I recently came upon a newspaper passage which seems to provide the explanation. The Boston Globe, May 19, 1972, had a review of a popular Chinatown restaurant. The review briefly noted that, “The service generally is merely standard.” It then addressed the reason for its popularity: "Here Bostonians find—the same menu serves for both lunch and dinner—the egg rolls, pork strips, chop suey, fried rice, sweet and sour dishes they think of first when they think of Chinese food. Spectacular? Not often. But comfortable, familiar, reasonable and good.”
Basic service and basic food. But it was comfort food, food they knew, which was adequately tasty, even if it wasn't exceptional. They knew when they dined there, the type of experience they would find. They weren't seeking the "best" Chinese food, but rather a meal that would satisfy them on an emotional or psychological level.
I've seen numerous online reviews of local Chinese restaurants, some which dealt with inconsistent restaurants, and people still cherished those restaurants, especially as they were seen as comfortable and familiar. The inconsistency was simply accepted, and there would just be hopes that their next visit would be better. Other reviewers have raved about certain restaurants, which others have rated more mediocre, and such raves seem more likely because those places may be more comfortable and familiar to the ravers.
This doesn't apply to just Chinese restaurants, but to all restaurants in general. Some restaurants, such as from Italian to Mexican, are popular but not because their cuisine is especially excellent, but because they offer comfort food, which is familiar and reasonably good. They cater more to certain emotional needs, and that is what is important to those diners.
If you follow the recommendations and reviews of these people, you might not be satisfied. It will depend on what you seek, whether you want excellent cuisine, or more familiar, comfort food, which might be inconsistent. What do you seek?
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