In a Twist, Google Reviews Zagat, and Decides to Bite | nytimes.com

For years, a wave of online competitors eroded Zagat’s formidable empire of quotation-mark-happy reviews of restaurants and bars around the world. But on Thursday, Zagat found an ally in the biggest online giant of all, selling itself to Google. The deal will unite Zagat, whose burgundy-covered guides were among the first examples of user-generated content, and Google, which has made local services one of its highest priorities.