Zagat goes online for the web-wise bon viveur

NEWS Restaurant guide specialist Zagat is cutting out its expensive paper chain by putting its global eatery ratings online. The company's New York flagship launched online questionnaires yesterday to find the Big Apple's best restaurants. All 70 Zagat restaurant guides and other hotel guides will follow suit this year. Zagat traditionally issues paper-based questionnaires over a given period that are consolidated to create city-specific guide books compiled by readers. Zagat has been experimenting with online questionnaires for three years. Last year the New York guide took 20,000 paper and 10,000 electronic surveys.