Should I say the kitchen was slammed?

No. A busy night is context for your team, not an excuse in public. Own the cold food or the wait and stop.

Can I name the server?

Not to blame them. If the reviewer praised someone, you can thank that person. A complaint about a person goes to the manager offline.

Guide

How to reply to a negative restaurant review

A harsh restaurant review is usually about a dish, a wait, or the person who served the table. Thank them, name that miss once, and ask them to speak to a manager next time. Do not post a coupon.

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The reviewer already described the meal. You may name the dish they named. You may not add a new theory about the kitchen, a staff member’s excuse, or a comp you did not actually give.

Apologize for the part that failed. If the pasta was cold, say you are sorry the pasta was cold. If the wait was the problem, say you are sorry they waited. One problem per reply. A list of everything else that is usually good sounds like a shrug.

Do not offer a free meal, a discount, or a gift card in the public reply. The next hundred readers will expect the same, and a public bargain for a better review is a bad trade.

Invite them back only if you mean it, and name how to find a manager. "Ask for the manager on your next visit" is a real next step. "We hope to see you soon" with no path is not.

The reviews on this page are invented to show a reply shape. They are not quotes from a customer. For a single draft of a review you already have, use the free review reply generator. No account is required for that one reply.

Examples

A cold entree on a busy night

Example review

“The roast chicken arrived cold and we waited 25 minutes to flag someone down. Disappointing for the price.”

Thank you for telling us. Cold chicken and a long wait to get someone’s attention are both on us. Please ask for the manager on your next visit so we can make that table right. [Your name], Manager

Names the dish they already named
Does not offer a public discount

Rude service, food was fine

Example review

“Food was actually good. Server never came back after dropping the plates. Will not return.”

Thank you for the note, and for saying the food landed. We are sorry the service stopped after the plates went down. Please ask for me if you give us another night. I want to hear which table it was. [Your name], Manager

Thanks the part that worked
Asks for the table privately, not in the thread

Questions

Should I say the kitchen was slammed?: No. A busy night is context for your team, not an excuse in public. Own the cold food or the wait and stop.
Can I name the server?: Not to blame them. If the reviewer praised someone, you can thank that person. A complaint about a person goes to the manager offline.

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