The four complaints you will see most
Most bad restaurant reviews come down to the wait, the food arriving wrong or cold, how the server treated someone, or price and portion. Each one deserves a reply that names the problem in plain words.
Don't promise free food in public
It feels generous to write "come back and your meal is on us". But every person reading learns that a one-star review earns a free meal, and some will test it. If you want to make something right, do it privately. In the public reply: thank, acknowledge, apologize, and stop.
Name staff only if the reviewer did
If a guest praises Dana by name, thank Dana by name; it is a small reward your team will see. If a guest complains about a server, do not name anyone in your reply, and never discuss discipline in public.
Food safety reviews need you, not a template
A review that mentions getting sick is different. Read it yourself before anything is posted, keep the reply short and caring, and do not argue facts or admit fault in public. Answered always holds these reviews for the owner for this reason.
Example replies (fictional)
Example review (fictional) · ★★
"Eggs were cold and it took forever to get a coffee refill."
Example reply (fictional)
Thank you for telling us. Cold eggs and an empty coffee cup aren't how breakfast here should go, and we're sorry we missed on both. We've shared this with the kitchen and the floor. - Example Diner
Example review (fictional) · ★★★
"Good food but pricey for the portion size."
Example reply (fictional)
Thanks for the honest review, and we're glad you enjoyed the food. We hear you on portion and price, and we appreciate you saying it plainly. - Example Diner
Example review (fictional) · ★★★★★
"Best biscuits and gravy in town and Dana was great with our kids."
Example reply (fictional)
That made our day. We'll make sure Dana sees this, and we're glad the biscuits and gravy hit the spot. See you next time! - Example Diner
Why bother replying at all?
Google says replying to reviews shows you value customer feedback, and that more reviews and positive ratings can help a business's local ranking [1]. Replies are reviewed against Google's content policies before they appear [2], so keep them clean: no links, phone numbers or hashtags. The rest is simple consistency.
What about a review that seems fake?
Google's policies don't allow reviews that aren't based on a real experience, or that come from a conflict of interest such as a competitor or a former employee [3]. You can report those from your Business Profile. Until Google decides, a short, calm reply is still the best thing a reader can see.
See it on your own reviews. Paste any review into our free demo and see the reply we'd write, or start a 7-day free trial and have every Google review answered in your voice. Then from $49 a month; card required, cancel anytime.
Sources
- Google Business Profile Help, "Tips to improve your local ranking on Google"
- Google Business Profile Help, "Manage customer reviews"
- Google, "Prohibited and restricted content (Maps user-generated content policy)"
Example reviews and replies on this page are made up for illustration. Not legal advice. Updated 2026-10-05.