How to respond to negative reviews: 15 replies for restaurants

It is 11pm, service is over, and a 2-star review says the mains took an hour. You want to explain the short-staffed kitchen. Don't, yet.

To respond to a negative review, reply within a day or two, thank the guest, name the problem in general terms, apologise where you got it wrong, say what you are changing, and offer a way to talk offline. Keep it short, sign it with a name and role, and never mention the guest's booking, order or personal details in public. Last checked: 4 November 2026.

How do you reply to a Google review?

Open your Business Profile, select Read reviews, select Reply next to the review, write your reply and select Reply. Google's help page Manage customer reviews adds that "Before you can reply to reviews, you must verify your business" (see Google Business Profile verification if you haven't).

The reply sits under the review for as long as the review stays up. The reviewer reads it once. Every guest who scrolls your profile deciding whether to book reads it after that. Write for them: calm, specific, and short.

Three mechanics from the same page change how you should write:

Google's tips on replying add more. For every reply: stay professional and polite, "Keep it short and simple", and don't send everyone the same thank-you. For negative reviews: don't share private information or make personal attacks, be honest about mistakes without taking blame for what was outside your control, apologise when it's deserved, reply promptly, and ask the reviewer to contact you directly when the issue is complicated. Google also suggests you "Address the reviewer by name" and sign off with your name or initials. Use only the name shown on the review, never one from your booking records.

What should you never put in a public reply?

Anything you know about the guest from your own systems. The reviewer chose what to share publicly. You did not get their permission to add the rest.

In the UK, details from your booking or till system are personal data, and UK GDPR's data minimisation principle (Article 5(1)(c)) means using only what is necessary for the purpose. A public reply needs none of it. In the US there is no single federal rule for review replies, but Google's policy on private information applies everywhere, and anything about an allergy reaction carries legal risk. The safe rule in both markets: only echo what the reviewer wrote publicly, and take anything specific offline. If a complaint could become a claim, check with an adviser for your situation.

How quickly should you reply to a bad review?

Within a day or two, and after service rather than during it. A same-night reply written in anger is worse than a next-morning reply written calmly. Read the review twice, check what happened with the team on shift, then write.

Some reviews should get a phone call or email before, or instead of, a detailed reply: allergy reactions, illness, injury, discrimination complaints, and anything involving a named staff member. Post a short holding reply and move the conversation offline.

A worked example: what one bad week does to your rating

Replies matter because stars recover slowly. Google does not publish its exact formula, so this is a simple average for illustration.

To get back to a displayed 4.6 (an average of at least 4.55), you need 11 five-star reviews with no further low ratings: (555 + 55) ÷ (123 + 11) = 4.55. While those arrive, the three 1-star reviews stay on your profile, and your replies are what new guests see under them. The other half of the fix is a steady flow of genuine reviews; see how to get more Google reviews.

15 replies to negative reviews you can copy

Each one follows the same shape: thanks, the issue in general terms, an apology where it's deserved, what you're doing, and an offline route. None of them repeats anything the reviewer didn't write: no date, party size, dish or booking detail from your own records. Replace the square brackets and cut anything that doesn't fit. Don't paste the same text under every review; Google advises against identical replies.

1. Long wait for a table

Thank you for the feedback, and we're sorry you were kept waiting for
your table. That shouldn't happen, and we're looking at how we pace
tables on busy nights. If you'd like to talk it through, email [address].
[Name], [role]

2. Slow food

Thank you for telling us. A long wait for food spoils an evening, and
we're sorry. We've reviewed how the kitchen and floor communicated that
night. We'd love the chance to show you a better evening.
[Name], [role]

3. Food arrived cold

We're sorry your food wasn't served hot. That's a basic we should get
right every time, and we've raised it with the kitchen team. Thank you
for letting us know.
[Name], [role]

4. Rude or unhelpful staff

Thank you for raising this. Everyone should feel welcome here, and we're
sorry that wasn't your experience. We take it seriously and would like to
hear more. Please email [address] and I'll look into it personally.
[Name], [role]

5. Too expensive or poor value

Thank you for the honest feedback. We price our dishes around [what you
care about, e.g. local suppliers and fresh pasta made daily], but we
understand it has to feel worth it on the night. We're sorry it didn't.
[Name], [role]

6. Too noisy

Thank you for the feedback. Weekend evenings can get lively, and we're
sorry it made conversation hard. If you visit again, ask us for a quieter
table when you book and we'll do our best.
[Name], [role]

7. A mistake on the bill

We're sorry about the confusion with your bill. We want every bill to be
clear and correct. Please email [address] so we can check it with you and
put anything wrong right.
[Name], [role]

8. Service charge complaint

Thank you for the feedback. Our service charge is [optional / included]
and shown on the menu, and we're sorry it wasn't clear on the night. We're
looking at how we explain it. Questions are always welcome at [address].
[Name], [role]

9. Allergy or dietary concern (always offline)

Thank you for telling us. We take allergies and dietary needs very
seriously, and we want to understand exactly what happened. Please contact
[name] directly on [phone] or [address] as soon as you can.
[Name], [role]

10. Feeling unwell after the meal

We're sorry to hear you felt unwell. Food safety matters enormously to
us, and we'd like to look into this properly. Please contact [name] on
[phone] or [address] so we can follow it up.
[Name], [role]

11. Booking problem or table not ready

We're sorry your table wasn't ready when you arrived. You planned your
evening around that time, and we let you down. We've reviewed what went
wrong. If you'd like to talk, email [address].
[Name], [role]

12. Small portions

Thank you for the feedback on portion sizes. We're sorry the dish didn't
feel generous enough. We've shared your comments with the kitchen as we
review the menu.
[Name], [role]

13. Didn't like a dish

Thank you for trying us, and we're sorry the dish wasn't to your taste.
Our team is always happy to suggest something else on the night. We hope
you'll give us another try.
[Name], [role]

14. Star rating with no text

Thank you for your rating. We're sorry we fell short. If you're willing
to tell us what went wrong, please email [address]. We read every
message.
[Name], [role]

15. A review you believe is fake

Thank you for your review. We take every comment seriously, but there
isn't enough detail here for us to look into it. Please email [address]
so we can understand what happened.
[Name], [role]

For reviews that look fake, report them as well as replying. See how to remove a Google review.

5 replies to positive reviews

Positive reviews deserve a reply too. Keep these shorter.

1. Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed it. See you again soon.

2. Thank you for coming in to celebrate with us. It means a lot that you
   chose us for the occasion.

3. Thank you for the kind words. I'll pass them on to the whole team,
   front and back of house.

4. Thank you! Our [chef / kitchen team] will be delighted you loved the
   [dish the reviewer named].

5. Thank you for the lovely review, and for coming back again. We look
   forward to the next one. [Only if they said they're a regular.]

Only mention a dish, an occasion, a staff member or a past visit if the reviewer mentioned it first.

What not to do, even when the review is unfair

• Don't argue the facts in public. Correct a factual error once, briefly, without blaming the guest.
• Don't offer anything for a changed review. Offering a refund or voucher to change a negative review is listed as commissioning a banned review in the UK CMA's fake reviews guidance (CMA208, April 2025), and Google bans incentives for reviews. A goodwill gesture for a genuine complaint is fine if it is not tied to the review.
• Don't threaten legal action. In the US, the FTC's rule on consumer reviews (16 CFR 465.7) bans unfounded legal threats and intimidation used to stop or remove a review. In the UK, the CMA guidance says traders should not deter negative reviews "through threats of harm or legal action".
• Don't reply with a promotion. Google asks you not to use replies for deals.

Can TablePort handle this for you?

TablePort can draft and post replies, but it can't change or delete the review itself. With your Google Business Profile connected:

1. Filter for unanswered reviews across every location in one inbox.
2. Ask for a draft in your restaurant's tone. It uses the rating, the review and a short summary of the likely visit. Reviewer and guest names, emails and phone numbers are stripped before anything goes to the AI.
3. Edit it with the table above. The visit summary is there so you understand the complaint; take out anything the guest didn't write publicly.
4. Post, edit or delete the reply from TablePort. Nothing is posted until a person on your team presses send.

See the Google reviews page.