My mom lives in a touristy area, where there is an abundance of restaurants, from every fast food imaginable, to very nice pricy restaurants. Several friends and co-workers have done there and asked for recommendations. So I created a list, with my favorites, and details. I listed them sort of my category, pricy, mid-range, etc. I also listed any other relevant information. And then at the end i said "there is also every chain imaginable, and fast food, if that's what you're in the mood for" I figured most people know about the chains etc. so I only needed to put details for the others.
If someone else asks me, say, someone here in town on business or not familiar with the area, I'll ask what do they want, chain or non-chain, and price range, and then go from there. I myself prefer non-chain places since if I'm away, I want to try something I can't get at home.