Do Restaurants Care About Reviews?

“You don’t define your brand. Your customers do,” is a common saying among customer service experts. And it’s true. Customer reviews have become so important to people that 90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business, as per Invesp. And 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. That’s a lot! So restaurants don’t just care about the reviews; they need them.

How Much Does a Bad Review Cost a Restaurant?

You need visible reviews for potential customers to check out, but they must be good ones. If you get a bad review, it can be soul-destroying; you pour your heart and soul into your business only to tarnish it by a customer who might simply be in a bad mood, didn’t like the restaurant’s food, or had unrealistic expectations.

Businesses are at risk of losing consumers who would have bought from them if there hadn’t been a negative review, as per Zen Business. Negative reviews can turn as much as 86% of customers away. You simply can't ignore difficult customers, no matter how unfair it might seem.

Why Do Customers Leave Bad Restaurant Reviews?

According to Social Media Today, 13.5% of customers say they post fake reviews or negative reviews out of vengeance, so chances are, they aren’t out to get you personally. 89.7% of people who complain want to get a response from you, which suggests that they are giving you the opportunity to make things right. 

73.2% of people who complain hope to save others from having the same experience as they did. So, if you are helpful and make an effort to reply in a courteous way, you can use bad reviews for restaurants to show that you are willing to adapt to customer needs and demands.

Can a Restaurant Sue You for a Bad Review?

During an interview with CNBC, Attorney Evan Mascagni said, “Most Americans don’t realize they can be sued for writing an online review. With the rise of user-generated [review] content sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google, we’ve really seen a shift where folks are being sued for their speech online.”

As you saw in these bad restaurant review examples, it was apparent that the reviews were false. Our advice would be to avoid writing such fake reviews, or you might face a heavy fine from the restaurant.

Dealing with False Complaints

The witty comebacks from the restaurant owners were really something! If you ever think about posting a false review, think twice. Or rather, don’t think about it at all! Which witty comeback did you like the most? Don’t forget to let us know in the comments. Also, share this with someone you know who has posted fake reviews. Let them know how badly it can come back to them!