Ways to Improve Online Restaurant Reviews to Help Your Food Service Business

Do you know 83.2% of Malaysian consumers first search for information about their goods and services on the internet before making their purchase decisions?

Also highlighted in the same study on the Effect of Online Reviews and Crowd Cues on Restaurants of Choice of Customers, research has shown that consumers are more inclined to choose a restaurant based on higher online review ratings.

Not only that, 25% more people turn to customer reviews on sites such as OpenTable, Yelp, or TripAdvisor rather than the reviews of professional food critics.

To consumers, online reviews are a vital source of information for the choice of restaurants, and at the same time, it is a way for food service business owners to either make or break their restaurants.

As good reviews improve dining intentions and bad reviews adversely affect the reputation of a restaurant, it’s only smart to work towards encouraging customers to review your restaurant positively.

Not sure where to start? Note yourself these tips to really give you the edge to establish a higher star rating!

1. Own Your Profile On Popular Review Sites or Establish a Profile There

The first step in getting good reviews is to prepare a legit platform for them to do so! To start, make it easier for your customers to find your restaurant on web pages and social media.

Other than your usual Facebook and Instagram, you may also want to consider TikTok or Xiaohongshu (小红书) to reach out to wider audiences. Not only that, mainstream review sites such as Google Business or TripAdvisor are important too!

Establish the page if you have yet to, or claim it if you are not the owner. Then keep your restaurant page up-to-date by updating the business information, contact numbers, menus, locations, outside images, opening hours, takeaway services, etc.

Don’t see it as a chore to constantly update your business listings, and take it as a way to communicate accurate information with your customers! It really helps to leave a good first impression on customers when they can easily access your business information.

2. Get Your Customers to Review Your Restaurant - Even Better If You Incentivize Them

It’s a lot more often that people voice out their complaints and negative experiences to a review rather than a positive one. So counter this by having your regular and loyal customers review your food service business positively and reward them with a light snack, a free drink, or take a percentage off the bill.

Prepare a QR code to scan on the table or on the receipts to make it easier for them to access your review page. If you are offering some perks after reviewing, make sure that it’s stated clearly too!

At the same time, get your service crew to check in on them after each meal on their experience, then encourage reviewing. Don’t be afraid to take in suggestions or even critiques!

3. Share Positive Reviews & User-Generated Content On Your Main Social Media

Got a long list of positive reviews? Flaunt them on your social media! Customers who made an effort to write a detailed review or have done a great job posting pictures about your restaurants would be delighted to see their feedback on your page, just make sure to ask for their permission before sharing.

It helps loyal customers feel more seen and makes them feel like their actions have a more significant impact on your business, which drives newer and older customers alike to continue coming back to your restaurant.

For potential customers, seeing these genuine reviews and photos would definitely entice them to give your restaurant a try!

4. Respond to Reviews Quickly and Take Them Seriously

As customers post their reviews on your social media or on review websites, be sure to reply and respond to as many as you can as quickly as you can as a way to show your appreciation for their effort. This may seem like a simple thing to do but many restaurant owners tend to ignore this step.

Customers decide to post reviews online it is because they wish to be heard. Good reviews are from customers that want to compliment you. Hearing your thanks can go a long way. Got a bad review? These customers often wish for more out of your restaurant and can be a way to find guidance for improvement in your restaurant.

It’s important to reply to both sides since other customers are also reading both sides of the reviews, and if they see more replies to only the positive side, a biasedness can be seen. At the same time, a lack of replies could also be a sign of a lack of communication and closeness with the customers.

Now that you’ve picked up the tips and tricks of the online trade, get to work and start building up your positive presence on the online websites and haul in the new customer base!

What’s next after courteously replying to a negative review? Look for areas to improve on. Take these suggestions seriously and constantly check in with your team on your feedback as well.

Hold a monthly review meeting with them to jointly improve your restaurant for the betterment of your business as well as for future customers.

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