In today's digital world, where every choice—from what movie to watch to what vacation to book—is made on a screen, a restaurant's online reputation has become crucial. According to data from the Fipe-Confcommercio Research Department, online reviews account for up to 30% of a restaurant's turnover. This is a huge percentage, which shows how much one more (or less) star on a review platform can determine the success or failure of a business.
The power of reviews (and social media)
70% of consumers base their choice of restaurant on posts and reviews published online. This trend has revolutionized the way restaurants present themselves and are perceived by the public. Until a few years ago, word of mouth was the main factor influencing choices, but today platforms such as TripAdvisor, Google, and Yelp rule the roost, along with Instagram and TikTok. But this digital transformation has a dark side: the growing prevalence of fake or manipulated reviews. According to data released by TripAdvisor, as many as 8.6% of reviews published in 2024 were found to be inauthentic. This is a significant percentage, especially considering that 66% of consumers, as reported by Il Sole 24 Ore, admit to regularly encountering unreliable reviews.
The results of the Epam survey
A recent survey conducted by Epam (the Association of Public Businesses of Confcommercio Milano), which involved restaurateurs and catering operators in Milan, provides a more detailed picture of the impact of this phenomenon. The results are clear: 77% of operators believe that reviews on large platforms have a decisive impact on the performance of their businesses. But there's more. As many as two out of three operators say they have suffered direct damage as a result of false reviews, to the extent that they consider the issue a real threat to their reputation and, consequently, to the sustainability of their business.
When reviews are a trap
It is not just a matter of complaints from dissatisfied customers—which are legitimate if they are justified and constructive—but often of content created specifically to damage a competitor, favor another restaurant, or, in extreme cases, blackmail restaurateurs. There are also agencies that offer paid packages of positive reviews, further undermining the authenticity of the system. And while platforms are trying to improve their algorithms to filter out fake reviews, the problem continues to grow, fueled by increasingly distrustful users and fierce competition.
Towards a more conscious consumer
Today's challenge is twofold: on the one hand, protecting honest operators who invest time, passion, and resources in the quality of their work; on the other, educating consumers to take a more conscious approach to reading reviews. How? By evaluating the consistency of comments, the number of user contributions, the presence of real photos, but also by relying on authoritative sources, independent guides, or certified communities. A critical eye and careful reading can make all the difference.
The role of associations and institutions
The analysis by Epam and Fipe-Confcommercio is a first step in shining a spotlight on a problem that is too often underestimated. More effective tools are now needed: from the adoption of ethical codes between platforms and restaurateurs, to greater transparency in content moderation, to the possibility for operators to report and defend themselves against blatantly false reviews.
Because behind every dish served there is work done with skill, sacrifice, and passion. And an unfair judgment should never have the power to ruin it. The restaurant industry has embraced digital transformation with enthusiasm, but today it is grappling with its distortions. Fake reviews are not just a nuisance: they pose a real risk to the economic stability and credibility of an entire industry. It is up to operators, institutions, and consumers to work together to build a fairer, more transparent, and meritocratic system.
