The Michelin Guide
So, about those tyres.
1900
First, sell some tyres.
André and Édouard Michelin gave French motorists a free guide to finding petrol, fixing a flat and getting a meal. The more you drove, the sooner you’d need new tyres. Dinner was an excellent excuse.
1920
Seven francs, please.
The story goes that André found a stack of his guides propping up a workbench. Michelin started charging seven francs for a copy. They dropped the adverts and gave restaurants a section of their own.
1926
A star is born.
Michelin started marking good restaurants with a single star. By 1933 it had anonymous inspectors. Imagine having to tell your friends you can’t say where you went for lunch because it’s classified.
1931
Worth the detour.
One star became a scale of up to three. In 1936 Michelin published what they meant. One is worth a stop, two are worth a detour, and three are worth making the whole trip for.
1997
Good food. Sane bill.
The Bib Gourmand gave good-value restaurants their own distinction. It’s named for Bibendum, the Michelin Man. Finally, a man made entirely of tyres with something to say about the bill.