Readers: I hope your 2025 is off to a good start, and that you’re staying warm during this bitter January. I, for one, wouldn’t mind a little bit more snow and a little less wind.
I’m writing today to share a milestone that we’re proud of here at the Telegram & Gazette. And like many of the things that we’re proud of, you, the readers, are a big part of it.
Six years ago, long before my arrival in Worcester, the T&G launched our Worcester Eats Facebook group. During that time it’s become the go-to place for foodies looking for a place to go out to eat in Central Massachusetts.
On the same day that I wrote this column, members of the group used Worcester Eats to ask for recommendations for chicken wings and good drinks; to poll others about the best chicken Parm sub and fettucine alfredo; and to share their reviews of menu items at various eateries.
Restaurants also use Worcester Eats to promote special events or unique dishes.
Earlier this month, Worcester Eats passed the milestone of 100,000 members. It’s quite an accomplishment for what started out as a modest initiative to promote reader engagement.
It’s also a great accomplishment for the person who has shepherded Worcester Eats from the beginning, our digital editor, Mike Elfland.
Mike is the glue of the newsroom, a rock-solid editor who doesn’t hesitate to help report a breaking news story. He’s also a Worcester history buff and the foremost expert on the T&G’s substantial archive.
Among Mike’s many responsibilities, he takes time each day to moderate comments to make sure that they do not violate basic standards of decorum — although we have no rules against honest criticism.
“The site averages about 250 member posts and 6,000 comments a week, according to the latest numbers,” Mike told me. “Reader reactions, from thumbs to smile faces, number more than 25,000 each weeks.
“Many of the member posts have the tone of research. And, yes, the thumbs are sometimes pointed down.”
Worcester Eats members often tip us off to restaurant news — and we use it to help us break news, so it’s truly a two-way street. Over the last couple of years, we’ve used the group to help put together our tournament-style contests to pick the best pizza or ice cream or taco in Central Massachusetts.
If you haven’t checked out Worcester Eats yet, take a look at facebook.com/groups/WorcesterEats. I’d love to write another version of this column once we get to 150,000 members.
As always, thanks for being a reader.
Michael McDermott is executive editor of the Telegram & Gazette.
This article was originally published by a www.telegram.com . Read the Original article here. .