There's also an difference between the michelin system, where most restaurants get 0 stars and getting even one star is a biggish deal, and rating all restaurants from one to five, which is what the system used in the us seems to do.
Like the rating system on the web, it's useful for rating all things, not just the highest ranks.
The Michelin guide is also not particularly useful as a global system because it's heavily weighted towards french cuisine -- http://www.urbanspoon.com/blog/14/Fixing-Michelins-French-bi... -- and only serves major tourist destinations outside of europe -- six cities in the US for example.
The Michelin green guide, which is more the equivalent of other rating systems, does use a 1-5 scale.
Like the rating system on the web, it's useful for rating all things, not just the highest ranks.
The Michelin guide is also not particularly useful as a global system because it's heavily weighted towards french cuisine -- http://www.urbanspoon.com/blog/14/Fixing-Michelins-French-bi... -- and only serves major tourist destinations outside of europe -- six cities in the US for example.
The Michelin green guide, which is more the equivalent of other rating systems, does use a 1-5 scale.