Philadelphia, PA - Check, Please!, a new WHYY production that features local diners offering up their reviews of area restaurants, will debut Thursday, January 9, at 7:30 p.m. on WHYY-TV. In each episode, writer Kae Lani Palmisano invites viewers to experience all that the Philadelphia region’s lively and diverse dining scene has to offer.
WHYY’s CHECK, PLEASE! Explores Delaware Valley’s Vibrant Restaurant Scene
In each episode of Check, Please!, three local diners. Rather than professional restaurant critics, choose their favorite restaurants for the other guests to visit anonymously. After trying all three recommended restaurants, the guests gather in the studio to discuss, dispute ,and celebrate their dining experiences.
The first season of Check, Please! Features 39 restaurants, including Azie, Bing Bing Dim Sum, High Street on Market, Hungry Pigeon, Little Fish, Noord, Poi Dog, Sardine Bar, Sate Kampar, Vedge, Vernick, Zeppoli, Mrs. Robino’s, Del Pez and The House of William & Merry.
“We are thrilled to offer viewers a vibrant picture of both the hot spots and the hidden gems of the local restaurant scene,” says Terri Murray, vice president of programming and production at WHYY.
WHYY recruited participating diners by asking, “If you have an appetite for Philly food, a passion for can't-miss-plates in South Jersey, or a must-taste place you're dying to share in Delaware, we want to hear from you!” The final group of diners was chosen out of more than 500 applicants based on their passion for the local food scene, their willingness to try something new, and their ability to chat candidly in front of the camera. Diners also reflect the diversity of the region’s population.
An early sampling of diner comments suggests these amateur reviewers are quickly learning how to turn a phrase. Noted one, “I have a longstanding moral objection to artichokes.” Another reviewer enjoyed her meal. “I went to town on the huevos rancheros. It was so good!” And a third commenter was perhaps searching for a way to work around a disappointing meal. “I had a delicious club soda. The perfect balance of carbonation and water.”
The Check, Please! Series began in Chicago in 2001 and has since been adapted in other locations, including Miami, Kansas City, and the Bay area.
Series Premieres January 9, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. on WHYY-TV