32 Restaurant Survey Questions to Boost Customer Satisfaction

Discover 40+ insightful restaurant survey questions with sample sets to boost guest feedback, improve service, and innovate your menu.

Restaurant Survey Questions template

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Preview restaurant survey questions template

Restaurant surveys are the not-so-secret sauce that helps your favorite eatery stay ahead in the culinary game. These quick bite-sized questionnaires, guest feedback forms, or even the cleverly-titled dining questionnaires, offer restaurants a chance to turn honest opinions into gold. Whether after dine-in, a delivery, or when that pumpkin-spiced menu hits, surveys track ever-changing tastes and habits. Let's dig into the flavors of restaurant survey questions—from classic customer satisfaction polls to specialty menus and sparkling new concepts.

Dine-In Experience Survey

Why & When to Use

No restaurant wants sour reviews online. That's why a dine-in experience survey swoops in to catch feedback before diners even leave their table. The best moment? Right after the meal or via a scannable QR code on the receipt—when that meal’s freshness and the ambiance are still top-of-mind. Gathering feedback in real-time helps staff resolve minor issues quickly, often turning a potential critic into a loyal fan.

Deploying a dine-in questionnaire doesn’t just patch up mistakes; it also spotlights what truly delights guests. Restaurants use these insights to recognize staff, fine-tune service timing, and tweak everything from lighting to playlist choices.

What’s magical about this survey is its ability to:

Address food and service hiccups immediately
Reduce negative online reviews
Offer up insights to improve table turnover and guest comfort

A smartly-designed guest feedback form can transform diners’ parting thoughts into actionable tips for managers. The result: more happy guests and a reputation that draws fresh faces in.

5 Sample Questions

How satisfied were you with the freshness and taste of your meal?
How would you rate the speed of table service today?
Did our staff make you feel welcomed and valued?
On a scale of 1–10, how comfortable was the seating and noise level?
What one thing could we improve to enhance your next dine-in visit?

A study found that 90% of diners would likely return to a restaurant where they had a bad experience if they could communicate directly with management and felt their concerns were taken seriously. (fsrmagazine.com)

Create your own survey

Create your survey, it's 100% free

Creating your restaurant survey with HeySurvey is a breeze—even if you’ve never used this tool before. Just follow these three simple steps, and you’ll have a polished survey ready in no time. When you’re done, hit the button below to open a survey template and jump right in!

Step 1: Create a New Survey

Start by visiting HeySurvey’s homepage and click the option to Create a Survey.
Choose between starting from an Empty Sheet for full customization or picking a Pre-built Template related to restaurant or customer feedback surveys.
Give your survey a friendly internal name so you can easily spot it later in your dashboard.

This step sets the foundation for all your questions and design choices. It’s also where you decide how fancy or simple you want your survey project to be.

Step 2: Add Your Questions

Inside the Survey Editor, click the Add Question button to start building your questionnaire.
Select the most fitting question type for each item: single or multiple choice, scale (like a satisfaction rating), text input, or even file upload if you want photos!
Write your question text clearly and add any helpful descriptions to guide your guests.
Don’t forget to mark important questions as required so you get complete answers.
Arrange questions in the order that makes the most sense to your diners, and duplicate similar questions to speed things up.

Adding your questions is where your survey goes from blank to meaningful. You can also sprinkle in images or make questions playful with markdown formatting to keep diners engaged.

Step 3: Publish Your Survey

When your questions shine, hit the Preview button to see your survey as your guests will.
Make sure it looks great on phones and tablets since most diners use mobile devices.
When satisfied, click Publish to activate your survey and get a sharable link or embed code.
Share that link on receipts, emails, social media, or via QR codes on tables.

Publishing means you’re officially ready to collect golden feedback and uncover insights that will make your restaurant the talk of the town.

Bonus Step 1: Apply Your Branding

Open the Branding panel to upload your restaurant logo and customize colors and fonts.
Create a vibe that matches your eatery’s personality—whether cozy and rustic or sleek and modern.

Branding not only looks professional but builds trust and recognition with your guests.

Bonus Step 2: Define Survey Settings

Access the Settings Panel to set start and end dates for your survey’s availability.
Limit the number of responses to avoid overload or close the survey automatically.
Add a Redirect URL to send diners to a thank-you page or special offer after they complete the survey.
Enable the option to let respondents view aggregate results, boosting transparency.

Tweaking these settings puts you in full control of your survey’s timing and guest experience.

Bonus Step 3: Use Branching to Personalize

Set up Branching so different questions appear based on earlier answers.
This means vegans get different menu follow-ups than grill lovers, or takeout customers see tailored satisfaction questions.
Branching creates a smooth, relevant flow that feels custom-made for each guest.

Personalized surveys maximize response quality and give you deeper insights without asking irrelevant questions.

Ready to turn feedback into your restaurant’s secret ingredient? Click below to start your survey with a handy template tailored just for restaurant surveys!

Create your survey, it's absolutely free

Takeout & Delivery Satisfaction Survey

Why & When to Use

For many restaurants, takeout and delivery orders are now key revenue streams. A takeout and delivery satisfaction survey is your behind-the-scenes hero, ensuring that meals arrive as delicious as diners expect. These surveys should reach customers moments after the order is marked “delivered,” when first impressions are still piping hot.

If packaging is leaky or fries arrive cold, these guest satisfaction polls offer a platform to capture zap-fast feedback. Restaurants boost repeat orders by quickly resolving these concerns, making sure every off-premise meal meets house standards.

Use these surveys to monitor:

Delivery punctuality
Packaging integrity and temperature
Accuracy of online or phone orders
Willingness to recommend to friends

A fine-tuned customer satisfaction poll for takeout channels guarantees that quality doesn’t drop outside the restaurant walls. It’s an easy way to win loyalty—one hot and fresh order at a time.

5 Sample Questions

Was your order accurate when it arrived?
How would you rate the temperature and packaging of your food?
Did the delivery arrive within the estimated time?
How easy was it to place your order online or by phone?
Would you recommend our takeout/delivery to friends? Why or why not?

A 2024 study by the American Customer Satisfaction Index found that customer satisfaction with food delivery services is significantly lower (score of 73) compared to full-service (84) and fast food restaurants (79). (theacsi.org)

Menu Feedback & Innovation Survey

Why & When to Use

Menus are living, breathing creatures, and a menu feedback and innovation survey keeps them evolving. For restaurants that want to spice things up—seasonal dishes, vegan twists, or gluten-free delights—these surveys gather crowdsourced inspiration. Roll them out each quarter, or whenever a chef dreams up a new dish.

This type of dining questionnaire is perfect for discovering rising stars or sleepy sellers on your current menu. It gauges if your portions make guests smile, not grumble, and spotlights untapped cuisines locals are craving.

What can these feedback forms uncover?

Most loved and least loved menu items
Gaps in dietary preferences
Portion size versus value perceptions
Hints for future menu specials
Menu readability for all ages

Feedback from menu satisfaction polls feeds directly into research and kitchen meetings. Happy bellies lead to return visits—and sometimes viral menu hits.

5 Sample Questions

Which menu items do you order most frequently and why?
Are there cuisines or dietary options (vegan, gluten-free) you’d like us to add?
How would you rate our portion size versus value?
What new flavor profiles interest you for future specials?
Did you find our menu easy to read and navigate?

Example image for restaurant survey questions

Create your own survey

Service Quality & Staff Interaction Survey

Why & When to Use

The secret to return business often lies in a server’s smile or the knowledge of the front-of-house crew. A service quality and staff interaction survey pinpoints where staff sparkle—and where a little training is needed. Timing is everything for this feedback: It’s best sent within 24 hours of dining, ensuring impressions are fresh, compliments remembered, and little mistakes easily fixed.

Restaurants use these surveys to:

Identify opportunities for extra training
Celebrate superstar team members
Discover tiny annoyances before they snowball
Learn which staff behaviors boost tips
Shape future guest service policies

When every server brings their A-game, guests return—and they tip more generously, too. A responsive guest feedback form delivers insights faster than any mystery shopper could.

5 Sample Questions

Did your server anticipate your needs (refills, condiments, etc.)?
How knowledgeable was the staff about menu items and allergens?
Were you greeted promptly upon arrival?
How would you rate the friendliness and professionalism of our team?
Did any staff member go above and beyond? Please describe.

Implementing service quality surveys in restaurants enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty by identifying areas for improvement and recognizing exceptional staff performance. (orders.co)

Ambiance, Cleanliness & Safety Survey

Why & When to Use

In a post-pandemic world, good food isn’t the only thing guests remember. Spotless restrooms, sparkling floors, and a welcoming vibe matter more than ever. That’s why the ambiance, cleanliness & safety survey is a must for every modern eatery. Restaurants typically collect this feedback via periodic emails or table-top QR codes—making it easy for even shy or busy guests to weigh in.

Guests are quick to notice issues with:

Cleanliness of the dining area and bathrooms
Décor, lighting, and overall atmosphere
Health and safety protocols
Background noise or intrusive music
Suggestions for ambiance improvements

By regularly collecting and acting on this feedback, restaurants prove they value safety and comfort as much as flavor. A spotless reputation—literally—can turn one-time visitors into loyal customers.

5 Sample Questions

How clean did you find our dining area, restrooms, and entryway?
Did our décor and lighting create a pleasant atmosphere?
Did you feel safe regarding our health and safety protocols?
Was background music volume comfortable?
What improvements to ambiance would enhance your experience?

Loyalty, Net Promoter Score (NPS) & Repeat Business Survey

Why & When to Use

If you want to gauge true love for your restaurant, loyalty, Net Promoter Score, and repeat business surveys are your trusty barometer. These are sent out monthly or anytime a guest reaches milestone visits, like their third plate of your famous lasagna. They’re short, punchy, and uncover why diners return—or why they don’t.

Owners use these customer satisfaction polls to test:

How likely guests are to sing your praises
Reasons behind a guest’s glowing or lukewarm score
Chances of joining loyalty or rewards clubs
Motivators for extra visits—like birthday treats or happy hour deals
Real patterns in monthly dining frequency

Solid feedback from these loyalty-oriented surveys allows you to tweak rewards, spot your biggest fans, and transform “meh” experiences into loyalty-building magic.

5 Sample Questions

On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend (NPS)?
What is the main reason for your score above?
How likely are you to join or continue our rewards program?
What incentive would most motivate additional visits?
How frequently do you dine with us per month?

Create your own survey

Event & Group Dining Feedback Survey

Why & When to Use

A big birthday bash or an office banquet brings in huge per-table revenue—but also massive expectations. Enter the event & group dining feedback survey: Sent soon after an event, it captures the honest reviews of organizers and attendees alike. These forms help fine-tune everything from catering menus to private room set-ups, giving your restaurant an edge in the event space.

Gathering feedback here helps with:

Meeting (or missing) planners’ expectations
Menu customization satisfaction
Room set-up details—like audiovisual gear and seating
Sense of value for the price tag
Likelihood of booking another event

Quick action on this feedback often means turning a “maybe” into a repeat event—and a string of five-star reviews to boot.

5 Sample Questions

Did our event coordinator meet your planning expectations?
How satisfied were you with the customized menu options?
Was the private room setup (A/V, seating) adequate?
How would you rate overall value for the price paid?
Would you book another event with us? Why or why not?

Pre-Opening or New Concept Market Research Survey

Why & When to Use

Before the ribbon is cut or the ovens are fired up, a pre-opening or new concept market research survey helps validate every decision. These surveys go out months before a new concept launches—shared online, on the street, or following tasting group events. With valuable insights, owners can tweak everything from price point to plate size, ensuring a hit, not a miss.

These surveys deep-dive into:

Must-have restaurant features
Locally-expected price ranges
Willingness to travel for one-of-a-kind cuisine
Competitor comparisons and gaps
Opening-day promotions to draw a crowd

Information from these market tests is the secret ingredient in a successful launch. They keep surprises for the chef—not for your finances.

5 Sample Questions

Which restaurant features are most important to you (taste, speed, ambiance, price)?
What average price point do you expect for an entrée in this neighborhood?
How far would you travel for specialty cuisine like ours?
Which competing restaurants do you currently frequent and why?
What opening-day promotion would tempt you to visit?

Best Practices – Dos & Don’ts for Restaurant Surveys

When it comes to crafting the perfect restaurant survey, best practices make all the difference. Keep surveys under three minutes—short and sweet wins the race. Always use a mix of scale-based questions and one open-ended prompt to capture both statistics and stories.

Helping guests complete surveys is as much about style as substance:

Incentivize with small discounts or dessert offers
Never lead respondents with biased wording
Avoid double-barreled questions (“Was the food and service good?”)
Make sure surveys work perfectly on mobile devices
Fast feedback means fast fixes—act quickly and let guests know

Remember, politely thank respondents for their time and announce improvements based on their feedback. This simple follow-up boosts participation and trust.

Crafted smartly, the right restaurant survey turns just another meal into a memorable experience for both guests and teams alike—and keeps your business serving up favorites for years to come.

Surveys aren’t just for data—they’re connection catalysts. Each thoughtful question brings actionable feedback and delightful surprises. Whether improving a menu or nailing a birthday party, feedback makes your restaurant more than a place to eat—it becomes a place to belong. Now, go forth and collect those golden opinions—they’re the best ingredient on your menu!