But the top ranking is a gift that keeps on giving. It can make the name of the restaurant a household word. Reservations become coveted and scarce, and the chefs and restaurateurs bask in years of glory, even when the award passes to other establishments.

“It feeds on itself,” the New York restaurateur Drew Nieporent said. “It’s an important marketing tool for a restaurant, and it has popularized countries like Spain and Denmark that never got as much notice.”

Eric Ripert, the chef and an owner of Le Bernardin, said, “I like the idea of being on the list.” He was in Melbourne, where he said “there are chefs and journalists all over the place.” His restaurant has risen as high as 15th; it was 24th last year and is now 17th. “It creates awareness worldwide about Le Bernardin; you get tremendous global attention.”

This year’s list has some surprises. Two restaurants in Lima, Peru — Central and Maido — made the top 10. Blue Hill at Stone Barns leapt to No. 11 from No. 48 last year, winning an award for “highest climber.”

But that ascent was not as striking as that of Cosme, which was No. 96 last year. (The 50 Best awards include a second list, of restaurants ranked 51 through 100.) Cosme is now No. 40, recognizing not only Enrique Olvera, its chef and founder, but also Daniela Soto-Innes, the chef de cuisine and a rare female chef on the list.

There can also be deep disappointments. The French Laundry, Thomas Keller’s flagship restaurant in Yountville, Calif., which reigned as No. 1 in 2003 and 2004, fell to No. 68 this year, still an improvement over last year’s plummet to 85. Once a restaurant is on the list, it’s likely to remain. Of the 100, there were only nine new ones this year.

Estela, the small but esteemed New York restaurant owned by Thomas Carter and the chef Ignacio Mattos, fell this year to No. 66 from 44 last year. But Mr. Carter said merely being on the list was enough. “It was mind-blowing to be recognized on the global stage” last year, he said.