How can a restaurant or pub get more reviews on Google and Tripadvisor?
Ask every table as the bill arrives, with a QR code to your Google review link on the bill or table, and reply to every review you get. Google and Tripadvisor both ban rewards for reviews and asking only happy guests, so a dessert on the house for five stars breaks the rules.
By Sammy Morgan, who runs M1 Studio in Chichester. Updated .
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- Industry
- Restaurants, cafes and pubs
- Problem
- Too few Google reviews
- The fix
- Local Search Fix, £800
- Do it yourself?
- Yes, the first steps below
Why it happens to restaurants, cafes and pubs.
- Diners decide on the day
- People pick where to eat on Google Maps, comparing star ratings, review counts and recent comments. Tripadvisor matters too, especially with visitors.
- The busy night is the best night
- A full, happy room is the best moment to ask, and the one when staff are least likely to remember.
- Rewards are tempting and banned
- A drink or dessert for a review breaks Google’s rules, and Tripadvisor prohibits incentives and even rewarding staff for being named in reviews.
- Replies are read by future diners
- People read how you answer a complaint about a slow Sunday roast. A calm, specific reply often matters as much as the review.
What to do, in order.
Put your link on the bill
A QR code to your Google review link on the bill folder, table card or receipt.
Ask every table the same way
A short line as the bill goes down. Don’t pick only the tables that seem happy: both Google and Tripadvisor ban selective asking.
No rewards, for guests or staff
No discounts or drinks for reviews, and no bonuses for staff named in them.
Reply to every review
Thank guests by name where they give it, and answer complaints calmly with how to get in touch. Claim your Tripadvisor listing so you can reply there too.
Follow up bookings
The Local Search Fix sets up your Google profile and review requests; a booking system that has diners’ numbers can send the ask the next morning.
Where M1 can do it for you.
Fixed prices, or a fixed quote before any work starts. No VAT is charged. Any running costs are listed before you agree.
- Local Search Fix £800
Your venue’s Google profile filled in with the right hours, menu and photos, and review requests set up for every guest you have details for.
Look right when locals search for what you do.
- Growth Plan £1,000 a month
It keeps review requests running and handles review replies and posts about specials and events every month.
Keep enquiries turning into bookings.
- Missed-Call Rescue £800
It sends review requests automatically after bookings, alongside a text back for calls you miss in service.
Missed calls get a text back, automatically.
Want to check the rest of your business first? Take the free Scorecard: 12 questions, about 3 minutes.
Before you decide.
Something else? Ask Sammy on WhatsApp.
Can we offer a drink on the house for a review?
No. Google doesn’t allow incentives for reviews, Tripadvisor prohibits them, and UK consumer law bans reviews that hide an incentive. Ask plainly and make it easy.
Which matters more, Google or Tripadvisor?
For locals deciding on the day, Google reviews show first on Maps. Visitors and tourists often check Tripadvisor too. Ask for Google reviews on the bill, and claim and reply on Tripadvisor.
Should we reply to every bad review?
Yes, calmly and briefly, with a way to contact you directly. Future guests read replies. The guide to getting more Google reviews covers replies and the rules.
Keep reading.
Know what to fix. Then decide.
Sammy writes down what’s holding your business back and what to fix first. The Foundation Blueprint is yours within 5 working days of your answers.
From £200No VAT, one payment through Stripe
Not ready yet? Take the free Scorecard, 3 minutes.