Templates
By star rating, by scenario.
Every template is a real shape we use inside HappyReplies. Copy the framework, not the words.
By star rating
How to reply to a 1-star Google review (20 templates)
Twenty field-tested reply templates for 1-star Google reviews, plus the three-line framework we use for every angry review.
How to reply to a 2-star Google review (15 templates)
Fifteen reply templates for 2-star Google reviews — the awkward middle where the customer wanted to like you and didn't.
How to reply to a 3-star Google review (12 templates)
The 3-star review is the sleeper — most owners handle it worst. Twelve reply templates and the framework that turns a middling review into a booking.
How to reply to a 4-star Google review (10 templates)
Ten short reply templates for 4-star Google reviews — the ones most owners ignore and shouldn't.
How to reply to a 5-star Google review (12 templates)
Twelve reply templates for 5-star Google reviews that read as human, not automated — including the one-word-review case.
By industry
Restaurants
Restaurants get judged on the fifteen minutes at the pass, not the food. Reply to the specific service beat the reviewer named, not the meal…
Cafes
Cafes live and die on the daily crowd. Reply as the person behind the bar, thank the regulars by name, and treat a missing pastry as the sma…
Bars & pubs
Bar reviews swing wider than any other category. Reply calmly to the loud complaints and warmly to the regulars — future customers judge you…
Hotels
Hotel reviewers compare you to every hotel they've ever stayed in. Reply from the duty manager, name the specific room type, and always offe…
B&Bs and guesthouses
B&B reviewers are booking a person as much as a room. Reply in your own voice, name the breakfast dish they mentioned, and treat every revie…
Dental practices
Dental replies are the highest-liability replies you write. Never confirm or deny that someone is a patient in public, thank in general term…
GP and medical clinics
Medical replies live inside strict privacy law. Never confirm patient status, never reference clinical detail, and always route into a priva…
Physiotherapy clinics
Physio reviewers talk about pain and progress. Reply as the practice, thank in general terms, and never reference the specific injury even w…
Veterinary clinics
Vet reviews carry more emotion than any other local category. Reply as a named vet, use the pet's name if given, and never respond to grief …
Hair salons
Salon reviews are personal. Reply as the stylist named or as the owner, offer a specific free fix within seven days, and never blame the cli…
Barbershops
Barber replies are the shortest replies you'll write. Two sentences, first name, one specific hook to bring the customer back.…
Nail salons
Nail salon reviews name techs by name. Reply from the tech or the owner, offer a specific redo within seven days, and never explain a chip i…
Plumbers
Plumbing reviews swing on trust. Reply from the owner by name, back the work with your guarantee, and never argue price in public.…
Electricians
Electrical reviews turn on safety and paperwork. Reply as the qualified engineer, name the guarantee, and always get the certificate to the …
HVAC and heating engineers
HVAC reviews spike in winter. Reply from the engineer or the owner, back the work with your parts and labour guarantee, and never blame the …
Auto repair garages
Garage reviews turn on price transparency and time in the workshop. Reply from the owner, own the overrun, and never argue diagnostics in pu…
Real-estate agents
Estate agent reviews sit in a category with low trust. Reply as the named agent or partner, own communication failures directly, and always …
Gyms and personal trainers
Gym reviews cluster at the extremes — transformations and cancellations. Reply warmly to the wins, precisely to the billing complaints, and …
By scenario
Rude staff
Acknowledge the impression the reviewer left with, not the version of events. Never name or defend the staff member in public. Route to a di…
Long wait
Confirm the specific overrun in minutes, name the operational fix, and where possible offer a specific comeback. Never blame the day, the we…
Wrong or missing order
Refund the missing item that day, offer a specific replacement, and sign off with the owner's or manager's real name. Never ask the customer…
Cold food
Cold food is a kitchen fail, not a bad night. Own it, name the pass or hot-hold fix, and invite the reviewer back to eat with the chef.…
Cleanliness
Cleanliness reviews are the ones you thank the reviewer for most honestly. Name the check rota, tighten it, and don't defend the day.…
Overcharged / billing dispute
Never argue numbers in public. Confirm the receipt process, name a direct email, and process the refund privately. Every debated pound reads…
No-show / missed appointment
Treat a missed booking as a system fail on you, not a memory fail on them. Confirm the process gap, rebook on the house, and sign with a nam…
Refund request
The refund conversation belongs in email. In the reply, confirm you'd like to resolve it, name the email, and sign off. Future readers grade…
Fake or competitor-sabotage review
Flag the review through your Google Business Profile — but always reply. State that you can't find a matching booking or order, invite genui…
Ex-employee review
Redirect to the correct channel. State that Google reviews are for customer experience and that employment matters go through a private emai…
One-word 1-star review
Reply short, warm, and curious. Ask what happened, offer a direct email, and sign with a first name. Never match the reviewer's brevity with…
5-star with no text
Reply one sentence, first name, warm. The reply is your last chance to make the review feel personal to future readers.…