Rules and ethics
Review response time benchmarks UK: working targets
Review response time benchmarks UK: working targets for four channels, plus steps to measure your own median and 90th-percentile reply times.
What to take away
- These are review response time benchmarks UK hospitality teams can use as working targets, not measured industry averages. Reply time is the one reputation metric a hospitality team controls completely, so set a clock per platform and share it with staff.
- Working targets used in this guideGoogle Business Profile within 24 hours, Tripadvisor within 48 hours, Trustpilot within three working days.
- Response rate matters as much as speed. Use the per-platform targets below as starting points; for a booking-driving platform, aim for 90 per cent or higher.
- Measure your own median and 90th percentile monthly, then replace these targets with your own figures.
- Record the method beside the number so the benchmark survives a change of manager.
Why reply time is the benchmark you control
Guests decide the score. You decide the clock. That split makes reply time the most useful number on a hospitality dashboard. A hard week shows up as unanswered reviews within days, while a star rating can take months to move.
Google Business Profile puts a timestamp on every reply, so a slow answer is public. Tripadvisor applies weighting to recent activity and replies, and its ranking methodology sits behind the popularity index that drives discovery on the platform.
Working reply-time targets by platform
| Platform | First-reply target | Response-rate target | Why the clock differs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Business Profile | 24 hours, all week | 95 per cent | Reviews surface in map and local results |
| Tripadvisor | 48 hours | 90 per cent | Replies support the popularity index |
| Trustpilot | 3 working days | 85 per cent | Used mainly for service recovery |
| Direct feedback form | 5 working days | 100 per cent | Complaints need a private answer first |
These are working targets, not measured survey averages or a published UK industry benchmark. They suit a venue with one manager online each day. The table sets Google Business Profile at 24 hours and 95 per cent. Set Tripadvisor at 48 hours and 90 per cent, Trustpilot at three working days and 85 per cent, and a direct feedback form at five working days and 100 per cent. Replace these starting figures with your own after four weeks of logged replies.
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 gives the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) direct enforcement powers under consumer protection law, including for fake-review rules. Keep reply targets separate from review authenticity: never commission, publish or conceal fake reviews.
Response rate is the number guests never see
A fast reply to one review proves little. The pattern across a quarter is what future guests read when they scroll your profile. Track response rate weekly and treat a missed review as a task, not an oversight.
A venue that answers 9 in 10 reviews inside two days looks reliable. A venue that answers 10 in 10 within a week looks organised but slow.
How to measure your own median reply time
- Export every review notification and its timestamp for the last 90 days from each platform.
- Find the timestamp of your first public reply to each review.
- Subtract the review time from the reply time to get hours to first reply.
- Sort the results and read the middle value. That number is your median.
- Record the 90th percentile too, because the slowest tenth of replies shapes what guests expect.
- Repeat on the first Monday of each month and keep the earlier figures for comparison.
Keep reviewer names, contact details and any health or accessibility notes out of shared sheets. The ICO's Guide to the UK GDPR explains the lawful bases for processing. For ordinary review-handling records, legitimate interests may be an appropriate lawful basis where the processing is necessary and the venue has assessed its purpose, necessity and impact on the individual's interests. Health details are special-category data and also require an Article 9 condition; avoid collecting them unless needed.
Example reply clock for a family-run restaurant
A 40 cover restaurant with one owner and one assistant manager can run this clock without extra software.
- Google Business Profile is checked at 08:00 and 18:00 every day.
- Tripadvisor is checked on Tuesday and Friday mornings.
- Any review of three stars or fewer reaches the owner within 12 hours.
- Reviews naming an allergy, an illness or a staff member go to the owner before any public reply.
One reply routine that covers both channels costs less admin than two separate habits. Keep response-time and response-rate results separate by platform because their targets and checking schedules differ.
Review-management platforms such as Birdeye, Reputation and ReviewTrackers may help centralise replies. Before relying on one for these measurements, check that it can export review and first-public-reply timestamps separately by platform. Keep a short library of review replies in your review management software so nobody drafts from scratch under pressure. When staffing is tight, decide which platform earns the first reply and let the other wait until the next scheduled check.
Checklist for a written reply clock
- Name one owner per platform, plus a named deputy.
- Start the clock from the review timestamp, not from the moment a staff member notices it.
- List the triggers that pause the clock, such as allergy claims or legal threats.
- Agree the escalation path and a time limit for each step.
- Review missed replies every Monday and note the reason.
Common questions
What is a realistic reply time for a small cafe?
One working day for Google and two for Tripadvisor. A single owner can hold both when the checks are scheduled rather than left to chance.
Does a fast reply change my star rating?
No. Replies do not alter the score a guest gave. They change what the next guest reads before booking.
What response rate should we aim for?
Use the per-platform targets above as starting points. Aim for at least 90 per cent on the platform that drives your bookings and 100 per cent on private complaints. Below 80 per cent, unanswered reviews start to define the profile.
Should we answer every negative Tripadvisor review?
Yes, once and briefly. Answer the specific point, take the detail offline, and avoid repeating the complaint in your own words.
