How to reply to Google reviews: a step-by-step guide and 20 templates

Why it’s worth replying to every helpful review#

A reply to a review isn’t just for the person who wrote it. Future guests also read it when deciding whether to visit the business. A brief, specific and personable response therefore serves as a public demonstration of customer care.

Google states that, once approved, the business’s response will be displayed publicly beneath the review, and the reviewer will receive a notification. They can then also edit their review. You can find details in the official help section Managing customer reviews.

A simple outline for a good reply#

For most reviews, four steps are enough:

1. Thank them for their time and feedback.
2. Respond to a specific detail so that your reply doesn’t sound automated.
3. Add useful information, but only if it’s relevant.
4. Invite the guest back with a natural sentence, without being pushy.

The reply doesn’t need to be long. Two to four sentences often come across better than a paragraph full of marketing clichés.

Templates for positive Google reviews#

Use the templates as a starting point, not as text to copy and paste under every review. Always change at least one sentence to reflect the guest’s specific experience.

Praise for food or a product#

1. “Thank you, Petra. We’re delighted you enjoyed our risotto. We’ll pass on your praise to the kitchen and look forward to seeing you next time.”
2. “Thank you for your kind review. We’re pleased you enjoyed our speciality coffee and dessert. We look forward to seeing you again soon.”
3. “Thank you for your feedback. This product is one of our most popular, and we’re delighted that you enjoyed it too.”

Praise for the staff#

1. “Thank you for mentioning our service. We’ll be happy to pass on your praise to our colleagues.”
2. “We’re delighted that you felt at home with us. That’s exactly the sort of care we strive to provide on every visit.”
3. “Thank you for visiting and for your kind words about our team. We look forward to seeing you again.”

Regular customer#

1. “Thank you for coming back to us. We really appreciate your trust.”
2. “We’re delighted that you’ve enjoyed our food over the years. Thank you for your support and we look forward to your next visit.”

Five stars without text#

1. “Thank you for the five stars. We’d love for you to pop in again soon.”
2. “Thank you for your review and for visiting us. We really appreciate it.”

Templates for negative or mixed reviews#

When dealing with criticism, avoid getting caught up in the emotion of the situation. Apologise for the specific experience, briefly describe the next steps, and move any sensitive details to a private conversation.

Justified, specific criticism#

1. “Thank you for bringing the long wait to our attention. Such an experience does not reflect the standard we aim to offer our guests. We will discuss the situation with the team.”
2. “We’re sorry that your order wasn’t right. Please email us at [contact email] so we can look into the details and suggest a solution.”
3. “We apologise for the mistake made by our staff. Thank you for the specific description; it will help us adjust our procedures.”

Mixed review#

1. “Thank you for your praise of the food and for pointing out the noise. We’ll pass on your suggestion regarding seating arrangements to the shift manager.”
2. “We’re glad you enjoyed your meal, but we’re sorry you had to wait for the bill. We’ll work on that.”
3. “Thank you for your balanced feedback. We’ll take your comment on the menu into account when we next update it.”

Low rating with no text#

1. “We’re sorry that your visit didn’t meet your expectations. If you could let us know what happened, we’d be happy to look into the matter.”
2. “Thank you for your review. We’d appreciate it if you could provide more details at [contact email] so that we know what we can improve.”

A review you cannot trace#

1. “We’re sorry to hear about the experience you’ve described. Based on the information provided, we’re unable to trace your visit, so please could you send us the date and approximate time to [contact email].”
2. “Thank you for your message. We want to investigate this fairly, but we need more details. Please get in touch with us directly.”

What to avoid in your replies#

• Don’t use the same reply for dozens of reviews.
• Do not argue or disclose the customer’s personal details.
• Do not promise a remedy that you cannot deliver.
• Do not include a list of services and keywords in every reply.
• Do not ask the customer to delete their criticism in exchange for a benefit.

If a review breaches Google’s rules, do not respond with an aggressive reply. Use the reporting function and keep your response objective.

A practical process for the team#

Appoint one person to check reviews regularly. For routine responses, they can use approved templates; more serious complaints should be referred to a manager. They should always include specific details in their response and check the tone before publishing.

For further steps, also read how to get Google reviews in line with the rules and the local SEO guide for restaurants.