How to respond to a negative review

Last updated November 2, 2026. All guides

Reply in two to four sentences: say the customer is right about what they experienced, name the specific problem in your own words, say sorry once and offer one next step, such as calling you. Don’t argue, add details or offer anything you haven’t decided to give. For a review about an injury, illness, discrimination or a legal threat, keep the reply short and neutral, and talk to your lawyer or insurer first.

A four-part reply

1. Agree with their experience. “You’re right” accepts what happened to them without arguing about details.
2. Name the problem in your own words. Copying their words back reads like a template. Don’t add anything the review doesn’t say.
3. Say sorry once.
4. Offer one next step, such as calling or emailing you, so the rest of the conversation happens privately.

For praise, say thanks and mention one specific thing they liked. Thanking a staff member they named is fine. For a mixed review, thank them for the good part, then answer the problem as above.

Example

Reviews to handle differently

• Injury, illness, discrimination, harassment, theft or a legal threat. Don’t agree with it or apologize for what happened, because a public apology can be used against you. Post a short, neutral reply that says you take it seriously and asks them to contact you directly. Talk to your lawyer or insurer before you post.
• A review you think is fake. Don’t accuse anyone or argue with its claims. Say you can’t find a record of the visit only if you’ve checked. Use the review site’s process for reporting it.
• A complaint that names an employee. Don’t name or blame them in your reply.

Mistakes to avoid

• Arguing, correcting the customer or sounding defensive.
• Explaining with reasons you’re guessing at, such as “we were short-staffed.”
• Offering a refund, discount or free item in public that you haven’t decided to give.
• Offering anything in exchange for changing or removing a review. Review sites generally don’t allow it.
• Stock phrases such as “we apologize for any inconvenience” or “your feedback is important to us.”

Count the complaints that come back

One review is one person’s experience. The same complaint across several reviews is a pattern worth fixing. Number your last 20 reviews, note each one’s specific complaints, and count a review only if it really says the thing. “A long wait with no explanation” and “a long wait, but they kept us informed” are different complaints.

For example, in one restaurant’s last 20 reviews, 3 mention waiting with no update (reviews 1, 5 and 10) and 2 mention parking (reviews 3 and 11). Review 6 mentions a wait but says the staff kept them posted, so it doesn’t count. Report counts, not percentages: with 20 reviews, “3 of 20” is clearer.

Questions

Should I reply to good reviews too?

Yes, briefly. Thank them and mention one specific thing they liked. Skip the sales pitch.