Restaurant Survey Questions for Guest Feedback in Ireland

Collecting honest feedback from your customers is one of the most effective ways to improve restaurant operations, increase loyalty, and refine your guest experience. 

According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, in which 200 Irish restaurant managers were polled on running an establishment, 30.5% collect guest feedback in person, while only 24% use online surveys—revealing a huge opportunity to engage more customers with structured, scalable feedback loops.

Why Restaurant Feedback Surveys Matter

Let's talk about what's happening in Ireland right now. According to Amárach Research, customer satisfaction is slipping and down almost 2% from last year. That might not sound like much, but in the restaurant world where margins are already razor-thin, it's a warning sign we can't ignore.

In this context, regular feedback surveys become invaluable tools for restaurants to understand customer expectations, identify areas for improvement, and implement changes that enhance the dining experience. 

The restaurants that are thriving right now are the ones listening closely and making adjustments based on what they hear. It's how they're building a loyal following and staying profitable while others struggle.

What to Ask: Sample Restaurant Survey Questions

These sample questions are designed to collect insights across service, cleanliness, menu, staff, and more. Mix rating scales with open-ended questions to get both measurable and qualitative responses.

Overall Experience

• How would you rate your overall dining experience today?

• What could we have done to make your experience better?

• How likely are you to dine with us again?

Food & Menu

• Was your food prepared as expected?

• Was there a good variety of options on the menu?

• Were any dietary needs well catered to?

Value for Money

• Did the price reflect the quality of the food and service?

• Were our portion sizes satisfactory?

Cleanliness & Comfort

• How would you rate the cleanliness of the restaurant?

• Did you feel comfortable and welcome during your visit?

Service & Staff

• How friendly and professional was the staff?

• Was your order taken accurately and delivered promptly?

Digital Experience

• How easy was it to book a table or place an order online?

• Would you like to see more contactless or mobile options?

Feedback Channels

• Would you prefer to give feedback online, in person, or via a loyalty programme?

• What’s the best way for us to follow up with you?

How to Get Answers to Your Questions: POS, NPS, and More

Use Your POS to Automate and Organise Feedback

A modern point-of-sale system like Toast POS can help you gather feedback through digital receipts, loyalty apps, or tablets. You can:

• Prompt guests to complete short surveys after payment

• Automatically tag feedback with order data (server name, items ordered, wait time)

• Filter feedback by location, daypart, or shift to uncover patterns

Operators who integrate feedback with POS analytics get richer, faster insights—helping them respond to customer issues before they hit review sites.

Add NPS to Measure Loyalty Over Time

The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is one of the simplest, most effective loyalty metrics:

• Question: “How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?” (0–10 scale)

• Promoters (score 9–10): loyal enthusiasts

• Passives (score 7–8): satisfied but unenthusiastic

• Detractors (score 0–6): unhappy customers likely to churn

Your NPS score = % of Promoters - % of Detractors

Track this monthly to see how changes in service, staffing, or pricing impact guest loyalty.

Survey Best Practices

• Keep surveys under 5 minutes

• Mix multiple-choice, scale-based, and open questions

• Offer an incentive, like 10% off the next visit

• Rotate questions monthly to avoid survey fatigue

• Always thank respondents—and share what you’re doing with the feedback

When and Where to Collect Feedback

According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, these are the most common feedback collection methods among restaurant operators:

• In person: 30.5%

• Comment cards: 27%

• Online surveys: 24%

• Third-party review sites: 12.5%

To maximise reach, use multiple touchpoints:

• Printed QR codes on tables

• Follow-up SMS or email surveys

• Social media polls

• In-app questions for loyalty members

What to Do With Feedback

Only 32.5% of Irish operators make changes monthly based on customer feedback—meaning most are missing out on real-time insight. Feedback should drive action. 

Here’s how to build a loop:

1. Review feedback weekly with your managers

2. Categorise responses (e.g. menu, service, cleanliness)

3. Create action plans and assign responsibilities

4. Report outcomes to staff and celebrate improvements

5. Share changes with customers (e.g. social posts or signage)

Final Thoughts

From improving staff training and cleanliness protocols to updating menus based on diner preferences, feedback is your shortcut to better performance.

If you’re ready to get started, explore our full collection of checklists, templates, and digital tools to help your team gather and respond to customer insights in real time.