More than half of adults in the United States read online reviews before purchasing a product or service. Also, companies with online reviews enjoy higher search engine rankings than those without. These statistics prove that positive reviews can significantly contribute to the success of any restaurant brand.
This guide explains what makes a good review, highlights examples of positive restaurant reviews, and presents some positive review response ideas that can turn visitors into repeat customers. Positive reviews outweigh negative ones, and that’s exactly the goal when attracting happy customers. As a restaurant owner or business owner, this is the right blog for you.
A good review goes beyond a five-star rating. A positive restaurant review details the overall customer experience — from their thoughts on the restaurant’s cuisine to their comments about the servers. Good reviews are always:
Not sure how to craft winning replies? Here are some examples of positive restaurant reviews and the ideal response for each situation.
Example 1: “F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C!” — 5-star review
This type of positive review expresses the customer’s complete satisfaction with the restaurant’s service. It’s not always a five-star review. Favorites often include slang, emojis, and other elements that accurately express their excitement. By reading these reviews, you can quickly tell that the customer is impressed with your brand’s service and will likely visit again — perhaps with friends. This is the exact opposite of a bad review.
Siren’s detailed analysis of the restaurant’s interior design, her dining experience, and her comments on the staff make her review stand out. It is considered an amazing review. Overall, her review contains enough details to compel potential customers to understand the dining experience and come to eat.
Replying to this review
The best way to respond to the above example of a positive restaurant review is to maintain the warm and casual tone of the customer.
A great response could be:
“Hi {Name},
I’m so excited about your review. Yes, I almost jumped out of my chair reading this! :)
Thank you for the kind words. Hope you drop by again sometime (preferably with your friends). Stay awesome!
{Your Name}
{Your Job Title}”
Customers are free to express their dissatisfaction with the restaurant’s cuisine, prices, servers—call it what you want. This is not considered a bad review. Therefore, it’s not uncommon for customers to leave five-star ratings while still pointing out some flaws. Sharing these types of reviews gives you social proof about the restaurant.
The review above sounds very natural—more like a conversation between the reviewer and a friend. Moreover, the review highlights what she liked (positive feedback) and what she feels could be improved, offering some specific suggestions to give the restaurant an idea of changes it can implement.
Replying to this review
When responding to this type of positive review, start by showing appreciation to the customer for their positive feedback and kind words, then emphasize your restaurant’s commitment to consistently providing high-quality service.
Here is a response that fits this situation perfectly:
“Hi {Name},
Thank you for taking the time to write this review. And thank you for the five-star rating.
Regarding {mention their complaint}, we have heard you and will forward your feedback to the appropriate department so that action can be taken promptly.
Thanks again for your wonderful review, {Name}. Be sure to stop by again.
{Your Name}
{Your Title}”
Some positive restaurant reviews directly promote your business. Customers who leave these reviews may go as far as recommending their favorite dishes to potential customers.
Here, Michelle describes her experience in detail. She shares the restaurant’s location, highlights some of their special dishes (including her favorite), and even describes how they prepare them. Her in-depth review gives potential customers valuable details that might persuade them to stop by for a meal.
Replying to this review
You can respond to the above review with additional recommendations. The ideal response would be:
“Got it, {Name}. We definitely offer some of the best {name of food or drink} in town!
Have you had the chance to try some of our other unique dishes—like {outline some recommendations}? They’re some of our customers’ favorites!
I recommend you try them on your next visit!
{Your Name}
{Your Title}”
Not all four- or five-star reviews indicate that the customer is completely happy with your services. However, when a long-time customer highlights some issues, it’s a sign that they want to continue supporting your business—if things get fixed.
You can see from the review above that Rick is a regular customer. He gets straight to the point, mentioning his specific issue with the restaurant.
His straightforward comment, along with the four-star rating, makes this a good review.
Replying to this review
The best way to respond to these reviews is to acknowledge the customer's feedback and indicate your willingness to fix things.
Here’s an ideal response:
“Hello {Name},
We sincerely apologize for {the complaint}.
We are committed to providing high-quality service and would like to discuss this further with you.
Could you please email us at {you@yourcompany.com} so we can take a closer look at this?
Thank you for your time.
{Your Name}
{Your Title}”
This type of review often comes after customer complaints have been addressed and they begin to see improvements.
The spelling and grammatical errors in this review indicate that the reviewer is likely a non-native English speaker. Nevertheless, the review is very thorough and relevant, with honest feedback that deserves the same attention as any other review.
The natural, descriptive tone and inclusion of many details make the review applicable and helpful to potential customers who may intend to ship their devices while dining.
Replying to this review
Remind customers that your company always acts on customer feedback and strives for continuous improvement.
An ideal response to the above review would be:
“Hello {Name},
Thank you for the kind words.
We always prioritize our customers’ satisfaction and never take their feedback lightly.
You will definitely see many improvements in the quality of our services in the upcoming period.
Thanks again for your wonderful review, {Name}. Make sure to visit us again soon!
{Your Name}
{Your Title}”
Copy-and-paste review reply templates:
Response #1
“Hello {Name},
I’m so excited about your review. Yes, I almost jumped out of my chair reading this! :)
Thanks for the kind words. Hope you stop by again (preferably with your friends). Stay awesome!
{Your Name}
{Your Job Title}”
Response #2
“Hello {Name},
Thank you for taking the time to write this review. And thanks for the five-star rating.
Regarding {mention their complaint}, we heard you and will forward your feedback to the relevant department for prompt action.
Thanks again for your great review, {Name}. Be sure to stop by again.
{Your Name}
{Your Title}”
Response #3
“Got it, {Name}. We definitely offer some of the best {name of food or drink} in town!
Have you had the chance to try some of our other unique dishes – like {outline a few recommendations}? They are some of our customers’ favorites!
I recommend trying them on your next visit!
{Your Name}
{Your Title}”
Response #4
“Hello {Name},
We sincerely apologize for {the complaint}.
We are committed to providing high-quality service and would like to discuss this further with you.
Could you please email us at {you@yourcompany.com} so we can take a closer look at this?
Thank you for your time.
{Your Name}
{Your Title}”
Response #5
“Hello {Name},
Thank you for the kind words.
We always prioritize our customers’ satisfaction and never take their feedback lightly.
You will definitely see many improvements in the quality of our services in the upcoming period.
Thanks again for your wonderful review, {Name}. Make sure to visit us again soon!
{Your Name}
{Your Title}”
Building a loyal customer community
Well-crafted restaurant review replies can turn potential customers into happy customers. Therefore, it is essential to monitor your reviews. Track your reviews on Google My Business, Yelp, Zomato, Facebook, and respond quickly. Don’t forget to reply to negative reviews.
Localyser helps multi-location restaurant brands monitor and manage positive and negative customer reviews from multiple channels effortlessly.
Want to build a large loyal customer community and attract future customers? Schedule a free online reputation analysis and demo today.
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