Grab Says Consumers Now Trust Ratings More Than Promotions
Users of online food ordering services often base their choices on ratings. To help users select the best quality food, Grab is introducing the Grab Bintang 5 Awards.
Country Marketing and Communications Head of Grab Indonesia, Melinda Savitri, met on Friday (8/5/2026) and stated that merchants with high stars generally offer delicious taste with consistent quality. “Every day, we see more and more merchants consistently delivering a variety of cuisine with the highest quality standards. Amidst the many choices, the Grab Bintang 5 Awards is here to simplify the search for cuisine, compiling choices directly from consumers, and making it a trusted reference for the wider public,” she said.
Based on Grab’s research, GrabFood users choose merchants based on ratings, reviews, and price factors among others. “Ratings and reviews are very important to users beyond promotions and prices. That’s why there is a five-star collection. So that when eating, it doesn’t fail,” Melinda explained.
According to Melinda, the reviews and ratings given to merchants are authentic. “Because we have to buy first. So there’s investment in it. Although it’s not impossible there are naughty reviews. I suggest users look at ratings based on the latest time,” she said.
Through the Grab Bintang 5 Awards, Grab users can directly participate in crowning their favourite F&B merchants. The method is through a voting system on the official microsite grabbintang5awards.com until 15 May 2026.
This year, 243 outstanding merchants from 24 GrabFood and Grab Dine Out categories will compete. The nominees are the result of selections from 5,000 merchants that have obtained the exclusive Bintang 5 badge in the Grab app and are spread across Indonesia. The Bintang 5 Merchant itself is Grab’s curation of the best merchants from various business scales, from SMEs to national-scale restaurants, covering various categories from street foods, casual cafes and restaurants, local legends, to premium choices.
This curation is assessed based on a combination of the highest ratings from millions of genuine user reviews as well as consistency in maintaining quality. The awards ceremony will take place on 12 June 2026.