How do you get more Google reviews for a restaurant, in short?
The general method (review link, QR code, a sincere request, Google’s rules) is covered in our pillar guide how to get more Google reviews. Here we apply it to restaurants: a business where guests stay a while with their phone on the table, but where staff are flat out during service.
The goal is a routine that still works on a packed Saturday night, when nobody has time to spare.
Why do Google reviews matter so much for a restaurant?
People increasingly choose where to eat on their phone, often at the last minute: “restaurants near me”, “pizza open now”, “brunch [neighbourhood]”. They see a list of Google listings side by side, with ratings, review counts and a few photos, and rule most of them out in seconds.
What diners look for in your reviews
- Recent reviews: restaurants change chefs, menus and teams. A review from two years ago does not reassure much.
- Named dishes: “the short rib”, “the truffle pizza”, “the house tiramisu”. Specific words help readers picture the meal.
- Service and atmosphere: waiting times, families welcome, noise, outdoor seating, good for a business dinner or a birthday.
What Google does with them
In its official help page on local ranking, Google lists three factors: relevance, distance and prominence, and explains that prominence takes into account the number of reviews you receive. It adds that replying to reviews shows you value customer feedback. Keep the listing itself in good shape too (photos, hours, menu): our article optimize your restaurant’s Google profile has the checklist.
Free tool, no sign-up
Google review calculator
How many 5-star reviews does your restaurant need to go from its current rating to the one you want? Free, and the maths runs in your browser.
When during the meal should you ask for a review?
The right moment is when guests have finished eating, are happy and are waiting for something: coffee, the check, their card back. They have a minute and their phone within reach. During the meal they are busy eating and talking; once they have left, their mind is elsewhere.
| Type of restaurant | The right moment | Who asks |
|---|---|---|
| Casual dining, quick lunch | When bringing the check or the card reader | The table’s server |
| Neighbourhood restaurant, dinner | With coffee or dessert, when the guest pays a compliment | The server, or the owner doing the rounds |
| Pizzeria, dine-in | With the check, or at the counter when paying | Whoever is on the till |
| Takeaway and delivery | When handing over the order | Nobody out loud: a QR code on the box or bag |
| Fine dining | By email the next day; at the table only if the guest starts the conversation | The maître d’ or the chef, discreetly |
| Groups, birthdays, corporate events | At the end of the event, with the organiser | The manager, then an email the next day |
The compliment is your cue. “That was delicious”, “we’ll be back”: the server can say thank you, then make the request. Do not ask a table that waited too long or had a problem: fix the problem first, and save the request for another visit.
Where should you put the review QR code in a restaurant?
In the dining room, a QR code does half the work: guests do not have to search for your listing, and it repeats the request when the server had no time to make it. It still has to be in the right place, with a clear line next to it.
| Format | Where | Line to print next to it |
|---|---|---|
| Table tent | On every table, facing the guest, not hidden behind the water jug | “Enjoyed your meal? Tell others in 30 seconds on Google” |
| Card in the check presenter | With the check, while the guest is waiting | “Thanks for coming. A quick review helps us a lot” |
| Counter sticker | Next to the card reader | “Leave us a Google review here” |
| Last page of the menu | Below desserts or coffees | “A favourite dish? A comment? Leave us a review” |
| Receipt | At the bottom | “Your review helps: scan this code” |
| Pizza box, takeaway bag | On the lid or a label | “Enjoy! Your review helps people find us” |
Three restaurant-specific precautions:
- Keep the menu QR code and the review QR code separate. If you have an online menu (see our free menu QR code), use two clearly different codes with different text. A guest scanning to read the menu should not land on the review page, and vice versa.
- Think about the lighting. In a dimly lit room at night, a small code on glossy paper is hard to scan. Print it large enough, on matt paper, and test it at dinner time.
The Review collection service gives you a QR code in your restaurant’s name, with print-ready table tents and posters.
Should you send an email after a booking or an order?
Yes, whenever you have the guest’s address: online booking, takeaway order, private hire, group quote. The next-day email reaches people at home, relaxed, while the meal is still fresh in their mind. It is often the best moment for a detailed review.
When to send it
- The day after a dinner, late morning;
- the same evening for a lunch or a takeaway order;
- the day after the event for a group, addressed to the organiser.
Templates to copy
Subject: Thank you for dining at [Restaurant name]
Hi [First name],
Thank you for joining us last night. The whole team hopes you had a lovely evening.
If you have a minute, a few words on Google would help other people discover us: [review link].
And if anything was not up to standard, just reply to this email: we read every message.
See you soon,
[Owner’s first name], [Restaurant name]
Subject: Your order from [Restaurant name]
Hi [First name], thanks for your order tonight! If you enjoyed it, a Google review helps us a lot: [review link]. Have a great evening, the [Restaurant name] team
The rules to respect
Only write to guests who gave you their address, make it clear who the email is from, and always offer an easy way to stop receiving messages. If you add a promotion (a new menu, a special night), marketing email rules apply. In the UK, the ICO requires specific consent, or the “soft opt-in” for existing customers who bought something similar and were given a way to opt out. Other countries have their own rules: check what applies where you trade. Our GDPR guide for small businesses covers the basics.
If you take bookings with Voxtya, the Review collection service sends this email automatically the day after each booking, with the link to your listing. You can also send a review request by email to your guests from the “Campaigns” page.
Does a prize wheel suit a restaurant?
Yes, it is one of the businesses where it works best: guests are seated, waiting for the check, and a small game makes the request feel lighter. It does need to be set up properly.
How it works with Voxtya
The guest scans the table QR code, enters their first name and email, opens your Google review page, and the wheel unlocks. Their rating is never asked for, and nothing checks what they wrote: the game is the same for everyone. If they win, their code arrives by email, valid for 30 days by default; they show it on their next visit and you mark it as used in the winners list. The email is used to send that code and to apply the waiting period you choose between two plays, so the same guest does not spin at every meal.
Prizes that bring people back
- a coffee or dessert on the next visit;
- a soft drink or homemade lemonade on the house;
- a discount on the next takeaway order;
- “Thanks, see you soon” as a losing slot, to keep costs under control.
The prize rewards playing the game, never a rating: your posters must not promise anything for “5 stars”. Rules differ by platform and country. Google’s own policy forbids offering discounts or free goods in exchange for reviews (Tips to get more reviews), and in the US the FTC bans incentives that are conditioned, even implicitly, on a positive review. Read Prize wheel and Google reviews: the rules to follow and see an example on our restaurant wheel of fortune page.
What should floor staff say to ask for a review?
The best line is one your team can say twenty times a service without feeling awkward. Pick one or two, run through them at the pre-service briefing, and let each person adapt them to their own way of speaking.
“I’m so glad you enjoyed it. If you have a minute, a quick Google review would really help us. The QR code is on the table.”
“Thank you! The chef will be happy to hear that. You can tell him on Google too, he reads every review.”
“Thanks for your order! The code on the box lets you leave us a review, it helps us a lot.”
“Merci beaucoup ! Si le repas vous a plu, un avis Google nous aide beaucoup. Le QR code est juste ici.”
Adapt the last line to the languages your visitors speak: in a tourist area, a short version that the whole team knows by heart means you do not miss guests who rely heavily on Google Maps.
What not to say
- “Please give us 5 stars”: you are asking for a review, not a score.
- “Could you do it now, while I wait?”: Google says businesses should not require or pressure customers to write reviews on the premises (prohibited and restricted content). Let them do it when they like.
- “Leave a review and the coffee’s on us”: offering something in exchange for a review breaks Google’s rules.
How should a restaurant reply to its reviews?
Replying is part of collecting: guests who see the owner answer every review are more willing to write one. Google recommends short, friendly replies, and for negative reviews empathy, honesty and respect for the reviewer’s privacy. Our guide to replying to Google reviews has the full method. Here are three restaurant templates.
Positive review
Thank you so much, [First name]! We’re delighted you enjoyed the [dish], it’s one of the chef’s proudest recipes. Hope to see you again soon to try the new menu. [Owner’s first name], [Restaurant name]
Mixed review (good food, long wait)
Thanks for the honest feedback, [First name]. We’re glad you liked the food, and sorry about the wait: we were fully booked that night and didn’t keep the pace you deserved. We’ve changed how we staff weekends. I hope to welcome you back in better conditions. [Owner’s first name]
Negative review (cold food, unfriendly service)
Hello [First name], thank you for taking the time to write, and our sincere apologies: a dish served cold is not acceptable here. I’ve spoken with the kitchen and floor teams. If you’d like, email me at [email address] so we can talk directly. [Owner’s first name], [Restaurant name]
Never mention what a guest ordered or paid unless they said so first, and do not offer compensation in public. To save time, our AI review reply generator is free, and the Review replies service drafts a reply to every new review. For a particularly harsh review, see how to turn a negative Google review into a restaurant win.
Casual, pizzeria, fine dining: what changes with your type of restaurant?
Casual dining and lunch spots
Lots of busy guests, often regulars who work nearby. They eat quickly and skip coffee. Rely on the QR code in the check presenter and by the card reader, and on your regulars: “You’re here often, we’d love to hear what you think”. Ten regulars who write a review are worth more than a poster nobody reads.
Pizzerias and takeaway
Many of your customers never sit down. The box, the bag or the receipt becomes the main channel, plus the confirmation email when the order was placed online. Ask when handing over the order: “Enjoy, and if you like it, the code is on the box”.
Fine dining
Here the spoken request should be very discreet, or absent. Favour the next-day email, signed by the chef or the maître d’, and an elegant small card with the check. No table tent: it would spoil the table setting.
Restaurants in tourist areas
Visitors choose heavily on Google Maps and are often happy to leave a review. Prepare a line in the main languages of your visitors, keep the QR code visible and reply in the guest’s language. Do not forget the other platforms travellers use: our guide to managing Tripadvisor reviews helps.
Which mistakes should you avoid, and what weekly routine should you keep?
Restaurant-specific mistakes
- Asking during the rush. A swamped server rattling off the line makes it sound like a chore.
- One QR code for both menu and reviews. Guests no longer know what the code is for and end up ignoring both.
- Having guests type reviews on a restaurant tablet. Google says not to have reviews written on the premises, and several reviews from the same device on the same night can look like spam.
- Offering free coffee for a review. A benefit given in exchange for a review is not allowed by Google; only a game open to everyone, unrelated to the rating, remains an option.
A typical week checklist
- Monday: check every table has a clean table tent and that the QR code scans in evening light.
- Tuesday: go over the line at the briefing, including with temps and new hires.
- Every service: ask every table that pays a compliment, with coffee or the check.
- Every day: let the next-day email go out to guests who booked or ordered online.
- Wednesday and Sunday: reply to every new review, mentioning the dish or the occasion.
- Friday: count the week’s reviews and share the best ones with the team.
To set a realistic goal, our Google review calculator tells you how many 5-star reviews you need to go from your current rating to your target. And to showcase your best reviews on your website, see how to display Google reviews on your website.
The steps at a glance
The steps to receive Google reviews from your restaurant guests every week, within the rules.
- Get your review link. On your Google listing, copy the review request link and test it on your phone.
- Print your materials. Create a review QR code separate from your menu code and place it on every table, in the check presenter and at the counter.
- Choose the team’s line. Agree on one simple line, in the languages your guests speak, to use with coffee or the check.
- Brief the floor team. Go over the line and the right moment before each service, including with temps.
- Send the next-day email. Send guests who booked or ordered online a short thank-you message with the link.
- Reply to every review. Thank guests by mentioning the dish or the occasion, and answer criticism calmly.
- Review weekly. Count new reviews, share the best with the team and fix one issue raised in complaints.
Do it without spending your evenings on it
Voxtya review collection
Print-ready table QR codes, an automatic email the day after every booking and a prize wheel open to all your guests. €29/month, 30-day free trial.
Google reviews: the guide for your trade
When to ask, where to put the QR code and what to say change from one trade to another:
- How to get more Google reviews for your bar or café
- How to get more Google reviews for your bakery
- How to get more Google reviews for a hair salon or barbershop
- How to get more Google reviews for a beauty salon
- How to get more Google reviews as a tradesperson
- How to get more Google reviews for your garage or auto repair shop
- How to get more Google reviews for your hotel or B&B
- How to get more Google reviews for your shop
- Google reviews for a healthcare practice: what is allowed and how to reply
This guide for your trade
Go further
- How many Google reviews per month? Free calculator
- Google review reply templates, by trade
- How to get more Google reviews: the complete guide
- More Google reviews for your restaurant
- Google reviews software for restaurants
- The wheel of fortune for restaurant reviews
- How to respond to Google reviews for restaurants
- Optimize your restaurant’s Google profile
- Google review link: find it and share it
Sources
The rules quoted in this guide come from these official pages, checked on October 17, 2026.