Example replies
Before you copyEdit every reply to fit: only promise actions, refunds or policies that are true for your business, and replace anything in [brackets].
Restaurant, great food slow service
Thanks, [Name]. We're glad the tacos lived up to the hype, and sorry the service didn't match. Friday nights have outgrown our staffing, and we've added another server for weekend dinners starting this month. Hope you'll give us another shot so the whole evening is as good as the food. [GM name]
Contractor, good work messy site
Hi [Name], glad the new deck turned out the way you hoped. You're right that the crew should have cleaned up the offcuts and screws at the end of each day, not just at the finish. That's now part of our daily checklist. Thanks for the fair and detailed review. [Owner]
Salon, liked cut not color
[Name], thank you for coming in, and I'm glad you love the cut. I'm sorry the color came out warmer than you wanted. Tone can shift as it settles, and adjusting it is part of every color service here. Call me at [phone] and we can talk it through. [Owner]
Hotel or B&B, room vs noise
Thank you for staying with us, [Name], and for the honest notes. We're happy the room and breakfast made the trip. The street noise on the front side is a fair point, and we now let guests request a back room at booking. We appreciate you taking the time to write.
Gym, good classes, broken equipment
Thanks, [Name]. Glad the early spin classes are worth getting up for. You're right about the two treadmills that sat broken for weeks; parts were back-ordered, which explains it but doesn't excuse leaving them unsigned. Both are fixed now, and out-of-order machines get a dated note. [Manager]
Short and balanced
Appreciate the balanced review, [Name]. Happy the repair held up, and sorry scheduling took so many calls. We've moved to online booking to make that easier. Thanks for giving us the chance.
Mixed reviews are the ones people trust
A three-star review that says the food was great but the wait was painful reads as fair, because it is. Shoppers often trust these more than a run of perfect ratings. That makes your reply to them more visible than you might expect: it’s where readers check how you handle honest criticism from someone who clearly isn’t out to get you.
Answer both halves
The common mistake is replying only to the compliments. “Thanks so much, glad you loved the tacos!” under a review that spends half its length on slow service tells readers you skipped the bad part. The opposite mistake is a long defense of the complaint that forgets the person said something nice.
A good structure is two or three sentences. Thank them for the specific thing they praised. Acknowledge the specific problem in plain words. Say what you’ve changed, or will change. Google’s reply tips suggest acknowledging mistakes, apologizing where it fits, and explaining what you can and can’t do. Mixed reviews give you the easiest setting to do all three.
When you won’t change the thing they criticized
Sometimes the complaint is about a choice you’ve made on purpose: a no-substitutions menu, a cancellation fee, a cash-only counter. You don’t need to apologize for that. One sentence explaining why the policy exists, plus an acknowledgment that it isn’t for everyone, is honest and reads well. Arguing that the reviewer should have liked it doesn’t.
About the rating
Mixed reviewers are the most likely to raise their rating if you sort the problem out, and Google notes that following up on concerns may lead to an updated review. Reviewers can change their reviews at any time, and the review date updates when they do. But the decision has to be theirs. Never tie a refund, free service or discount to a higher rating. Google treats offering something in exchange for review changes as fake and misleading content.
When not to reply publicly at length
If the criticism involves something sensitive, such as a medical outcome, a billing account, or a dispute with details on both sides, keep the public reply short and move the conversation to the phone. For clinics, the healthcare replies page covers what a reply can and can’t say.
If it doesn't work
- The reviewer raises the rating after you fix something: thank them, but never make a fix conditional on a higher rating.
- The criticism is something you won't change, like a policy: explain the reason in one line and acknowledge it doesn't suit everyone.
- The review mixes fair points with something false: correct the false part neutrally and keep the tone appreciative.
Questions owners ask
Should I focus on the positive or the negative part?
Give each a line, but put the substance on the negative part. That's what later readers are checking. A reply that only says thanks for the compliments and skips the complaint looks like the business didn't read it.
Can I ask them to update their rating once I fix it?
You can follow up on the concern, and Google notes that following up may lead customers to update reviews. Don't offer anything in exchange for a change; Google strictly prohibits incentives for changing reviews.
Can a three-star review be removed?
Only if it breaks one of Google's content policies, such as off-topic content or harassment. An honest mixed review is exactly the kind of feedback Google keeps.
Sources
- Tips to get more reviews and write better replies (support.google.com)
- Manage customer reviews (support.google.com)
Checked 13 Nov 2026. When the platform changes its process we update this page and log it in What changed.