How to Get More 5-Star Reviews and Pack Your Restaurant

Why Your Google Rating is Making (or Breaking) Your Bank Account

I was walking down James Street in Fortitude Valley the other night. It was a Tuesday, usually a quiet time for most places. I saw two Italian restaurants less than fifty metres apart. One was half-empty, with staff standing around polishing glasses. The other had a line out the door and a twenty-minute wait for a table.

I pulled out my phone. The busy spot had 4.8 stars from over 800 reviews. The quiet one? 3.9 stars from about forty people.

In 2024, your Google rating isn't just a "vanity metric." It is your digital shopfront. Most people in Brisbane won't even consider a place if it has less than 4.2 stars. If you’re sitting at a 3.8 or a 4.0, you are literally handing money to your competitors every single night.

At Local Marketing Group, we’ve worked with everyone from burger joints in Chermside to high-end bistros in Paddington. The reality is simple: more reviews mean more bums on seats. If you want to stop worrying about quiet shifts and start seeing a consistent stream of new customers, you need a system for getting reviews.

The Truth About Why People Don't Leave Reviews

Most restaurant owners I talk to are frustrated. They say, "We give great service, but nobody leaves a review unless they have something to complain about!"

They’re right. Human nature is annoying like that. If someone has a perfect meal, they leave happy and go home to bed. If someone finds a hair in their chips, they’re on Google before they’ve even left the table.

To win this game, you have to stop waiting for reviews to happen and start making them happen. You need to tip the scales so the happy majority speaks louder than the grumpy minority.

Trend 1: The Death of the "Review Card"

Remember those little business cards that said "Rate us on Google"? Toss them in the bin. They don’t work anymore. People lose them, they get covered in sauce, or they just get ignored.

In the next twelve months, we’re seeing a massive shift toward instant, frictionless feedback. If it takes a customer more than two taps on their phone, they won’t do it.

What to do instead:

Trend 2: The Rise of "Specific" Reviews

Google is getting smarter. It doesn't just look at your star rating; it looks at what people are saying. If someone searches for "best steak in Brisbane," Google looks for reviews that actually mention the word "steak."

I’ve seen this work wonders for a local bistro. We helped them focus their review requests around their signature dish. Within three months, they were the top result for that specific food item in their suburb. This is a great way to fill your tables without having to spend a cent on Facebook ads.

How Much Does This Cost?

Setting up a review system doesn't have to be expensive.

1. The DIY Method ($0 - $50): Printing some nice QR codes and training your staff to ask. This costs almost nothing but requires a lot of discipline from your team. 2. The Automated Method ($100 - $300/month): Using software that automatically sends a text or email to every person who books a table. This is the "set and forget" option that actually gets results because it doesn't rely on a busy waiter remembering to ask.

The Timeline: You’ll see your rating start to climb within 30 days. However, the real magic happens at the 3-6 month mark when you have a mountain of fresh reviews. That's when Google starts pushing you to the top of the search results.

Stop Chasing One-Off Diners

Reviews are great for getting people in the door, but if you want a truly profitable business, you need to think bigger. Many restaurant owners get stuck in the cycle of fighting for every single dinner guest.

If you really want to scale, you should use your high rating as leverage to land corporate contracts. When a big office in the CBD is looking for a catering partner, the first thing they do is check your Google reviews. If you have 500 reviews and your competitor has 50, you win the contract every time. That’s how you turn a 4.8-star rating into a $10,000-a-month recurring revenue stream.

Expert Insight: The "Service Recovery" Secret

Here is something most "marketing gurus" won't tell you: A 1-star review is actually an opportunity to make money.

I know, it feels like a punch in the gut when someone leaves a nasty comment. But how you respond tells a story to every future customer.

If you respond politely, take ownership, and offer to make it right, people see that you care. I’ve seen customers choose a restaurant with a few bad (but well-handled) reviews over a place with only perfect reviews that look fake.

Pro Tip: Never argue with a customer online. Even if they are 100% wrong and were a total nightmare to your staff. You aren't writing the reply for them; you're writing it for the 5,000 people who will read it next month.

Why Most Brisbane Restaurants Get This Wrong

Most owners think that if they provide good food, the reviews will come. It’s a nice thought, but it’s rubbish.

Your staff are busy. They’re running food, clearing tables, and dealing with the kitchen. Asking for a review is the last thing on their mind. If you don't make it part of their job description—or better yet, automate it—it won't happen.

We recently worked with a café in Morningside. They were doing everything right—great coffee, friendly staff—but their Google page was stagnant. We helped them implement a simple system where the staff mentioned the review when they delivered the "best-selling" item. Within two months, their monthly review count tripled.

Using Reviews to Fix Your Quietest Times

Every restaurant has those nights where you’re paying staff to stand around. You can actually use your review strategy to fix slow nights.

Try this: Offer a "Reviewer's Special" on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Don't buy reviews (that's against Google's rules and can get you banned), but you can certainly encourage people to visit on a quiet night by promoting your recent 5-star feedback on social media and offering a "mid-week treat" for your loyal followers.

Step-by-Step: What to Do Tomorrow Morning

If you want more reviews, don't overcomplicate it. Do these three things tomorrow:

1. Google Yourself: Look at your business on Google Maps. If your last review was from three months ago, you have a problem. Google thinks you're closed or irrelevant. 2. Create a "Google Link": Go into your Google Business Profile and find the "Ask for reviews" button. It gives you a short link. Copy that. 3. The "Table Talk" Test: Pick your best server. Tell them to ask five tables today: "If you enjoyed the meal, would you mind doing us a huge favour and leaving a quick review? It really helps a local business like ours." See what happens.

The "Waste of Money" Warning

Whatever you do, do not buy fake reviews.

There are plenty of dodgy companies (mostly overseas) that will offer you 50 reviews for $100. Don't do it. Google's systems are incredibly good at spotting this. They will see 50 accounts from different countries suddenly praising a pizza shop in Sunnybank and they will nukes your entire listing. You’ll disappear from search results entirely, and getting back is a nightmare. It’s not worth the risk.

Summary: The Long Game

Getting more Google reviews isn't a one-time project. It’s a habit. It’s about building a reputation that works for you while you’re busy in the kitchen or sleeping.

In the Brisbane hospitality scene, the competition is brutal. But the businesses that win aren't always the ones with the best food—they’re the ones that the most people talk about.

If you’re tired of seeing the mediocre place down the road get all the customers just because they have a better Google rating, it’s time to change that.

At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane business owners take control of their online reputation without the headache. We know you're busy running a restaurant; you shouldn't have to be a tech expert too.

Want to see how your restaurant looks to potential customers? Contact us at Local Marketing Group and let’s get those phones ringing.