The Voting System

The 50 Best Restaurants North America voting system

The 50 Best Restaurants North America (formerly North America's 50 Best Restaurants) list provides an annual snapshot of the experiences of 300 restaurant experts. It is a globally recognised gastronomic reference point, which showcases leading trends and highlights truly exceptional restaurant experiences.

What constitutes 'best' is left to the judgement of these trusted and well-travelled gourmets. There is no pre-determined checklist of criteria, but there are strict voting rules.

How The 50 Best Restaurants North America voting works

The 50 Best Restaurants North America list and awards are part of the world of The 50 and are organised and compiled by William Reed. None of the employees of the organiser, or of any of the sponsors associated with the awards, can be part of the voting Academy.

The list is created from the votes of The 50 Best Restaurants North America Academy, comprising 300 regional restaurant industry experts, with a 50/50 gender balance, of which at least 25 per cent are refreshed annually.

The Academy is divided into eight regions: USA Northeast; USA South; USA Midwest; USA West; Canada East; Canada Central; Canada West and the Caribbean (excluding Cuba & Dominican Republic).

The decision as to how the region is divided is left to The 50, in consultation with its regional Chairs, and is debated and reassessed annually. The divisions are designed to represent the restaurant scene as fairly as possible.

Each region has its own voting panel and is headed up by an Academy Chair, who is tasked with recruiting a set number of voters for their designated region.

The panel in each region is made up of one third food writers and critics; one third chefs and restaurateurs; and one third well-travelled gourmets.

The 50 Best Restaurants North America voting rules 

• Voting is strictly confidential – Academy Chairs have no knowledge of the votes cast by their panellists 

• Academy members (aside from Academy Chairs) must remain anonymous 

• Each Academy member votes for eight restaurants; with at least three votes to be outside a voter's own state, territory or country (for the Caribbean). If they choose, a voter can cast all 10 votes for restaurants outside of their home state, territory or country 

• Academy members submit their choices in order of preference 

• Academy members must have eaten in the restaurants they nominate in the last 24 months 

• Academy members are asked to upload a 'proof of visit'. This could include a booking confirmation, receipt or photo from the restaurant 

• Academy members are not permitted to vote for restaurants they own or have a financial interest in 

• Academy members cannot vote for a restaurant based on a dining experience that does not take place at the restaurant itself; for example, when a restaurant or chef stages dinners in different locations 

• Academy members cannot vote for a restaurant that is closed or will close within three months of the lists being published. They therefore cannot vote for a temporary restaurant or pop-up 

• Restaurants must receive votes from more than one country to feature on the list 

• Nominations must be made for the restaurant, not for the restaurateur or the chef (except in the case of special individual awards) 

The 50 Best Restaurants North America voting criteria

There are no criteria a restaurant has to meet. They do not have to sell a certain product, or any of The 50's partner brands. They do not need to have been open a certain number of years and they do not need to have won any other culinary accolades.

Restaurants cannot apply to be on the list and cannot be nominated for inclusion.

Every style of restaurant in the region is eligible, unless it is part of the Best of the Best group, it has permanently closed at the time the lists are announced, or we receive notice that it will be closing in the period shortly after the results are published.

This is designed to allow our panellists to vote far and wide. They could vote for a small, unknown restaurant in a remote location, or select the best-known venue in their own country or region – it is their opinion and the experiences they have had that matter.

Best of the Best

The Best of the Best group was introduced in 2019 and is formed of all the restaurants that have topped the annual poll of The World's 50 Best Restaurants over its history – and from 2026, the annual list of The 50 Best Restaurants. These venues are honoured as iconic dining destinations in the Best of the Best hall of fame, making them ineligible to be voted for in future global and regional rankings.