Do a restaurant’s online reviews stay with it after a sale?
Usually the reviews stay with the listing, because review sites attach them to the place, not the owner. That can help or hurt you. Read them before you buy, check who controls the profile, and plan how you will respond to old comments about things you did not do.
Read the reviews as a buyer, not a diner. Sort by newest and by lowest, and look for patterns: slow service, a particular dish, cleanliness, a manager’s name. A single angry post matters less than the same complaint repeated. Then read how the owner replied, because the tone of those replies is part of what you inherit.
Ask the seller who holds the login for each review profile and map listing. If a former employee or a marketing helper controls it, you may have trouble editing hours, photos or replies after closing. Make sure the seller hands over access, and that the change is built into your closing checklist.
Decide in advance how you will present a change in ownership, and who on your team will watch the profiles each week. If you are renaming or reworking the menu, you may be starting over in the eyes of regulars, and you may want to say so openly. If you keep the name, replying kindly and promptly to old complaints shows that something has changed. Do not buy a lift in ratings by asking friends to post, since that can breach platform rules.
Key takeaways
- Read recent and low reviews for repeating themes, and how the owner replied, before you commit.
- Get login control of every review and map profile at closing.
- Plan how you will answer old complaints about things you did not do.
Related reading
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentUnderstanding post-merger operational integration
- 03Restaurants CanadaIndustryRestaurants Canada - The Voice of Foodservice
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