How to get Google reviews: a guide for restaurants, tours and stays
Copy the review link or QR code from your Business Profile under Read reviews, then Get more reviews, and send it to every customer on the day of their visit: on the bill, in the thank-you email, in the message after the tour. Ask everyone the same way, and never give anything in return.
Key takeaways
- Google gives every Business Profile its own review link and QR code; the QR code can only be made on a computer.
- Guests count reviews: 47% of consumers won't use a business with fewer than 20 reviews, BrightLocal found in 2026.
- Asking only your happy customers breaks Google's policy, and so does a discount or a free drink for a review.
- Google can stop a profile from getting new reviews for a while when it finds fake or paid ones.
Why do Google reviews matter?
Google says how many reviews you have is part of prominence, one of the three things behind a local ranking, so more reviews help you rank higher on Google Maps. Guests count them too. BrightLocal surveyed 1,002 US adults for its 2026 report: 47% of consumers won't use a business with fewer than 20 reviews, and 74% only care about reviews written in the last three months. A café whose newest review is from last winter can look quieter than the new place down the street.
How do you get more Google reviews?
1. Copy your review link and QR code
Open your Google Business Profile on a computer, choose Read reviews, then Get more reviews, and copy the link or save the QR code. Google only makes the QR code in a computer browser. Our free Google review link and QR code tool makes both, with a card to print for the table or the counter.1
2. Ask on the day, where the customer already is
Google suggests putting the link on receipts, in thank-you emails, at the end of a chat and on a printed QR code in the shop. For a restaurant that is the bill folder; for a boat tour, a WhatsApp message that evening; for a holiday flat, the check-out email.1
3. Ask every customer the same way
Google's Maps policy bars businesses from selectively asking for positive reviews or discouraging negative ones. Sending happy guests to Google and unhappy ones to a private feedback form is exactly that.2
4. Never pay, discount or give anything back
No free dessert, discount code or prize draw in return for a review, or for changing or removing one. Google removes those reviews and can stop the profile from receiving new reviews for a set time, or show a warning that fake reviews were removed.3
5. Don't push, script or set quotas
Google says not to require or pressure guests to review you while they are still on the premises, or to ask for specific words in the review. Staff targets for a number of reviews, or for reviews that name a server or guide, are against the policy too.2
6. Keep staff, family and friends out of it
Reviews from current or former employees, relatives or anyone with a business tie count as a conflict of interest, and Google takes them down.2
7. Reply to the reviews that come in
Google lists replying among its tips for getting more reviews, and new guests read your answers. Our guide on how to respond to Google reviews covers the wording, and the free AI review response generator drafts a first reply.5
8. Check why a review hasn't appeared
Google checks each review against its policies, which can take a few days. An old version of the Maps app on the customer's phone can also stop a review from going through.4
Checklist
- Review link copied
- QR code saved from a computer
- Link on the bill, receipt or confirmation email
- Same request sent to every customer
- No discount, gift or prize for reviewing
- No staff quotas or scripted wording
- No reviews from staff or family
- New reviews answered each week
Questions
How do I get my Google review link?
On a computer, open your Business Profile, choose Read reviews, then Get more reviews, and select Copy. The same screen lets you save a QR code.
Is it allowed to ask customers for Google reviews?
Yes. Google allows businesses to ask for reviews of a genuine experience, as long as they ask without an incentive and without steering the rating or the words.
Is it legal to give a discount for a positive review?
Not in the US. The FTC's rule on consumer reviews makes it a violation to give compensation or other incentives for reviews that express a particular sentiment. Google goes further and bars incentives for any review at all.
Can my employees leave Google reviews?
No. Google treats reviews from current or former employees, family members and others with a business tie as a conflict of interest and removes them.
How many Google reviews does a business need?
There is no set number, but BrightLocal's 2026 survey found 47% of consumers won't use a business with fewer than 20 reviews. Recent reviews count most: 74% only care about reviews written in the last three months.
Do customers need a Gmail address to leave a Google review?
No. They need to be signed in to a Google Account, and they can create one with any email address.
Why is a customer's Google review not showing?
Google checks new reviews first, which can take a few days, and removes reviews that break its policies for good. The customer may also need to update the Maps app.
Sources
- Google Business Profile Help, Create a Google link or QR code to request reviews · read
- Google Maps Help, Maps user contributed content policy: fake engagement and rating manipulation · read
- Google Business Profile Help, Business Profile restrictions for policy violations · read
- Google Business Profile Help, About missing or delayed reviews · read
- Google Business Profile Help, Tips to get more reviews · read
- eCFR (US Federal Trade Commission), 16 CFR Part 465: Use of consumer reviews and testimonials · read
- BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 · read
- Google Business Profile Help, Tips to improve your local ranking on Google · read
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