Review guide · Restaurants

Restaurant Reviews: How to Get More on Google

How restaurants can collect more Google reviews without table-QR mistakes: when to ask, which sites to use (and avoid), templates, and how to reply.

By Plaudit Team · Updated October 1, 2026

For a restaurant, reviews are close to a menu. Diners read them before they book, and a few recent ones praising the food and service can matter more than your own website. The challenge is that happy diners almost never think to write one, while an unhappy one often does.

This guide shows how to ask every guest at the right moment, which review sites to use, and where restaurant owners usually get caught out by platform rules.

When to ask for a review in a restaurant

A restaurant visit is over in an hour, and the glow fades fast. Where most places go wrong is asking at the table, in the middle of the meal, or not at all.

Reservation or booked table

The next morning, or late the same evening

You already have their email or mobile from the booking. A message the following morning feels like a thank-you, not a bill-with-a-tip-line.

Takeaway or collection

One to two hours after pickup

The food has been eaten, so they can say something about it, and they are still thinking about dinner.

Delivery orders

After the order is marked delivered, not when it is dispatched

A request that arrives before the food does collects reviews about the wait and not the meal.

Private dining, parties and events

The day after the event, sent to the organiser

One organiser's review represents a whole group, and they are usually the person most pleased that it went smoothly.

Which review sites matter for restaurants

Google Business Profile

People searching 'restaurants near me' see your Google rating first, so it should be the default link in every request.
Tripadvisor

Strong for restaurants near tourists, and it allows you to ask guests for reviews. It does not allow incentives, and it asks that you do not solicit only from happy guests.
Yelp

Yelp's guidance is that businesses should not ask for reviews, and its recommendation software may filter reviews that look requested. Do not include Yelp in your requests, even though diners may review you there anyway. You can still reply to Yelp reviews.

Review request templates for restaurants

Swap the bracketed parts. In Plaudit these merge in automatically from your contact list.

Subject: Thanks for dining with us, [First name]

Hi [First name], Thank you for choosing [Restaurant name] last night. If you enjoyed it, a short Google review is the best way to help other people find us. Leave a review: [Review link] If anything wasn't right, reply to this email and we'll look into it. [Owner or manager name]

Text message · 158 characters

Hi [First name], thanks for eating at [Restaurant] last night. If you enjoyed it, we'd really appreciate a quick Google review: [link]. Reply STOP to opt out.

Only text customers who agreed to receive texts from you. See SMS review request rules.

Asking without breaking platform rules

Restaurants are the classic place for 'free dessert for a five-star review' and table-top QR codes. Both are riskier than they look.

No rewards. Google lists offering incentives such as payment, discounts, free goods or services in exchange for a review as prohibited, and Tripadvisor's incentives policy rules out drawings, discounts and free amenities. A free dessert counts.
Ask everyone, not just happy guests. Google's policy prohibits selectively soliciting positive reviews, and Tripadvisor asks the same. Send the request to every guest whose details you hold.
Table QR codes are allowed, since Google says you can ask customers to scan a QR code. But in one small study, Sterling Sky looked at five businesses whose reviews were blocked from posting and found counter QR codes, on-site requests and bursts of 10 or more reviews a day among the patterns. Five businesses is a tiny sample and this is not a Google rule, but it is a reason to spread requests through the day rather than rely on one rush.

Sources: Google Maps contributed content policy; Tripadvisor incentives policy; Sterling Sky review-blocks study.

Replying to restaurant reviews

Restaurant reviews are short, specific and often about one dish or one moment. Reply to the specific thing.

Positive, mentions a dish

“The braised short rib was incredible. Service was warm and nobody rushed us.”

Thank you. We'll tell the kitchen the short rib got a mention, because they'll be delighted. Glad you felt looked after, and we hope to see you again soon.

Negative, cold food

“Food arrived lukewarm and it took ages. Disappointing for the price.”

Lukewarm food after a long wait is not what we want to send out, and we're sorry. If you can email [email] with the date and what you ordered, we'll look at what happened in the kitchen that night.

Negative, busy night

“Saturday night, 45 minutes for starters. Staff looked overwhelmed.”

You're right that Saturday got away from us, and 45 minutes is too long. Thank you for saying so plainly. We've [adjusted our weekend staffing] and I'd like to make it right: please email [email].

Allergen complaint

“I told them I had a nut allergy and still got a sauce with nuts in it.”

This is serious and we're very sorry. I'd like to speak to you directly today. Please call [phone] and ask for [name]. We're also reviewing this with the whole team.

Want a draft for a real review? Use the free AI review response generator, and edit before you post.

Setting this up in Plaudit

Restaurants with text-heavy audiences should be on Growth for SMS. If most bookings come with an email address, Starter is enough to begin with. Delivery and takeaway customers often arrive from apps that do not share contact details, so reservations and direct orders are where this works best.

Export reservations or direct-order contacts as a CSV, or paste them in (first name, email, mobile).
Set your Google review link as the platform, and pick a delay that lands the next morning.
Skip anyone with a complaint in progress by adding them to the do-not-contact list.
Check the log after a week to see who has been sent a request.

Plans: Starter $19 (email, 1 platform), Growth $39 (adds SMS, integrations, follow-ups), Pro $79 (multiple locations). See pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Can I offer a free dessert or drink for leaving a review? +

No. Google lists discounts and free goods or services in exchange for reviews as prohibited, and Tripadvisor rules out rewards of that kind too. It applies even when the offer is for an honest review.

Is it okay to put a QR code on the table or the bill? +

Google says you can ask customers to scan a QR code, so it is permitted. If you use one, treat it as a supplement to your after-visit message, and avoid pushing every table to leave a review at once.

Should I link to Yelp in my review request? +

No. Yelp's guidance is that businesses should not ask for reviews, and it may filter ones that look solicited. Point requests at Google, and add Tripadvisor if tourists make up a lot of your trade.

How many review requests should I send per day? +

Send to every guest whose details you have, but let them go out naturally after each visit instead of in one batch. A steady trickle looks like real customers because it is.

Review guides for other industries

Also useful: How to reply to a negative review, Review QR code generator

All industries →

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