Responding to Bad Restaurant Reviews – Be Proactive

In the past, a bad meal or poor service could cost a restaurant a customer, and perhaps that customer’s family and friends. Today, thanks to social media and the exponential distributive power of viral networks, a single diner’s experience of cutting into an overcooked steak or encountering a surly waiter can influence thousands and quickly become a PR nightmare that impacts revenue and damages brand reputation.

Despite the risk of negative publicity on social media, many restaurant chains are passive about developing strategies to respond to snarky reviews and hostile comments. One rationale is that it’s impossible to monitor vast social networks for any and every negative mention of a restaurant brand. Another is that giving rewards or freebies to complainers sets a precedent for additional giveaways. Yet evidence suggests that restaurants that do respond proactively to complaints on social media and take steps to make things right with disgruntled customers are perceived…