What's the Best Way for a Restaurant to Use AI to Reply to Google and Yelp Reviews? 5 Real Restaurants (2026)

The restaurants in our library use AI to draft the reply, not to post it: none says it lets AI reply on its own, and at Cali BBQ a person approves every one. Eric of Old Scratch Pizza in Dayton loaded examples of his restaurant's own writing into ChatGPT and Claude, and says the Google and Yelp replies come out thoughtful and kind. Mary Nguyen Aregoni of Saigon Sisters in Chicago, whose first language isn't English, drafts review replies with Gemini and says it "saves so much time" (WBEZ). Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ has Marqii draft each reply and says approving one takes seconds (his post was sponsored by Marqii). Two more use AI around the reply: Mattenga's Pizzeria texts every online-order customer a review request, and Handcraft Burgers and Brews compares what guests say in reviews with its own brand copy.

• Our library has 5 restaurants using AI on reviews: Old Scratch Pizza, Saigon Sisters, Cali BBQ, Mattenga's Pizzeria and Handcraft Burgers and Brews.
• 2 stories are owner-told (Old Scratch Pizza, Cali BBQ) and 3 come from press coverage (WBEZ, Axios San Antonio, Restaurant Dive). Cali BBQ's post was sponsored by Marqii, the tool it describes.
• A general AI chat tool is enough to start. Old Scratch Pizza uses ChatGPT and Claude, and Saigon Sisters uses Gemini, which its owner says costs about $25 a month.
• Teach it your voice first. Old Scratch Pizza uploaded lots of examples of its own writing so replies sound like the restaurant, not like a template.
• Keep a person on every reply. At Cali BBQ a person approves and sends each draft, and none of these restaurants says it lets AI post on its own.

Google and Yelp replies in the restaurant's own voice with ChatGPT and Claude: Old Scratch Pizza (Dayton, OH, owner)

who Eric, owner of Old Scratch Pizza in Dayton, Ohio, and a Toast Customer Advisory Board member, answering questions in a Toast Community AMA

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude · Job: Teach ChatGPT and Claude your pizzeria's voice, then draft Google and Yelp review replies and promos

What it does: The team uploaded lots of examples of its writing and brand voice into ChatGPT and Claude. The tools draft first versions of social media content and email promotions, help brainstorm content and promotion ideas, and quickly create replies to Google and Yelp reviews.

Reported: He says the review replies come out thoughtful and kind, and that AI speeds up social media, ad copy and promotional content while keeping the messaging consistent. No time figures are given.

owner-told · Toast Community: Exploring AI in My Restaurant, Ask Me Anything (Eric, owner of Old Scratch Pizza) (2025-03-19) · Full case with steps and a prompt

Review and email replies drafted with Gemini: Saigon Sisters (Chicago, press)

who Mary Nguyen Aregoni, owner of Saigon Sisters, a restaurant in Chicago's West Loop, in WBEZ Chicago and the Chicago Sun-Times

Tools: Google Gemini · Job: Use Gemini for review replies, email campaigns, meeting notes and a red-flag read of legal documents at your restaurant

What it does: Gemini drafts her email campaigns, social posts and replies to reviews and emails, takes notes at meetings, and reads legal documents to spot red flags. She also asks it practical questions, such as whether 100 catering trays will fit in her car.

Reported: She says help with drafting correspondence "saves so much time" and pays about $25 a month for Gemini. No time figures are given.

press · WBEZ Chicago / Chicago Sun-Times: Here's how some Chicago small businesses are ramping up their use of AI (2026-09-12) · Full case with steps and a prompt

AI drafts every reply, a person approves each one: Cali BBQ (San Diego, owner, sponsored by Marqii)

who Shawn P. Walchef, owner of Cali BBQ in San Diego, writing on his own Restaurant Technology Substack

Tools: Marqii · Job: Draft every review reply with AI, then approve each one before it posts

What it does: Marqii's Suggested Review Response feature drafts on-brand replies (positive, negative or neutral) using the restaurant's tone and custom prompts; a person approves and sends each one.

Reported: Self-reported: each reply takes seconds to approve. He cites Marqii's figure that early users cut drafting time by 70%. Note: the post was sponsored by Marqii.

owner-told · Restaurant Technology Substack (Shawn P. Walchef) (2025-03-13) · Full case with steps and a prompt

A review request texted after every online order: Mattenga's Pizzeria (San Antonio, press)

who Hengam Stanfield, co-owner of Mattenga's Pizzeria, a San Antonio chain

Tools: Owner.com · Job: Text every online-order customer a review request automatically

What it does: Their Owner.com 'digital storefront' runs the website, online ordering and app, and texts customers after each online order asking for a review.

Reported: Stanfield credits the automated review requests with lifting their Google ratings. 'Now all of our locations are 4.5 plus.'

press · Axios San Antonio (2026-05-22) · Full case with steps and a prompt

Guest review themes compared with your brand copy: Handcraft Burgers and Brews (New York City, press)

who David Ciancio (Rev), co-founder and CMO of Handcraft Burgers and Brews (Bryant Park, New York City), speaking on an NRA Show panel reported by Restaurant Dive

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, Yelp, Google reviews, TripAdvisor · Job: Paste Yelp and Google reviews into ChatGPT or Claude and compare them to your brand copy so the story guests tell matches the story you tell

What it does: Ciancio recommends feeding written guest reviews into agentic LLMs such as ChatGPT, Claude or Google Gemini, then comparing the themes guests use to describe the restaurant against the restaurant's own brand messaging. Operators use the gaps to rewrite messaging (or fix operations) so brand identity lines up with guests' emotional associations. The approach needs a sizable review dataset; panelist Kenneth Scharlatt of Savage Orchid Hospitality echoed that guest perception must match the brand you think you built.

Reported: Process guidance from a named operator on a trade-press panel—no Handcraft-specific revenue or traffic lift is published in the Restaurant Dive article for this LLM review workflow alone.

press · Restaurant Dive: Can AI help independent restaurants close the gap with big chains? (David Ciancio / Handcraft Burgers and Brews) (2026-05-18) · Full case with steps and a prompt

Can ChatGPT write replies to restaurant reviews?

Yes. Old Scratch Pizza drafts Google and Yelp replies with ChatGPT and Claude after uploading examples of its own writing, and Saigon Sisters drafts review replies with Gemini. Our suggestion: read every draft before it goes out. In our tool database ChatGPT is Free $0; Go $8/mo; Plus $20/mo; Pro $100/mo, Claude is $17/mo billed annually ($20 monthly) and Google Gemini is $4.99/mo (Google AI Plus); free plan available.

Should AI post review replies automatically?

None of the restaurants here says it does. At Cali BBQ a person approves and sends each AI draft.

How much does it cost?

Starting with a general chat tool costs the plan you already pay for, or nothing on a free plan. Saigon Sisters' owner says she pays about $25 a month for Gemini. Review tools such as Marqii and ordering platforms such as Owner.com price separately, and we haven't checked them.

Can AI help me get more Google reviews?

Mattenga's Pizzeria texts every online-order customer a review request through Owner.com, and its co-owner says all of its locations are now 4.5 stars or higher, per Axios San Antonio.

Which restaurants use AI for reviews?

In our library: Old Scratch Pizza (Dayton), Saigon Sisters (Chicago), Cali BBQ (San Diego), Mattenga's Pizzeria (San Antonio) and Handcraft Burgers and Brews (New York City).