Who controls my store's Google and Yelp listings?

It depends on your franchise system. Many chains manage listings centrally through a brand team or an approved vendor, while others leave each location's listing to the owner/operator. Check your franchise agreement and ask your brand contacts before assuming you have access.

What can be done if I don't have access to my listing?

Monitoring, policy-based review reporting, review-bombing response and guest-feedback reports all work without listing access — they use publicly visible review data. Drafting and publishing review responses requires access to the listing.

Can I claim my store's listing myself?

Only if your franchise agreement allows it. In centrally managed systems, claiming a listing yourself can conflict with the brand's own management and your agreement. Confirm with your franchisor first.

Do I need franchisor approval to hire a reputation vendor?

Often, yes. Franchise agreements can limit which outside vendors an owner may use, and some systems keep an approved-vendor list. Before engaging anyone, confirm with your brand contacts whether an outside reputation vendor needs approval.

Will you work within my franchise agreement?

Yes. We scope our work to what you're allowed to do. If your agreement restricts listing access or vendor use, we limit the engagement to the services that don't cross those lines.

Do you contact the franchisor on my behalf?

No. We work for you, the owner/operator. If a situation calls for brand involvement — for example, a review-bombing event affecting a store — we document it so you can raise it through your own brand channels.

Can you remove a bad review from my store?

Only reviews that break the platform's published rules are eligible, and the platform decides. Google's rules prohibit fake engagement, off-topic content such as general political or social commentary, and content posted from multiple accounts to manipulate a rating. Genuine negative reviews stay up — Google says not to report a review just because you disagree with it.

What happens when a store gets review-bombed over a news event?

Platforms treat reviews tied to a news event rather than a visit as off-topic content, and they do remove them. We document the pattern and escalate it through the platform's official reporting channels quickly.

Can I offer customers an incentive to leave a review?

No, and we will never do it for you. The FTC's rule on consumer reviews (16 CFR Part 465), in force since October 21, 2024, allows civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation for fake or bought reviews and review suppression.

Will a better rating increase my sales?

We can't promise that. The best-known research on reviews and revenue found ratings move revenue for independent restaurants but not for chain-affiliated ones. What the evidence does support: most consumers screen businesses by star rating and recency, and expect owners to respond.

For restaurant franchise owners

Franchise reputation questions, answered

Listings, approvals and chain policies work differently when you operate under a national brand. These answers apply across the chains we serve; chain-specific numbers live on each chain's page.

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Listings

Who controls my store's Google and Yelp listings?: It depends on your franchise system. Many chains manage listings centrally through a brand team or an approved vendor, while others leave each location's listing to the owner/operator. Check your franchise agreement and ask your brand contacts before assuming you have access.
What can be done if I don't have access to my listing?: Monitoring, policy-based review reporting, review-bombing response and guest-feedback reports all work without listing access — they use publicly visible review data. Drafting and publishing review responses requires access to the listing.
Can I claim my store's listing myself?: Only if your franchise agreement allows it. In centrally managed systems, claiming a listing yourself can conflict with the brand's own management and your agreement. Confirm with your franchisor first.

Approvals

Do I need franchisor approval to hire a reputation vendor?: Often, yes. Franchise agreements can limit which outside vendors an owner may use, and some systems keep an approved-vendor list. Before engaging anyone, confirm with your brand contacts whether an outside reputation vendor needs approval.
Will you work within my franchise agreement?: Yes. We scope our work to what you're allowed to do. If your agreement restricts listing access or vendor use, we limit the engagement to the services that don't cross those lines.
Do you contact the franchisor on my behalf?: No. We work for you, the owner/operator. If a situation calls for brand involvement — for example, a review-bombing event affecting a store — we document it so you can raise it through your own brand channels.

Chain policies and platform rules

Can you remove a bad review from my store?: Only reviews that break the platform's published rules are eligible, and the platform decides. Google's rules prohibit fake engagement, off-topic content such as general political or social commentary, and content posted from multiple accounts to manipulate a rating. Genuine negative reviews stay up — Google says not to report a review just because you disagree with it.
What happens when a store gets review-bombed over a news event?: Platforms treat reviews tied to a news event rather than a visit as off-topic content, and they do remove them. We document the pattern and escalate it through the platform's official reporting channels quickly.
Can I offer customers an incentive to leave a review?: No, and we will never do it for you. The FTC's rule on consumer reviews (16 CFR Part 465), in force since October 21, 2024, allows civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation for fake or bought reviews and review suppression.
Will a better rating increase my sales?: We can't promise that. The best-known research on reviews and revenue found ratings move revenue for independent restaurants but not for chain-affiliated ones. What the evidence does support: most consumers screen businesses by star rating and recency, and expect owners to respond.

Sources

Chain-specific pages

McDonald's franchise owners

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