Before You Write That Negative Restaurant Review, Know This

It might feel cathartic in the moment to trash a place online, but what are you hoping will actually happen?

In this day and age, the internet is practically an extension of our own bodies. Phones are pretty much permanently attached to our hands while our ears are stuffed with AirPods. Our first instinct is to go to Google for almost anything and once we’re there, we’re usually distracted by something else before we remember what we wanted to look up in the first place. We are quick to announce our feelings on almost any subject via social media because until it’s posted for others to see, does it even really matter?

Online restaurant reviews are one way that people want to share their feelings with others, but too often, they do more harm than good. Before you write a bad review about a restaurant, think about these things.

Related: How to Send Food Back Without Being a Jerk

Give the restaurant a chance to respond

If you’re unhappy with a restaurant experience, speak to a person before suiting up in your armor and turning into a keyboard warrior. A restaurant review that begins with “I’m sitting at my table right now and our food is taking too long.” means the reviewer hasn’t asked for help from someone in the restaurant. Posting a bad review on Yelp or a complaint on a Facebook page isn’t going to solve the problem at hand. Talk to someone who can make a difference.

Related: If You Need to Speak to the Manager, Here's How to Ask Without Being a Jerk

If the restaurant responded to your issue, put that in the review

It’s unwarranted to complain about something once the restaurant has already solved the problem. If the steak was gristly, but you didn’t have to pay for it, say that in the review. If the service was lackluster and the restaurant acknowledged it by apologizing and offering free dessert, let others know that. It shows that the restaurant takes complaints seriously and omitting it from the review isn’t giving the full story.

Related: How to Complain at a Restaurant, According to Restaurant Owners

Be factual

People love to bend the truth if they think it will strengthen their argument, but restaurants will usually know when the facts aren’t accurate. Don’t say you sat at the table for 15 minutes before being acknowledged when the restaurant can easily look at video footage to see it was only six minutes. Don’t say your food took an hour when the restaurant can look at their computer to see what time you ordered and what time you were served. Exaggerating the details will only make the restaurant know your argument is weak.

Related: Want to Know What the Server Really Thinks of You? They're Talking About It on TikTok

Don’t name names

If you have a specific complaint about someone, it’s not helpful to publicly blast them online. Make the effort to call the restaurant or talk to a manager about that person. Even if what you’re saying is true, a server shouldn’t be outed by name. It’s hurtful and embarrassing and does nothing except affect that person. Besides that, a lot of restaurants have strict policies for their employees who receive a bad review that can result in a loss of shifts or even termination. If someone is specifically trying to get a server fired by announcing their name on the Internet, that says a lot more about the writer of the review than it does about the employee.

Related: The Fine Art of Telling a Customer to F Off

For every bad review you write, write a good one

People are much more likely to complain about something than they are to praise something, so give yourself a challenge. The majority of times you go out to eat, you probably have a positive experience. In fact, you may have gone to the same restaurant five times before, but it was the sixth visit that was disappointing and compelled you to write a bad review. But did you ever write a good review for the other visits?

The next time a restaurant experience is so bad you have to express your feelings digitally, think about a time you went somewhere you loved and write a good review. When I see a bad Yelp review about a restaurant, I look at the history of the person who wrote it. If all of their posts are one and two star reviews I know they either only complain or they might actually be more of the problem than the restaurant itself.

Related: The Fine Art of Writing a Yelp Review

For years, restaurant owners accepted their fate when it came to unjustified bad reviews, but more of them now are fighting back by responding with their side of the story. One bad review that goes viral can really affect the livelihood of a small business and it’s not fair if the review is unjustified or mean-spirited. Of course you should write a bad review if the restaurant deserves it, but think of it as a critique rather than a complaint. Restaurants want to be hospitable and a well-written review will help them learn and improve.

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