Categories / Reviews & Reputation
SMS review requests at tables
Small diner · 3× monthly review rate
- Task
- capture first- and third-party reviews without collecting emails at the counter
- Result
- review rate rose from ~2/month (first 8 months open) to ~6/month with TextBack (~3×); 31 reviews/recommendations in ~5 months incl. 18 Google; NPS 100; overall rating 4.8 (highest in town per owner)
- Tools
- GatherUp TextBack (inbound SMS review channel); Google Business Profile; tabletop signage
- Setup
- place TextBack call-to-action on every tabletop and front counter → diner texts keyword to start feedback → route to 1st-party and Google/Facebook review asks → owner asks diners verbally to leave a review → monitor NPS and review stats in GatherUp reports
Send this to your AI
A ready-to-send prompt built from this card. Your AI will ask a few questions about your business, then give you a beginner setup plan.
Copy prompt
Help me set this up for my business: "SMS review requests at tables".
Example business: small diner/restaurant (9 tables, ~20 breakfast and lunch covers/day). Task: capture first- and third-party reviews without collecting emails at the counter.
Reported result: review rate rose from ~2/month (first 8 months open) to ~6/month with TextBack (~3×); 31 reviews/recommendations in ~5 months incl. 18 Google; NPS 100; overall rating…
Tools: GatherUp TextBack (inbound SMS review channel); Google Business Profile; tabletop signage
Setup outline:
1. place TextBack call-to-action on every tabletop and front counter → diner texts keyword to start feedback →…
Starter prompt from the guide (use it as a base):
I run a small diner (~[N] tables). We use GatherUp TextBack.
Write:
1. Table-tent copy (max 25 words) with placeholders [KEYWORD] and [PHONE], friendly, no hype.
2. A one-sentence verbal ask servers can say when dropping the check.
3. Three short Google review reply templates (great visit / mention of a dish / mention of a wait), under 40 words each.
First, ask me up to 5 questions about my business and tools. Then give me a beginner step-by-step setup plan, plus copy-paste prompts/templates I can use. Plain English, and tell me if any step needs a tech helper.
via autopilotbusiness.ai/use-case/small-diner-gatherup-textback-table-tents-3x-monthly-reviews-48-rating/Step-by-step setup guide + copy-paste prompt
Honest note: rules automation (inbound SMS → feedback link → review ask), not AI. Results are vendor-published for a very small diner (~20 covers a day). Your lift depends on how often staff also ask verbally. Paths come from GatherUp's TextBack help article.
Prerequisites
- A GatherUp account with the location set up and Google Business Profile connected.
- TextBack enabled for that location (GatherUp support can confirm if your plan includes it).
- Permission to print table tents / counter signs.
- A simple line guests can read at arm's length (keyword + number).
Step-by-step setup
Step 1. Turn on TextBack. Sign in, select the diner location, go to Requests → TextBack, and turn it on. Review the assigned SMS number (it may match your SMS Requests number).
Step 2. Set the keyword. The default keyword is often feedback; add a short custom keyword if you want (for example your diner name). Any enabled keyword triggers the auto-reply with the feedback link. Keep keywords easy to type on a phone.
Step 3. Confirm the feedback path. In Requests → Request Setup, make sure the location uses a flow that collects first-party feedback and then offers Google (and Facebook if you use it). Send a test from Request Setup so you see the guest experience.
Step 4. Print table tents and a counter sign. Put the number and keyword on every table and the front counter, for example: "Enjoyed breakfast? Text FEEDBACK to 555-123-4567." Use large type. The case also had the owner ask diners verbally—do both.
Step 5. Watch NPS and reviews. In GatherUp open the location reports (NPS / Business Report) weekly. Count new Google reviews against your old monthly average (the case went from about 2/month to about 6/month).
Step 6. Reply to every new Google review. In Google Business Profile (Search or Maps) open Read reviews → Reply, thank them, and invite them back. Keep replies short and specific.
Easier: let your AI do it
No official GatherUp connector for Claude, ChatGPT, or Grok. Use the prompt below for table-tent copy and reply templates, then paste into GatherUp and Google yourself.
What success looks like
Guests text without giving an email at the register. You get first-party feedback plus a steady trickle of Google reviews. NPS stays high when service is good—and you see dips fast when it is not.
Common issues & fixes
- No auto-reply: TextBack is off, or the guest typed the wrong keyword/number.
- Link opens but no Google ask: fix Request Setup so positive ratings route to public review sites.
- Staff forget to mention it: put the same line on checks or the thank-you card.
Optional: Maintenance
- Reprint tents when you change the number or keyword.
- Monthly: skim private feedback for kitchen or wait-time themes.
Copy-paste prompt
I run a small diner (~[N] tables). We use GatherUp TextBack.
Write:
1. Table-tent copy (max 25 words) with placeholders [KEYWORD] and [PHONE], friendly, no hype.
2. A one-sentence verbal ask servers can say when dropping the check.
3. Three short Google review reply templates (great visit / mention of a dish / mention of a wait), under 40 words each.Sources
- Case: GatherUp TextBack case study — small restaurant. Credit: the diner owner (vendor-published).
- GatherUp Help: TextBack (Customer-Activated Reviews via Text), SMS Requests, New Review Request Flow User Guide, Announcing TextBack
Industries: AI automation for Restaurants, Cafes & Food Businesses
Results as reported by the source; not independently verified. Community-sourced from public sites and attributed to the source platform. Original author? Ask us to correct or remove it. Read the disclaimer.