> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.eat-now.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Collecting reviews

> Set up the automatic follow-up message that asks your guests to rate their visit — by email, by WhatsApp, or both.

After a guest has dined at your restaurant, EatNow can send them a short message asking them to rate their experience. That message is called the **follow-up**. It's the engine of the whole Reviews feature.

## Turn on the follow-up

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open your notification settings">
    Go to **Settings > Notifications > General**, then open the **Guest** tab and the **Restaurant** sub-tab.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the sending delay">
    In **Follow-up sending delay (after the reservation)**, choose how long after the reservation time the message goes out. The default is **1 day**; the minimum is **15 minutes**.

    <Frame caption="The follow-up delay and the review collection channels sit on the same screen.">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/eatnow/geSypAGHJOHzbRMD/images/screenshots/reviews-settings-followup.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=geSypAGHJOHzbRMD&q=85&s=6a9c872336d42db391a5ddfcc293b4ad" alt="Follow-up sending delay field and Review collection channels section" width="2800" height="1240" data-path="images/screenshots/reviews-settings-followup.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Switch on the email">
    Scroll down to the **Email settings** section and turn on **Reservation follow-up**.

    <Frame caption="Email settings — the last toggle is the review request.">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/eatnow/geSypAGHJOHzbRMD/images/screenshots/reviews-settings-email-toggle.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=geSypAGHJOHzbRMD&q=85&s=8f1df8feffc5b043a9ee88a51b1d77ba" alt="The Reservation follow-up toggle in the email settings list" width="2800" height="600" data-path="images/screenshots/reviews-settings-email-toggle.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Optional — switch on WhatsApp">
    Further down, in the **WhatsApp settings** section, turn on **Reservation follow-up** too. Both channels work independently: a guest with only a phone number gets WhatsApp, a guest with only an email gets the email, and a guest with both gets both.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save** at the bottom of each section you changed.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  The WhatsApp follow-up also needs a WhatsApp template of the **Follow-up** type approved by Meta, created in **Settings > Notifications > WhatsApp templates**. Without an approved template, only the email goes out. See [WhatsApp templates](/whatsapp/templates).
</Warning>

## Which reservations get a follow-up

A guest receives the review request only if **all** of these are true:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="The guest actually came">
    The reservation status is one of: **Arrived**, **Seated**, **Seated for drinks**, **Partially seated**, or **Done**. Cancellations, no-shows and pending requests are never followed up. See [Reservation statuses](/operations/reservation-statuses).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The follow-up is enabled on the reservation">
    Each reservation carries its own switch: **Ask for a Google review after departure (D+1)**, in the reservation form. It is on by default for online bookings.

    <Note>
      When you create a reservation **manually** in EatNow, this switch starts **off**, and it only appears once you've filled in the guest's email address. Turn it on if you want that guest to be asked for a review.
    </Note>
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="You can reach the guest">
    The guest record has an email address, a phone number, or both.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="It hasn't been sent already">
    Each reservation is followed up only once, ever.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Tip>
  EatNow checks for reservations to follow up every 15 minutes. A message set to "1 day" after a 8:00 pm dinner therefore arrives the next day between 8:00 pm and 8:15 pm.
</Tip>

## What your guest receives

The email thanks the guest for their visit and shows **five clickable stars**. Tapping a star opens the rating page with that rating already selected — one tap, and they're done.

<Frame caption="The rating page your guest lands on.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/eatnow/-cQp9jL7Dfsj72EN/images/screenshots/reviews-portal-form.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=-cQp9jL7Dfsj72EN&q=85&s=e81620c939e9b908660d4c2613be3607" alt="The guest-facing page asking to rate the experience with five stars" width="1160" height="600" data-path="images/screenshots/reviews-portal-form.png" />
</Frame>

What happens after that tap depends on the rating and on your settings — that's the [negative review filter](/reviews/filtering).

## Customising the message

The follow-up email uses a standard EatNow template, translated into your guest's language. You can replace its wording with your own in **Settings > Notifications > Email templates**, choosing the **Follow-up** category.

<Note>
  Keep the star links in your custom template — they are what carries the rating through to the page. If you're unsure, ask the EatNow team to review your template before you activate it.
</Note>

## Get notified when feedback comes in

When a guest leaves private feedback, EatNow can alert your team. Go to **Settings > Notifications > General**, open the **Restaurant owner** tab and find the **Customer reviews** group, then set how you want to receive **Customer review received**.

By default you get an **in-app notification**. Switch on email if you'd rather receive it in your inbox.

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Understand the filter" icon="shield-check" href="/reviews/filtering">
    Choose where 5-star guests are sent, and keep the rest private.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Collect from walk-ins too" icon="qrcode" href="/reviews/qr-codes">
    Print QR codes for your tables and your counter.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>