Customer review management on delivery platforms
Reply fast, well, and strategically. Turn every review into a growth lever for your restaurant.
22%
of lost customers
on a review without response
+15%
impressions
per 0.1 point gained
80%
response rate
considered excellent
Why customer reviews are critical
On Uber Eats and Deliveroo, reviews are not just comments. They determine your visibility, your conversion rate and, ultimately, your revenue. Ignoring a negative review means accepting to lose customers.
22%
of lost customers
A study on delivery platforms shows that 22% of new visitors leave a restaurant's page after seeing a negative review without a response. One in five customers who will never order from you.
#1
Impact on ranking
Uber Eats and Deliveroo algorithms use your average rating, volume of recent reviews and response rate as ranking criteria. A restaurant that responds is systematically better positioned.
+
Building trust
A restaurateur who publicly responds to criticism inspires trust. Prospects read your responses as much as the reviews themselves. A good response to a negative review can convince a new customer.
How to respond by complaint type
Each type of complaint requires a specific approach. Here are concrete templates you can adapt to your establishment.
Late delivery
« Hello [Name], we are sincerely sorry for the delay on your order. Delivery times depend on the driver assigned by the platform and are unfortunately out of our control once the food is handed over. We do everything possible to prepare your orders as quickly as possible to give you the best experience. We hope to see you again very soon! »
Remind customers the restaurant doesn't control transport. Stay empathetic without accepting blame that isn't yours.
Quality issue
« Hello [Name], thank you for your feedback. The quality of our dishes is our absolute priority. We are sorry this order didn't meet your expectations. Could you tell us which dish was affected? We are investigating with our kitchen team and will take the necessary action. Your next experience will be better, we promise. »
Ask for details to show you're taking the problem seriously. This humanizes your response.
Missing item
« Hello [Name], we are truly sorry for this oversight. It's a preparation error that we take very seriously. We've strengthened our verification checks before packaging to prevent this from happening again. Feel free to contact the platform's support directly to get a refund for the missing item. »
Direct the customer to get a refund through the platform. Show that you've implemented a corrective action.
Wrong order
« Hello [Name], we fully understand your frustration and we apologize. Receiving a different dish from what was ordered is unacceptable. We've identified the issue in our preparation process and taken immediate corrective measures. The platform support can fully refund you. We hope to make it up to you. »
Clearly acknowledge the error. A wrong order is always the restaurant's responsibility.
The ideal response timeline
Responding within 24 hours is essential. Beyond that, the positive impact of your response decreases sharply.
Read & analyze
Read the review carefully. Identify the main issue and check in your systems (order number, time, content).
Draft
Write a personalized response using the customer's first name. Use a professional, empathetic tone.
Publish
Publish your response. Never go beyond 24 hours: after that, the positive impact decreases considerably.
Internal follow-up
Share the review with your team. If the problem is recurring, implement a concrete corrective action.
Tone to adopt in every response
Acknowledge the issue
Never minimize the customer's frustration, even if you think they're wrong.
Stay professional
No aggression, sarcasm, or condescending tone. Future customers read your responses.
Offer a solution
Direct them to platform support for a refund, or invite the customer to try again.
Personalize
Use the customer's first name if available. Avoid identical copy-pastes on all reviews.
Report and remove fraudulent reviews
Not all reviews are legitimate. Some come from abusive customers, competitors, or people who never ordered.
Signs of a potentially fraudulent review
The customer orders for the first time and reports a problem with the entire order
The review is vague, with no specific details about the dishes or the problem encountered
The same customer leaves negative reviews on many different restaurants
The review doesn't match the ordered dishes (e.g., criticism about a product not on the menu)
Aggressive or threatening tone, with no constructive intent
Reporting procedure
Gather evidence
Screenshots of the review, order history, preparation photos, delivery logs.
Contact partner support
Use the restaurant portal (Uber Eats Manager or Deliveroo Partner Hub) to open a ticket.
Detail your claim
Explain why the review is fraudulent with specific facts. Avoid an emotional tone.
Follow up and re-contact
Average delay: 5 to 15 days. Follow up if you haven't received a response after 7 business days.
Generate positive reviews proactively
The best defense against negative reviews is a high volume of positive ones. Here are concrete actions to encourage satisfied customers to share their experience.
Care about packaging
Clean, well-sealed packaging with a small touch (extra napkin, thank-you note) encourages customers to leave a positive review.
Respect preparation times
A dish ready on time means a faster delivery. Customers associate speed with restaurant quality.
Add a personal touch
A handwritten note, a free sample, or a complimentary dessert for large orders makes the difference.
Check every order
A systematic double-check before handoff to the driver eliminates 90% of missing or incorrect item errors.
Reply to positive reviews too
Thanking a satisfied customer encourages them to recommend you and shows others you're an engaged restaurateur.
The impact on your algorithmic ranking
Delivery platforms use complex algorithms to rank restaurants. Managing your reviews directly influences several key parameters.
Average rating
Your overall rating is the first filter used by algorithms. Every tenth of a point matters: going from 4.3 to 4.4 can increase impressions by 10 to 15%.
Recent review volume
Algorithms weigh recent reviews more heavily. A restaurant with 50 reviews this month will have more visibility than one with only 10 reviews at the same rating.
Response rate
Uber Eats and Deliveroo measure your review response rate. A rate above 80% boosts your ranking. It's a strong engagement signal.
Conversion rate
A restaurant with good ratings and visible responses converts visitors into orders better. This rate is measured and rewarded by the platforms.