Review response templates for restaurants

The bad-meal-or-service night

One dish, one server, one shift went wrong. Specificity is your friend here - name the dish and the fix, and sign as a person who was (or will be) on the floor.

Hi [CUSTOMER_NAME], the [DISH] shouldn't have gone out like that, and I'm sorry it did - that's [YOUR_NAME], [ROLE] at [RESTAURANT_NAME], telling you directly. We went through it with the kitchen this week and [CONCRETE_FIX, e.g. "changed how we hold that sauce during service"]. If you give us another shot, ask for me and I'll make sure your table is looked after.

Hi [CUSTOMER_NAME], I'm sorry about the service on [NIGHT] - what you described isn't how we run the floor, and I've gone over it with the team. No excuses: we were [HONEST_REASON, e.g. "short two servers"] and it showed. Next visit, I'd like the chance to show you the normal version of us: [EMAIL] or just ask for [YOUR_NAME]. 

The wait-time complaint

"45 minutes with a reservation." Readers mostly want to know whether the wait is typical. Answer that question honestly, and give a practical tip if one exists.

Hi [CUSTOMER_NAME], a reservation is a promise and we broke it - I'm sorry. [NIGHT] ran long because [HONEST_ONE_LINER, e.g. "two large parties camped well past their window"], but managing that is our job, not yours. We've [CHANGE, e.g. "adjusted how we buffer large-party turns"]. Reach me at [EMAIL] and I'll make your next reservation bulletproof myself. - [YOUR_NAME]

Hi [CUSTOMER_NAME], thanks for the honest note. [DAY] nights genuinely run long for walk-ins - I won't pretend otherwise. Two things that help: [PRACTICAL_TIP_1, e.g. "we post live wait times on our profile"], and [PRACTICAL_TIP_2, e.g. "weeknights before 6 are a different restaurant"]. Sorry the wait cost you the evening; I hope we get another chance. - [YOUR_NAME], [ROLE]

The food-safety claim

"I got sick after eating here" is the review that outranks all others. Take it seriously in public, move the details offline immediately, and never argue causation in the thread.

Hi [CUSTOMER_NAME], I'm sorry to hear you were unwell - a report like this gets our full attention regardless of cause. This is [YOUR_NAME], [ROLE] at [RESTAURANT_NAME]. Please contact me directly at [PHONE] or [EMAIL] with the date and what you ordered so we can review it properly; we log and investigate every report, and our food-safety practices are checked [CADENCE, e.g. "daily, with third-party audits quarterly"].

Hi [CUSTOMER_NAME], thank you for flagging this - cleanliness isn't a corner we're willing to cut, so a report like yours gets acted on the same day. I've walked the [AREA] with our manager and [ACTION_TAKEN]. If you noticed anything else, I want to hear it: [EMAIL], ask for [YOUR_NAME].

Full templates for these situations

• Negative review responses, by tone
• Apologizing without admitting fault
• Yelp response templates