Here’s why reviews matter, why most guests never leave one, and how sunday restaurants multiply their reviews at the table.
Why do Google reviews matter for restaurants?
Google reviews are often the first impression a guest gets of your restaurant. They influence two things:
- Local visibility. Google’s local ranking takes into account how many reviews you have and how positive they are. A steady flow of good reviews helps you appear higher in Google Search and Maps.
- Choice. Guests compare ratings and recent reviews before booking. [Source: stat on the impact of rating on restaurant choice].
Recency matters too: a restaurant with 50 reviews from last month looks more alive than one with 500 reviews from three years ago.
Why don’t happy guests leave Google reviews?
The problem isn’t willingness, it’s timing and friction.
- Bad timing. A follow-up email the next day arrives after the moment has passed. The guest has moved on.
- Too many steps. Finding the restaurant on Google, opening the review form and writing a comment takes several steps. Each step loses guests.
- Unhappy guests are more motivated. Without a prompt, the guests most likely to write a review are often the ones with a complaint, which skews your rating.
How can restaurants get more Google reviews at payment?
With sunday, the review request is built into the payment flow:
- The guest pays at the table by scanning a QR code, in a few seconds.
- They are prompted to leave a Google review right after paying, at their highest point of satisfaction.
- The team gets feedback in real time, so managers can check that service and food are on track.
Because the request comes at the right moment and takes one tap, review volume and quality rise together. On average, sunday restaurants get 5× more 5-star Google reviews and have an average rating of 4.85.
Learn more about pay at the table with sunday.
How to ask for Google reviews the right way
Google has clear rules on review requests. Following them protects your listing:
- Don’t offer rewards for reviews. Discounts or freebies in exchange for a review break Google’s policies.
- Ask every guest, not only happy ones. Google doesn’t allow you to selectively ask for positive reviews. [To check with product: confirm how the sunday flow handles this.]
- Never write or buy reviews. Fake reviews can be removed and your listing penalised.
- Make it easy. A direct link to your review form beats asking guests to search for you.
How should restaurants respond to Google reviews?
Replying to reviews shows future guests that you listen. Thank guests for positive reviews, and answer negative ones calmly, factually and quickly, offering to continue the conversation offline.
sunday’s online reputation tool helps you look after reviews once they’re published:
- AI responses reply to every review in seconds, and you stay in control.
- Customisable templates let you answer quickly in your own tone.
- A daily overview sums up yesterday’s reputation in a two-minute read.
- AI Analytics track your key metrics over time.
Results from sunday restaurants
Kricket: Google reviews tripled in one month
At Kricket’s Brixton site, Google reviews tripled in the first month after installing sunday.
“In our Brixton site, Google reviews actually tripled in the first month after installation. And what’s even more impressive is that around 70% of our 5-star reviews now come from sunday guests.” Rik Campbell, co-founder, Kricket
Read how Kricket tripled its Google reviews
Casa do Frango: from 15 to 140 Google reviews a week
Serving 1,000 to 2,000 guests a week, Casa do Frango used to get 5 to 15 reviews. With sunday, that rose to 130–140 reviews a week. The group reached 2,500 Google reviews in one year, 76% of them generated through sunday, and some sites gained 0.2 to 0.3 rating points.
Read how Casa do Frango reached 2,500 Google reviews
Crudo: 5× more Google reviews across three sites
Crudo multiplied its Google reviews by five, with the impact visible across all three sites.
“Most of our reviews come from people who left a review via Sunday.” Maria, owner, Crudo
Read how Crudo 5x its Google reviews
Japes, Grasso and Naroon
Other sunday restaurants report similar results: Japes collects over 300 Google reviews a month, Grasso over 200, and 75% of Naroon’s reviews come from sunday. Read how Naroon drives Google reviews with sunday.
FAQ
Does review volume or rating matter more?
Both. Google looks at how many reviews you have and how positive they are. The goal is to grow volume while keeping your rating high.
How quickly will I see more Google reviews?
Usually within weeks. Kricket tripled its reviews in its first month, and sunday can be up and running in 7 days.
Does it work for restaurant groups with several sites?
Yes. Crudo saw results across all three sites, and Casa do Frango now installs sunday in every new site from opening day.
Can I reply to Google reviews automatically?
Yes. sunday’s AI responses draft a reply to every review in seconds, and you can edit or approve each one before it goes live.
