How to complain about a restaurant

Food service reviews are read more than any other category, so specificity is what separates a review that changes minds from noise.

What goes wrong most often

Charge for items never served
Auto-gratuity added and not disclosed
Reservation or event deposit kept
Sanitation issues you saw first-hand

The evidence that decides it

The itemized receipt
Photos of the dish or the issue
The reservation confirmation

Name the date, the dish, and the amount. Skip adjectives about the staff.

The regulator most people never use

County or city health department

Illness and sanitation reports go to the health department and become public inspection record. That record then outlives any single review.

Your state's channel is listed in the state complaint guides.

Where to post it

Wording that survives moderation

Start from a review template, keep every claim tied to a document, and read the wording rules before you post. If it comes down anyway, there is an appeal path.