> ## 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.

# FAQ and troubleshooting

> Why a guest didn't get the review request, why a rating didn't show up, and every other question about reviews.

## My guests aren't receiving the review request

Work through this list in order — one of these is almost always the cause.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="1. Is the follow-up switched on?">
    **Settings > Notifications > General**, **Guest** tab, **Restaurant** sub-tab, section **Email settings** → **Reservation follow-up** must be on. Do the same in **WhatsApp settings** for WhatsApp.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="2. Has the delay actually elapsed?">
    The default is 1 day after the reservation time. EatNow checks every 15 minutes, so a message can arrive up to 15 minutes after the exact deadline.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="3. Was the reservation marked as honoured?">
    Only **Arrived**, **Seated**, **Seated for drinks**, **Partially seated** and **Done** reservations are followed up. A reservation left as **Confirmed** after service is never followed up — mark your service properly at the end of the evening.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="4. Is the per-reservation switch on?">
    Open the reservation and check **Ask for a Google review after departure (D+1)**. On reservations you create manually in EatNow, this switch starts off and only appears once the guest's email is filled in.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="5. Does the guest have an email or a phone number?">
    No contact details, no message. Check the guest's file.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="6. Was it already sent?">
    A reservation is followed up only once. If the guest already got it, it won't be sent again.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="7. For WhatsApp only — is the template approved?">
    You need a WhatsApp template of the **Follow-up** type approved by Meta, in **Settings > Notifications > WhatsApp templates**. See [WhatsApp templates](/whatsapp/templates).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Questions about the filter

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="A guest gave 4 stars — why wasn't it sent to Google?">
    That's the feature working. Only a **5-star** rating is forwarded to a public platform. Anything below stays private so you can fix the issue before it becomes public.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I lower the threshold to 4 stars?">
    No. The threshold is fixed at 5 stars.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A 5-star guest was sent to Google but no review appeared there">
    EatNow takes the guest to Google's review form — writing and posting is up to them, and some drop off at that point. That's why **Reviews generated** in your statistics counts guests *sent* to the platform, not reviews actually published. Compare it with the **Your Google reviews over time** chart to see the real conversion.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Some 5-star guests go to Google, others to TripAdvisor">
    That's expected when both channels are enabled: EatNow alternates between the two at random, to grow both platforms.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="My guests land on Google without rating anything first">
    Your **Internal reviews** switch is off. With it off there is no filter — every guest is sent straight to the platform. Turn it back on in [review collection channels](/reviews/filtering).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Questions about replies

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Where does my reply to a private feedback go?">
    Straight to the guest, by email. It is not published anywhere.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The Reply button doesn't appear on a feedback">
    Private feedback can only be answered when it's linked to a reservation with a guest who has an email address. Anonymous QR reviews can't be answered.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The Reply and Generate buttons are greyed out">
    Your role is missing the `review:reply` permission. An administrator can grant it in **Settings > Collaborators**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I reply to a TripAdvisor review from EatNow?">
    No. TripAdvisor doesn't allow it from an outside tool — you can read your reviews in EatNow, but you have to reply from your TripAdvisor Management Centre.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is the AI reply sent automatically?">
    Never. It writes a draft; nothing leaves EatNow until you click the send button.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Questions about the numbers

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="My internal rating isn't the same in both places">
    The **internal rating** shown at the top of **Reviews > Internal feedback** covers reviews linked to a reservation. The **Average internal rating** in **Dashboard > E-Reputation** also includes anonymous QR reviews. A small gap between the two is normal.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A QR review isn't in my Internal feedback list">
    A QR review that couldn't be matched to a reservation is counted in your **E-Reputation** statistics, but does not yet appear in the Internal feedback list. Table QR codes matched to a seated reservation do appear.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="My Google reviews chart is empty">
    EatNow records your Google total once a day, starting the day you connect the integration. The history builds up from there — there's no way to backfill the past.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="My conversion rate looks impossible">
    The conversion rate is *ratings received ÷ follow-ups sent* over the same period. QR reviews count in the numerator but were never "sent", so a restaurant relying heavily on QR codes can show a very high rate.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Setup questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="The Google card says 'Connect Google to activate'">
    Your Google integration isn't connected yet. Do it in **Settings > Integrations > Integrations list**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The Google card says 'Finish your Google integration to activate'">
    Google is connected, but your restaurant listing hasn't been selected. Reopen the Google integration and pick your establishment.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The Per-table QR codes section is empty">
    You have no rooms or tables configured. Add them in **Settings > Floor plan**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I don't see Reviews in the sidebar">
    Your role is missing the `review:read` permission. See [Roles and permissions](/collaborators/permissions).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I change the wording of the review request?">
    Yes, in **Settings > Notifications > Email templates**, category **Follow-up**. Keep the star links — they're what carries the rating through.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Still stuck?

Contact the EatNow team on [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/33651435435) with your restaurant name and, if possible, the reservation concerned — that's the fastest way for us to trace what happened.