How to get more Google reviews for your restaurant (without breaking the rules)
Updated 19 October 2026
Short answer: To get more Google reviews, ask every customer at the right moment, and make it a one-tap job. Use a short review link and QR code on tables, bills and takeaway bags. Train staff to ask in a friendly, no-pressure way. Follow up the next day by message where customers agreed. Reply to every review. Never offer a reward for a review.
Below are 12 ways that work for UK restaurants, cafés, pubs and takeaways, plus scripts, reply templates for bad reviews and the rules you must follow.
Written for UK food businesses. Updated October 2026.
Make a free review QR card in two minutes with our.
Why Google reviews matter for restaurants
- They help you get found. Google says more reviews and positive ratings can help a business's local ranking.
- They help people choose. Diners compare ratings, read recent reviews and look at your replies before they book or order.
- They tell you what to fix. Three reviews about cold chips is a holding problem, not three fussy customers.
Recent reviews matter too. A steady trickle of new reviews looks better than a burst from two years ago.
The rules first: what you can't do
Two sets of rules apply in the UK.
Google's policy bans:
- Reviews paid for with money or in kind, such as a discount, free drink or prize draw entry
- Asking staff to collect a set number of reviews, or reviews with specific content
- Requiring or pressuring customers to leave a review while they're still on the premises
- Reviews from staff, owners, family or ex-employees (conflict of interest)
UK law. Since April 2025, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Schedule 20, paragraph 13) bans fake reviews and reviews that hide an incentive. It also bans commissioning them. Breaking the ban can lead to enforcement action by the CMA or trading standards.
So: ask everyone, ask honestly, and give nothing in return for a review.
12 ways to get more Google reviews
1. Get your review link
On your Google Business Profile, find the option to ask for reviews and copy the short link. It opens the review box directly. Our free tool turns it into a print-ready QR card.
2. Ask at the right moment
Good moments are when the bill arrives, or when guests say thanks on the way out. Keep it light, and make the same ask at every table. Don't ask while they're still eating.
3. Give staff a simple script
Staff feel awkward without words. Give them one line:
"Thanks so much. If you get a minute later, a Google review really helps a small place like ours. The QR code's on the card."
Notice what it doesn't say: no rating to aim for, no reward, no pressure.
4. Put the QR code where people wait
Customers scan when they have a spare moment:
- On the table, next to the menu or salt and pepper
- In the bill folder or on the card machine stand
- At the collection counter, at eye level
- On the back of the toilet door, where people have a spare minute
Print table cards with our table QR card maker and add your review code.
5. Add it to takeaway bags and receipts
A small sticker on every bag you send out: "Enjoyed it? Tell us on Google." Takeaway customers rate the food once they've eaten at home, not at the counter.
6. Follow up the next day by message
A short message the day after an order gets far more reviews than a sign. The ICO says a message counts as direct marketing if any part of it promotes your business, so play safe: send it only to customers who agreed to hear from you, keep it free of offers, and add an opt-out. Our UK GDPR and PECR guide for WhatsApp marketing explains consent and opt-outs.
Hi Sam, thanks for ordering from Rosa's last night. We'd love to hear how it was. If you have a minute, you can leave a Google review here: [link]. Reply STOP to opt out of messages.
7. Put the link where customers already look
Your email signature, booking confirmations, receipts and order confirmation messages, your Instagram bio and your WhatsApp profile.
8. Ask party organisers personally
After a group booking, the organiser often had the most to do with your team. A personal thank-you email with the review link works well.
9. Reward great service, not review counts
You can thank staff when guests mention them by name in reviews. But don't set targets like "10 reviews per shift". Google bans that, and it pushes staff into pressuring guests.
10. Don't forget your regulars
Regulars are often your best reviewers, and many never think to leave one. Ask them once, warmly.
11. Reply to every review
People who see owners replying are more likely to leave their own review. Thank people by name and mention something specific. Templates are below.
12. Check your review count every month
Note how many new reviews you got and your average rating. If the number drops, look at which "asks" stopped happening.
How to respond to negative reviews (templates)
Keep replies short, calm and public-facing. You're writing for the next 100 readers as much as the reviewer.
A fair complaint:
Hi Priya, thank you for telling us, and I'm sorry your chips were cold on Saturday. That's not what we aim for. We've changed how we hold orders at busy times. I'd like to put it right, so please message us on [number] next time you order. Tom, owner
A complaint about waiting:
Hi James, sorry for the long wait on Friday. We were short of a chef that night, and we should have warned you when you arrived. Thanks for your patience, and we hope you'll give us another go.
A mixed review:
Thanks, Alex. Glad you loved the lamb. You're right that the music was too loud, and we've turned it down for evening service. See you again soon.
A review that seems unfair or untrue:
Hi, we can't find an order or booking under this name for that date. We take feedback seriously, so please contact us at [email] with your order details and we'll look into it.
What not to do: argue, reveal private details, blame staff by name, or post a copy-and-paste reply to every review.
Can you remove a bad Google review?
Not just because it's negative. You can report a review from your Business Profile if it breaks Google's rules, for example:
- It's spam, fake or from someone who never visited
- It's off-topic, abusive or hateful
- It comes from a competitor or an ex-employee (conflict of interest)
Google decides whether to remove it. Never ask a customer to change or delete a review in exchange for a refund or freebie. That breaks Google's policy too.
Your 30-day plan
| Week | Do this |
|---|---|
| 1 | Copy your review link. Print table cards and bag stickers. Brief staff on the one-line script |
| 2 | Add the link to receipts, booking emails and order confirmation messages |
| 3 | Start next-day follow-up messages to opted-in customers |
| 4 | Reply to every review from the month. Count your new reviews and set next month's habit |
For the bigger picture, see our guides to local SEO for restaurants and your Google Business Profile.
How Menuthere helps
- Free review QR code maker for tables, counters and bags.
- Customers who order direct from your Menuthere page get WhatsApp order updates from your own number (Pro), so you have a friendly channel for a next-day review request.
- 0% commission on direct orders, so reviewers can reorder from you without app fees.
On Pro, you write your own WhatsApp messages, so you can add your Google review link to the "completed" order update or a next-day message. You stay in control of what you send and who gets it.
Give your customers a commission-free way to order again.
FAQs
How can I get more Google reviews quickly?
Print a review QR code for every table and takeaway bag, give staff a one-line script, and send a next-day message to customers who agreed to hear from you. Do it every day and the reviews add up.
Can I offer a discount or free drink for a Google review?
No. Google treats any reward, in money or in kind, as fake engagement. UK law has also banned concealed incentivised reviews since April 2025. Ask without offering anything.
Should my staff leave Google reviews?
No. Staff, owners and ex-employees have a conflict of interest, so their reviews break Google's policy and may be removed.
How do I respond to a bad restaurant review?
Reply within a few days. Thank them, apologise for their experience, give one line on what you've changed, and invite them to contact you directly. Stay calm and never share private details.
Can I get a negative Google review removed?
Only if it breaks Google's rules, such as fake, spam, off-topic or conflict-of-interest reviews. Report it from your Business Profile. Google won't remove a genuine review just because it's negative.
How many Google reviews does a restaurant need?
There's no magic number. Aim for a steady flow of new reviews every month, so your rating stays recent and reflects how you're doing now.
Sources (7)
- Google Maps User Contributed Content Policy, "Fake engagement" (incentives, staff targets, pressure on premises, conflicts of interest). Accessed 11 October 2026. https://support.google.com/contributionpolicy/answer/7400114
- Google Business Profile Help, "Tips to improve your local ranking on Google" (reviews and ratings help local ranking; respond to reviews). Accessed 11 October 2026. https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091
- Google Business Profile Help, reviews (asking customers for reviews). Accessed 11 October 2026. https://support.google.com/business/answer/3474122
- CMA, Fake reviews guidance (CMA208), 4 April 2025. Accessed 11 October 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fake-reviews-cma208
- Business Companion (trading standards), "Reviews and endorsements" (DMCC Act 2024, Schedule 20 para 13). Accessed 11 October 2026. https://www.businesscompanion.info/en/quick-guides/services/reviews-and-endorsements
- ICO, Guide to PECR: electronic mail marketing. Accessed 11 October 2026. https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/guide-to-pecr/electronic-and-telephone-marketing/electronic-mail-marketing/
- ICO, Direct marketing guidance: identify direct marketing (a service message with any promotional element counts as direct marketing). Accessed 11 October 2026. https://www.ico.org.uk/for-organisations/direct-marketing-and-privacy-and-electronic-communications/direct-marketing-guidance/identify-direct-marketing/