The short answer
When a review includes a suggestion, thank the customer for the idea, then give them an honest answer in one of three forms: yes (and roughly when), not yet (and what would need to happen), or no (and the reason). Avoid "we'll pass it on to the team" unless you will. If you act on the idea later, say so in a follow-up or in later replies; customers notice when suggestions turn into changes.
- Every suggestion gets one of three honest answers: yes, not yet, or no with a reason.
- Only commit to dates and changes you control. Overpromising in public is worse than saying no.
- Count suggestions. Three people asking for the same thing is a roadmap item.
- When you ship the change, say so. It shows every reader that feedback here goes somewhere.
Why suggestion reviews are worth a careful reply
Most review replies deal with feelings: delight, frustration, disappointment. A suggestion is different. The customer has done some thinking for you and handed over an idea, often wrapped inside an otherwise happy review: "Loved it, would be perfect with an earlier opening time." That makes it easy to skim past the idea and just say thanks.
Skipping it is a mistake for two reasons. The reviewer wrote the suggestion on purpose and will look for your answer to it. And other customers who wanted the same thing (oat milk, Saturday hours, online booking) read the thread to see whether you are listening. A vague acknowledgment satisfies neither.
The three honest answers
| Answer | When to use it | What to include |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | You are doing it, or can do it easily | What will change and a rough timeframe you can actually meet |
| Not yet | You like the idea but there is a real constraint | The constraint in plain words, and whether you will revisit it |
| No | It conflicts with how you run the business | A short, respectful reason and, where possible, an alternative |
"We'll pass it on" is not on the list because, on its own, it is not an answer. If you genuinely log ideas and review them, say that instead: "We keep a list of customer ideas and review it every quarter; this one's on it." That is specific and true.
Example replies to reviews with suggestions
Illustrative samples across industries and ratings, showing each of the three answers.
Café: asks for a non-dairy option (yes)
Best flat white in town. Please add oat milk so my partner can join me!
Thank you, and good news: oat milk arrives from next Monday. You're the fourth person to ask this month, so you've officially changed our menu. Bring your partner by.
Dental office: wants evening hours (not yet)
Really gentle hygienist and clear explanations. Only wish you had evening appointments for those of us who work 9 to 5.
Thanks for the kind words about our team. Evening hours come up a lot, and we'd like to offer them; right now we need one more hygienist to staff them safely. We're hiring, and we'll announce late appointments on our profile as soon as we can. Until then, our 7:30am slots are the closest option.
Restaurant: wants smaller portions (no, with alternative)
Food is good but the portions are enormous and we waste half. Offer smaller sizes?
Thank you for the honest feedback, and we hate waste too. Smaller sizes across the menu would complicate a small kitchen, so we're not planning them, but every pasta and salad can be ordered as a starter portion. Just ask your server, and we're always happy to box leftovers.
Auto repair: asks for text updates (yes)
Good work, fair price. Would be nice to get a text when the car's ready instead of calling to check.
Thanks for this. It's a great idea and simple to do. We've started sending a text when your car is ready for pickup, so you'll get one on your next visit. Let us know how it works.
Gym: overcrowded classes, suggests booking (not yet)
Classes are so packed I can't move. You need a booking system or a cap.
You're right, and we're sorry. Crowded classes are frustrating and can be unsafe. We're testing a booking system with two evening classes from next month and will extend it if it works. Until then, the 6am and 1pm classes are usually half full.
Bookshop: suggests events
Lovely shop, great staff picks. You should host author readings, the space is perfect for it.
Thank you, the staff picks shelf is everyone's favorite job. We'd love to host readings and are talking to a couple of local authors now. Follow our Google profile for updates, and if you know a writer who'd like to read here, send them our way.
Hotel: wants a later checkout (no, with alternative)
Comfortable rooms. An 11am checkout is too early though; noon would be more reasonable.
Thanks for staying with us. We set checkout at 11 so housekeeping can have rooms ready for early arrivals, so we're keeping that time as standard. Late checkout is often possible on request, though, so ask the front desk the evening before and we'll do our best.
Home services: wants online quotes (not yet)
Did a great job on our fence. Wish I could get a quote online instead of waiting for a site visit.
Glad the fence turned out well. Online quotes are on our list, but fence jobs vary so much with ground and access that we'd risk quoting wrong without seeing the site. We're looking at a photo-based estimate for simpler jobs; we'll share it on our profile when it's ready.
Salon: suggests a loyalty card (no)
Love my color every time. A loyalty card would be the cherry on top!
Thank you, we love doing your color. We've kept things simple and put the money a loyalty scheme would cost into keeping prices steady for everyone, so we don't plan to add one. But thank you for the idea, and for coming back.
Retail: angry about parking, suggests validation (not yet)
Spent more on parking than on what I bought. Validate parking like every other store!
We understand. Paying more to park than you spent is maddening. We don't control the garage, but we've asked the building management about validation and are waiting on an answer. In the meantime, the street spots on Elm are free after 6pm and on weekends.
- Café: asks for a non-dairy option (yes): A clear yes, a date the café controls, and credit to the customer.
- Dental office: wants evening hours (not yet): Explains the real constraint and offers a workaround without promising a date.
- Restaurant: wants smaller portions (no, with alternative): A respectful no with a reason and an existing option the customer didn't know about.
- Auto repair: asks for text updates (yes): Shows the change already happened, which is the strongest answer of all.
- Gym: overcrowded classes, suggests booking (not yet): Admits the problem behind the suggestion, explains a trial rather than overpromising.
- Bookshop: suggests events: Enthusiastic yes without a date it can't control, and invites the customer to help.
- Hotel: wants a later checkout (no, with alternative): Explains the operational reason in one sentence and points to a real alternative.
- Home services: wants online quotes (not yet): Gives the customer the actual reason, which makes the wait feel fair.
- Salon: suggests a loyalty card (no): A friendly no with a reason customers can respect.
- Retail: angry about parking, suggests validation (not yet): Validates the frustration, is honest about what the business controls, and gives a usable tip.
How to respond to a suggestion in a review
Find the idea inside the review
Suggestions hide in the last sentence of a 5-star review or inside a rant. Underline the actual request before you write anything.
Thank them for the idea specifically
"Thanks for the oat milk idea" beats "Thanks for the feedback". It shows you read past the stars.
Check before you commit
If the answer might be yes, confirm with whoever controls it (kitchen, scheduling, landlord) before you put it in a public reply.
Give one of the three answers
Yes with a rough timeframe, not yet with the real constraint, or no with a short reason and an alternative if one exists.
Log it and close the loop
Keep a running list of suggestions with dates. When you make a change, mention it in replies to related reviews so people see the link.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Credit the customer when their idea becomes a change.
- Mention existing options they may not know about.
- Be honest about constraints you don't control (landlords, regulations, suppliers).
- Keep the tone grateful even when the answer is no.
Don't
- Promise a date you can't guarantee.
- Use "we'll pass it on" as a polite way of ignoring the idea.
- Explain your full cost structure; one sentence of reasoning is enough.
- Treat a suggestion as criticism and get defensive.
Suggestion reply template
- Yes: "Thanks for the [idea] suggestion! We're [doing it / starting it] [timeframe], so you'll see it on your next visit."
- Not yet: "Thanks for suggesting [idea]. We'd like to, but [constraint]. We're [what you're doing about it], and until then, [workaround]."
- No: "Thank you for the idea. We've decided not to [idea] because [short reason]. You can [alternative], and we appreciate you thinking about how we could be better."
More starting points are in our free review response templates. If a suggestion arrives inside a mixed review, our 3-star review responses page covers balancing praise and criticism.
Turning suggestions into a list you can act on
One customer asking for Sunday hours is a preference. Ten customers across three months is demand. The only way to tell the difference is to count. A shared spreadsheet with the date, location, suggestion and your answer is enough for most small businesses.
If you manage several locations, Responsly's Insights view groups the themes customers mention most across your Google reviews, which makes repeated requests easier to see without reading every review again. You still decide what to change; the data just makes the case clearer when you bring it to a team meeting. See review sentiment analysis for more on reading themes.