How to Get More Reviews For Your Restaurant?

Reviews have become more important than ever. 90% of guests research a restaurant online before actually going there. Additionally, 35% of customers discover restaurants through online reviews and official websites. 

It also affects the probability of customers visiting the restaurant. 33% of Americans would never eat at a restaurant with a rating lower than four stars. 

When your restaurant receives stellar reviews, it indicates that your service and food are of top-notch quality. This, in turn, would increase your sales and profit margin. 

Now the question is, how to get more reviews for your restaurant? More importantly, positive reviews!

In this article, we will discuss exactly that. Let’s get started!

1- Build a Robust Online Presence

As mentioned above, most people look for restaurants online before visiting or ordering food from them online. 

If you don’t have a robust online presence, it will be difficult for potential customers to find you. Also, your guests will be demotivated to leave a review as your digital resources (website, social media, etc.) would seem of no relevance. 

Begin with building a website for your restaurant (if you don’t have it already). Then, create social media profiles on major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

Monitor your online presence and ensureevi your restaurant details (website, menu, timing, images, location, etc.) are accurate. Additionally, frequently update your business listings, social handles, and website. This will leave a great impression on your customers and garner more positive reviews. 

2- Enable Online Ordering

Online ordering has become the talk of the town in recent years. As a result, restaurants that offer online ordering services see an increase in sales than those that don’t. 

It will also help you get more reviews as customers will now be getting your services at their doorstep. To enable online ordering, you will need a website or mobile app. 

Besides, when you allow customers to order online, you will get their details (contact number and email address), which you can use to encourage them to leave reviews. This brings us to our next point!

3- Leverage Email Marketing

Email marketing is one of the best ways to stay atop your customers’ minds and get more reviews. When a customer orders online from you, send an email half an hour after their order is delivered asking them to leave a review. 

Since they might have eaten the food just then, they will probably be happy and likely leave a positive review. 

However, follow these best practices to increase your chances of getting a review:

• Send emails at the right time (i.e., within an hour of food being delivered). 
• Add a link where the customer can go and leave a review (it could be Google listing, Yelp listing, or your social profiles). 
• Let customers know why they should leave a review. For instance, you could say, “your reviews help us improve,” “your reviews matter to our potential customers,” or “your feedback will help us serve you the way you want every time.” 
• Offer a discount or complimentary drink on their next order to encourage them to write a review. 

And it’s not just for people ordering online. You can even leverage emails to get reviews from dine-in customers. All you have to do is ask for their email after they’ve paid their bill and send a link to leave a review online.

4- Create Your Restaurant’s Profile In Different Review Sites

Today, customers use several platforms to find restaurants. TripAdvisor and Yelp are extremely popular among people looking for great restaurants. 

Create your restaurant’s profile on those platforms. Make sure to fill in all the details and that they are accurate. Remember, the more information you add to your profiles, the better. 

Add a link to your website, menu, photos (of the restaurant and the best dishes), address, contact information, and opening hours. Additionally, update your profile of any upcoming events (festive season, discounts on weekends, etc.). This will help attract more customers. 

Also, claim your Google My Business (GMB) profile. This will help reach people who look for restaurants in your area on Google. Again, make sure to add as much information as possible to increase your chances of ranking at the top of search results. 

5- Share Customer Reviews on Your Social Media

Customers love it when their opinion is heard. And when it is shared by the brand itself, it makes them feel even better. It also encourages them to post reviews of your restaurant on social media and third-party sites. 

Share positive reviews of your restaurants regularly on social media and tag the customer. If a customer shares appealing pictures of your restaurant or dishes, make sure to repost them. You can even offer a discount to the customer for sharing such exceptional photos. Just make sure to do that publicly to encourage other customers to do the same. 

You can also highlight select testimonials on your website or share them with your customers via email. This will compel others to join your list with their own thoughts and experience. 

6- Respond to Reviews 

When you respond to customer reviews (both positive and negative), it shows that you value their time (which they spent writing), encouraging others to leave their feedback.

Here are some best practices to follow when responding to reviews:

• Read the reviews from the customer’s point of view. 
• Don’t ignore customers’ complaints. First, apologize for their bad experience with your services. Then, solve their grievances. This will help convert negative reviews into positive ones. For example, you can offer to compensate them on their next visit. 
• Express gratitude to satisfied customers for writing a review. It leaves a good impression and increases the chances of repeat visits. 
• Tell customers you’d love to serve them again. 

However, managing reviews, at times, could be overwhelming. 

7- Ensure Your Service is Apt

It is worth mentioning that you might not get a stellar 5-star rating every time. However, you will learn a lot about how customers perceive your services and things you can improve.

Negative reviews for your restaurant help you understand the problems and gaps in your services. By working on them, you can always improve your services and meet customers’ expectations. 

Additionally, take preventive measures beforehand to make your customers happy. For instance, when delivering food to the customer’s doorstep, you should invest in good packaging materials and train your staff to handle food. This will help ensure it reaches safely and doesn’t get a soggy mess on the way. 

Conclusion

Reviews help restaurants improve their services, attract more customers, and enhance their brand reputation. Begin with building a robust online presence. Then, enable online ordering and directly ask customers to share their experience. Also, don’t forget to respond to their reviews and improve your service as per their recommendations.

Should you need any help with enabling online ordering or managing reviews, Eatance is here to help. Eatance is the best restaurant ordering system that helps manage online orders, ratings & reviews, and analyze your restaurant’s performance. Happy Restauranting!