Responding to Bad Restaurant Reviews

Whether you’re new to the industry or a seasoned restaurant owner, looking at online reviews of your business can be really tough. They may be damaging to your confidence as an entrepreneur but they can also affect your restaurant’s image in the long run. That is why it’s important to them into account and respond to them professionally as they are an opportunity to improve.

How bad can they impact your restaurant?

It’s worth noting that most people would read your reviews before deciding to go to your restaurant. For this reason, negative feedback about your restaurant can hurt your business. Some harmful effects are:

• Driving away potential customers

• Decreasing brand trust

• Damaging brand exposure

How do you respond to bad customer reviews?

For starters, don’t ignore them. It may be tempting to ignore food critic or ‘Karen’ reviews but consumers actually appreciate it when the owner responds and addresses the issue. After all, responding to them is better than losing a customer for good.

Keep reading to explore some tips on how to respond to negative customer reviews professionally. 

Don’t delay – Bad reviews can spread fast enough if you’re not quick to take action. Respond as quickly as possible so that your guests and potential customers aren’t put off by your lack of attention.

Learn from the situation – When reading reviews and responding to them, think about what you can change and improve whether it’s your restaurant service, food and drinks, or ambiance. It’s also better to include your next steps in your response to show the reviewer that their situation is being taken seriously.

Say thank you – Take the opportunity to thank the reviewer for bringing the situation to your attention. After all, every criticism is a window for improvement. 

Don’t take the reviews personally  – Going through negative feedback is undeniably frustrating but make sure to not let that get the best of you. Instead, be professional and try to understand from the point of view.

Invite upset customers back with a commercial gesture – End your response with a good note by politely inviting them back to your restaurant. Better yet, offer them a discount to win back their business.

Bad restaurant reviews can be a handful to read and respond to. However, from a professional and empathetic standpoint, you might be able to greatly improve your business while fostering a trustworthy relationship with your customers. Trust us, it’s worth it in the long run.