FACT: The average person only reads 3-5 restaurant reviews before making a decision on where to eat. That’s why it’s so important that you have honest, authentic reviews. We’ll find out how to get more restaurant reviews in this write-up.
Writing a review is easy, but getting reviews from customers can be another story.
Many restaurant owners feel like they are in the dark about how to get more reviews and tips on how to improve their ratings.
The good news is that there are many things you can do to increase your ratings on various online platforms and make sure they reflect positively on your business.
The first step is to make sure your restaurant is clean and well-maintained. In terms of the food itself, make sure that the menu has something for everyone on it. The menu can be simple and basic, or it can be more creative with lots of options. The most important thing is to keep it updated so that your customers know exactly what’s going on at your establishment.
If you’re looking for more tips on how to get more restaurant reviews, check out our list of top 4 tips!
1. Keep your staff informed
Customers love to be catered to by their wait staff and service team. Make sure everyone knows the restaurant’s special features, whether it be a great drink menu or an extensive wine list, so they can make recommendations based on personal experience. Don’t just tell customers about your specials; show them!
2. Offer rewards programs for regular customers
Sometimes customers forget about loyalty programs and aren’t aware that they have points or bonuses waiting for them when they return regularly. Offer free drinks or desserts as incentives for returning often or even advertise special events at certain times of the year like “Buy one meal get one free” promotions that celebrate holidays like Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day.
3. Don’t forget about social media
Social media is where most people today find out about businesses first through their friends rather than through traditional print publications such as newspapers or magazines.
To get more restaurant reviews, you need to be active on social media. In fact, the most effective way to get new reviews is through social media. But how can you make sure your restaurant gets the right kind of attention?
The first step is to create a profile page for your restaurant, which should include:
- A logo or icon that represents the brand
- A description of what the restaurant does (e.g., “we have great food”)
- The address and phone number of the restaurant
- A link to a website with more information about the restaurant
4. Restaurant review aggregator tool
A restaurant review aggregator tool is a service that collects reviews from different sources and presents them on a website. It offers the opportunity to create a single page that presents the most important information about a particular restaurant.
The most popular aggregators include TripAdvisor, OpenTable, and Yelp. The user can choose which sources they wish to use and how many reviews they wish to see.
Bonus tips:
- Respond to all guest reviews within 24 hours, preferably within 12 hours.
- Take the time to write a thoughtful response and make sure it is posted on the review page for your establishment.
- Make sure you provide useful information in your response, such as what time you open, where the nearest bus stop is, or whether there are nearby parking lots available at night.
- Provide contact information for managers or owners if possible so that they can follow up with customers who left negative feedback about the establishment or provide useful recommendations for improvements that could be made by management or ownership staff at the restaurant (for example).
