours, prices, availability, and business policies can change. Confirm time-sensitive details directly with the business before visiting or booking.