Replying to Google reviews: 10 reply templates

The rules of a good reply

• Reply quickly, ideally within two days, especially to negative reviews.
• Make it personal: the customer's first name, a detail from their review. A copy-pasted reply shows.
• Stay calm and polite, even when a review feels unfair: you are writing for the next customers.
• Nothing private: no order number, no customer phone number, no details of their visit they didn't share.
• Offer a next step when something went wrong: a direct contact, a solution.

To reply: search for your business on Google while signed in with the profile's account, click "Read reviews", then "Reply" under the review.

Positive reviews

A short 5-star review:

Thank you so much, [Name]! We're glad you had a good time. See you soon at [Business name].

A detailed positive review:

Thank you, [Name], for this lovely message! The whole team is happy you enjoyed [the detail they mentioned: the msemen, the welcome…]. We look forward to seeing you again.

A rating without text:

Thanks for your rating, [Name]! Next time, tell us what you liked best.

A regular customer:

Thank you, [Name], it's always a pleasure to have you. See you very soon!

Mixed and negative reviews

A mixed review (3 stars):

Thank you, [Name], for this honest review. We're glad you liked [the positive point], and we're working on [the point to improve]. Come back and tell us if it's better!

A long wait:

Hello [Name], thank you for your feedback, and sorry about the wait. We were overwhelmed that day: that's no excuse, and we're reviewing how we work at peak times. We'd be happy to welcome you again.

A disappointing product or dish:

Hello [Name], thank you for telling us. That's not the standard we want for [the dish / the product]. Message us on WhatsApp at [business number]: we want to understand what happened.

A review about prices:

Hello [Name], thank you for your review. Our prices reflect [the quality of our products / the service], but we hear your point. Thank you for coming, and perhaps see you soon.

Special cases

Someone you can't find among your customers:

Hello, we can't find your visit. If you came to see us, message us at [business number] so we can understand and fix the problem.

A problem solved, when the customer gets back to you:

Thank you, [Name], for taking the time to get back to us, and we're glad everything is sorted. See you soon!

If a review breaks Google's rules (fake, hateful or off-topic), report it from your profile. Google doesn't remove a review just because it's negative.

What not to write

• Don't argue with the customer, and don't publicly question their word.
• Don't offer anything in exchange for changing or removing a review: that's forbidden, like gifts for reviews.
• Don't paste the same reply everywhere.

And to get more reviews to reply to, read how to get more Google reviews.