How to Get More Positive Restaurant Reviews

A positive restaurant review is like the magic ingredient in the recipe for success. They attract new customers, boost your online presence, and solidify your reputation as a must-try spot. But how do you get diners to leave those glowing reviews? This blog will help unveil practical tactics to turn satisfied customers into vocal advocates for your restaurant.

BENEFITS OF POSITIVE REVIEWS

Positive reviews can offer restaurants a variety of benefits, like improving their reputation and helping drive business growth. They act as powerful endorsements, building trust and credibility among potential customers who rely heavily on online feedback when choosing where to dine. High ratings and glowing testimonials can lead to increased foot traffic and higher sales, as satisfied customers are more likely to return and recommend the establishment to others. A study out of Harvard Business School says that even one extra Yelp star is equivalent to a 5-9% jump in revenue. Additionally, positive reviews contribute to improved search engine rankings, making the restaurant more visible in online searches. They also provide valuable feedback, allowing restaurant owners to identify strengths and areas for improvement.

Below are just a few ways to get more positive reviews for your business.

RESTAURANT REVIEW TIP #1: MAINTAIN YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE

No one will leave positive reviews if your online presence is made up of a single web page that hasn’t been updated since 2005. But an online presence also doesn’t need to include constant posts on every social media site about the popular headlines of the day. Some basic things to boost your presence are:

• Own Your Profile: You should have an account established on all the major platforms. Make it easy for people to find you or give you a shout-out on social media.
• Make It Complete and Accurate: Your location, phone number, and hours should be front and center. Upload nice photos of your place and your signature dishes, and include your menu. According to TripAdvisor, online photos influence 60% of potential restaurant customers.
• Promote Events: You don't need to be a social media master, but if you're hosting events, adding new dishes, or changing your hours, you should post about those things. It's free advertising! Public congrats to employees and regulars can also be great for loyalty and morale.

The bug social media sites are Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, whereas reviews are generally found on Google, Yelp, and TripAdvisor. There are also restaurant-specific sites like OpenTable, Zomato, and Zagat.

Look to see what's popular in your area and where your competitors are focusing.

RESTAURANT REVIEW TIP #2: CHECK YOUR FILTERS

If you're getting good restaurant reviews, make sure they're being counted. Yelp and other platforms filter out the ones they suspect are illegitimate. In particular, Yelp's restaurant review filters got very picky in 2018.

Unfortunately, these filters catch legitimate reviews as well. If you can fish those out of the trash, you can get their rating included in your average.

Here's how you do it on Yelp:

1. Log into Yelp on your business account and scroll to the bottom of your page.
2. Click on the grayed-out text that says "…other reviews that are not currently recommended." It will expand to reveal your filtered reviews.
3. The easiest thing you can try is to friend the reviewer's account. Wait a few days and see if their review pops into the regular section.

If that doesn't work, you have some additional options but proceed with good manners. Thank them for their review, and then let them know that Yelp thinks their reviews are fake. They can fix it by connecting their account to Facebook, logging into the Yelp app on their phone, or filling out their profile further. Suggest, don't demand, and do it through private messaging.

RESTAURANT REVIEW TIP #3: RESPOND TO REVIEWS (NOT JUST THE BAD ONES)

Recently, we posted about the value of responding to negative restaurant reviews and how to do it appropriately. But you shouldn't only respond to the bad reviews. Last year, Harvard Business Review found that when businesses respond to all reviews, good and bad, they get 12% more reviews plus a bump in their ratings.

Responding to reviews will show your restaurant's potential customers that you care about your reputation. You'll also impress existing customers by reaching out to thank them. That's how you bring them back again and again.

Respond to positive reviews the same way you respond to negative ones: be short and to the point, personalize the response, and be as sincere as you can.

RESTAURANT REVIEW TIP #4: SHARE GOOD REVIEWS

While you're responding to restaurant reviews, look for the standouts to share. It's good advertising, and it reminds other customers to review without having to ask. Plus, people are more likely to leave good reviews if they see you promoting others.

There are a number of ways to go about this:

• Promote Reviews Natively: Most review sites allow anyone to mark reviews as "helpful," which brings them up to the top for better visibility. You can use this to highlight glowing restaurant reviews on your own page.
• Feature on Your Website: Prominently feature 2-3 excerpts from excellent reviews on your homepage.
• Cross-Post on Social Media: Share excerpts from your best reviews across social media. For best results, make them visually interesting—you don't need any talent in graphic design. Remember to link people back to your review page to generate additional reviews.

RESTAURANT REVIEW TIP #5: ASK FOR REVIEWS, BUT DO IT RIGHT

Once you're making use of what's out there, you can start encouraging new reviews.

First, what NOT to do:

• Don't Incentivize Reviews: Review sites will punish you if you pay for or otherwise reward reviewing. Don't do it.
• Don't Provide a Review Station: Multiple restaurant reviews from the same IP address can trigger red flags with review sites. Reminding customers to leave reviews in person can also be risky. If you offer free Wi-Fi, customers might post their reviews from your IP address, which could cause those reviews to be flagged as spam.

What you can do:

• Ask Your Best Customers: Excellent targets for in-person requests are loyal regulars and people who have expressed gratitude or compliments . The next time you see them, ask if they've left an online review. If not, tell them you'd love it if they shared their experience.
• Email or Text Customers: A quick text after a customer's first visit is the most effective way to ask for restaurant reviews. If you use text messaging in your reservation process, try it out. Email is also a possibility if you already have a marketing list. Don't abuse these channels, though.
• Use Partners: Apps that enable online reservations or third-party delivery will email or text customers for you.
• Use Social Media: Asking followers on social media is another convenient option.

However you do it:

• Make Your Request General: Say "Check us out on Yelp," or "Share your experience online."
• Lead Up to It: When you ask by email or text, you'll have to take the good with the bad. But if you're asking in person, check that you're talking to a happy customer first.
• Link to Review Sites: If you're asking online or in text, make it easy and provide a direct link to your review site(s).

In the end, getting reviews for your restaurant is a numbers game. Most people won't bother, so don't nag or get frustrated. Just build a system to remind people to leave a review and stick to it.

RESTAURANT REVIEW TIP #6: TRAIN STAFF WELL

The staff in a restaurant do the most to generate reviews, both good and bad. This includes everyone from hostesses to line cooks. All staff should be able to perform their duties well, and staff that interact with customers should be friendly and do what they reasonably can to meet customer requests. They should know the menu perfectly, and depending on the restaurant, should know good pairings or make recommendations. Customers should leave with an appreciation for how the staff has taken care of them, and the staff should be able to confidently ask them to leave a review.

GET YOUR STAFF IN ORDER

With all the benefits that come with a restaurant’s online presence, the greatest drawback is an underused or underutilized plan. But with some guidance and knowing the ways to garner positive reviews, anyone and any business can build a strong reputation that brings in old and new customers alike.

When staff and management know what they need to improve and how to do so, positive reviews and customers return again and again. In the restaurant industry, employees need to be well-trained in both customer relations and food handling. Our food safety manager training is a great way to get employees high-quality training in handling, managing food, training others, and auditing processes. Head to our website to get started today!