Request Google reviews

Google Maps reviews are the number-one factor for local visibility and conversion. RestaPro automates sending review requests to customers who just ate.

Why your Google rating matters

• Local visibility: in "restaurant near me" Google sorts by rating.
• Conversion: 80% of customers read reviews before choosing.
• Brand positioning: social trust.

Configure your Google Maps URL

1. Settings → Marketing → Reviews.
2. Google Maps URL: paste the link to your listing (format https://maps.google.com/?cid=... or the "share link" from Google Business Profile).
3. Save.

That URL is where RestaPro sends customers to leave the review.

Automatic mode

When a reservation is marked as completed:

1. RestaPro waits a few hours (configurable, e.g. 3-24 h).
2. Creates a review_request for that customer.
3. Sends an email with the template and a link to your Google Maps.
4. If the customer clicks, it's recorded as clicked.
5. If they leave the review, it's recorded as completed (detected by the review_count increment on Google).

Activate it in Settings → Marketing → Reviews → automatic mode.

Manual mode

To send to specific customers:

1. Marketing → Reviews → Send manual.
2. Select completed reservations without a previous request.
3. Pick a template and send.

Templates

Template	Tone	Example subject
Simple	Direct and professional	"Your opinion helps us"
Friendly	Warm and close	"How was it?"
Formal	Elegant, fine dining	"Thank you for visiting"
With incentive	Aspirational	"Your review + 10% off your next visit"

Careful with incentives: Google explicitly penalizes reviews exchanged for discounts. Use the incentive template only if the reward is independent of leaving a review ("discount on the next visit", not conditional).

Funnel tracking

In Marketing → Reviews → Stats:

Requests sent:        120
   v click rate 35%
Clicked:               42
   v conversion rate 67%
Completed:             28

The review_stats view aggregates: total sent, clicked, completed, click_rate, conversion_rate.

Daily snapshots

review_daily_snapshots saves each day:

• The restaurant's Google rating.
• Total review count.
• Requests sent / clicked / completed that day.

This lets you see trends: how your rating evolves, which months you ask for more reviews, etc.

Anti-duplicate

review_requests has a partial unique index on (reservation_id): a reservation never gets two review requests. If you try to send manually and one already exists, RestaPro silently prevents it.

Best practices

• Wait 3-24 h after the meal: memory is fresh, you're not invasive.
• Personalize the template with the customer's name (variable {customer_name}).
• Don't chase negative reviews: if a customer clearly didn't enjoy, don't send.
• Reply to Google reviews (yes, the negative ones too) - Google rewards restaurants that engage.
• No direct incentives: Google policy.