How to respond to a fake Google review (restaurants and cafés)
How to tell if a review is really fake, how to report it to Google, and what to write publicly while you wait.
A one-star review from someone who never came in hurts twice: it lowers your rating and it feels unfair. Here is a calm way to deal with it.
1. Check before you call it fake
- Search your bookings and receipts for the name and the date.
- Look at the reviewer's profile: dozens of 1-star reviews in one day, or reviews of businesses in other countries, are red flags.
- Details that don't match your place (dishes you don't serve, wrong opening hours) are strong signs.
2. Report it to Google
- Open your Google Business Profile › Reviews.
- Click the three dots next to the review › Report review, and choose the reason (for example “Off topic” or “Spam”).
- Check the status in Google's Reviews Management tool. It can take a few days.
3. Reply publicly – briefly and politely
Other guests will read your reply before Google decides. Keep it short and factual:
Hi [name], thank you for your feedback. We can't find a visit matching your description in our bookings for [date]. We take every comment seriously, so please contact us at [email] – we'd like to understand what happened.
Don't accuse, don't use sarcasm, and don't share private information about the reviewer.
4. Bury it with real reviews
The best answer to one fake review is twenty real ones. Ask happy guests at the end of the meal, add a QR code to the bill, and reply to every review so people see you care.
ReviewChef drafts replies like these for you: select a review on Google or Tripadvisor, right-click, and get 3 personal replies in the guest's language – written by AI on your own computer.