top Review Platforms in MENA (2025)

In today’s digital era, word-of-mouth marketing for restaurants has taken a new form, which is online reviews. Customers’ experiences don’t end when they leave the restaurant, they continue on digital platforms or review platforms through ratings, photos, and comments. These can influence hundreds or even thousands of potential guests.

Online reviews play a pivotal role in dining decisions. Many customers nowadays rely on Google Reviews, Tripadvisor, and other reservation or ordering apps. 

In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the culture of restaurant reviews is growing notably, driven by the increased use of smartphones and the rising influence of food bloggers.

 

Why are restaurant and café reviews important?

Reviews aren’t just casual opinions. They have become a main pillar of success for any restaurant. They are your digital guide and the voice of customers that directly impact others’ decisions.

Here are some of the benefits of using restaurant review platforms:

• Building trust through transparency and online credibility

In a world filled with options and intense competition, customers seek trust before trying a new restaurant. Online reviews offer unprecedented transparency by showing real experiences from actual customers, away from traditional ad campaigns.

When people see a restaurant with many positive reviews from various segments, it boosts credibility and encourages them to try the restaurant’s offerings with greater confidence.

• The power of social proof and UGC

People tend to depend on others or get influenced when making choices. For example, if someone sees that many enjoyed a certain restaurant experience and recommended it, they’re more likely to follow suit. This is called social proof.

Reviews are a powerful form of user-generated content (UGC), another type of influential social proof. 

A real photo of a delicious dish taken by a customer or an honest comment on the service quality are better than any paid ad.

• Boosting your SEO and Google Maps visibility

Reviews play a vital role in improving your restaurant’s visibility on Google Maps and in local search results. Google’s algorithms depend on the number, frequency, and recency of positive reviews to determine a restaurant’s credibility and quality. 

The more positive reviews, the higher your restaurant’s chances will show up among the top results when customers search for similar places in your area.

That’s why constantly seeking reviews from satisfied customers isn’t just a courtesy, it’s an effective way to enhance your digital ranking and attract new guests.

• Reviews as a competitive edge

In a highly competitive market, restaurant reviews and ratings are a reliable tool to build trust and stand out. 

Restaurants that encourage customer feedback and respond to their reviews position themselves as customer-focused and responsive. 

Addressing feedback and improving the experience reflects your genuine care for customers. This strengthens your restaurant’s reputation, increases customer loyalty, and attracts new ones.

 

Key Criteria for Choosing an Effective Restaurant Review Platform

With the growing interest in online reviews, choosing the right platform for your restaurant has become very important. 

It should meet both your restaurant and customer needs to ensure maximum benefit.

Here are the main criteria to consider:

Regional relevance and language support

Choose a popular restaurant review platform used by your target audience in your local market, such as Google Maps or popular food delivery apps in your country. This ensures a broader visibility for your restaurant’s reviews.

Make sure the platform also supports Arabic, as it enables your customers to engage in their mother tongue language. This makes it easier for you to read and respond to feedback clearly and professionally.

 

Mobile-friendliness and app integration

The review platform has to be responsive and easy to navigate across all devices. This allows customers to write or read reviews anytime, anywhere. 

The possibility of integrating the platform seamlessly with popular review and food delivery apps like Google Maps, Talabat, and others is also preferable. It will expand your reach and improve the user experience.

 

Trusted reviews and effective moderation

Opt for a platform that guarantees the credibility of reviews by verifying user identity or their visit to your restaurant. This helps reduce fake reviews and ratings. 

It’s better if the platform offers an effective moderation system to remove inappropriate content and ensure a fair review environment to protect your restaurant’s reputation.

Integration with reservation or ordering systems

Explore a review platform that’s easy to connect with your restaurant’s reservation or ordering system. This allows your customers to rate their experience immediately after their visit or order. 

The integration helps you gather comprehensive data that links reviews and customer behavior. It makes understanding feedback easier and assists you to improve your service accurately.

 

Top 12 Restaurant Review Platforms in MENA in 2025

Here are 12 major restaurant review platforms you can focus on to boost your restaurant’s digital reputation and monitor customer reviews for your business and competitors.

 

Google Business Profile

This is by far the most important platform due to its massive reach and direct integration with Google Maps and Search. 

When customers search for nearby restaurants, Google Business results appear on top. Positive reviews and ratings improve your visibility in search engines and make your restaurants more discoverable to potential customers in your area.

 

Tripadvisor

Tripadvisor is a go-to platform for tourists and locals interested in dining. It allows them to book tables and leave detailed reviews or ratings based on actual experiences. 

That’s what makes one of the most influential platforms and restaurant review sites in tourist destinations like Dubai, Beirut, Jeddah, Sharm El-Sheikh, and other cities.

 

Zomato

Zomato enjoys robust presence and high credibility in the UAE and other countries in the region. It offers specialized features for restaurants, including menus, photos, reservation tools, and a review system that food pioneers rely on to make decisions.

 

Jeeran

Jeeran is an Arab-language platform based in Jordan. Popular in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, it focuses on local content and offers an easy interface for Arab users to share their experiences in restaurants and other places. Hence, it’s a key destination for Arabic-speaking customers.

 

Cairo 360

Since its launch in 2010, Cairo 360 has become a comprehensive lifestyle guide in Egypt. With a special section on restaurant reviews, it offers reviews for concepts in Cairo and other big cities. 

If your restaurant is located in Egypt, being featured in Cairo 360 is necessary to reach local audience looking for the new best dining spots.

 

OpenTable

OpenTable combines reviews and table reservation services, making it ideal for restaurants targeting customers who want elegant dining experiences. 

It’s widely used in major cities like Dubai and Doha. It provides reviews from verified customers, adding to the platform’s credibility.

 

Michelin Guide

Despite being a global platform, Michelin Guide’s expansion in the region, especially in Dubai and Riyadh, has positioned it as a benchmark for excellence and luxury. Leaving a positive review on it grants restaurants prestige and indicates an exceptional dining experience for gourmet food lovers.

 

Yelp

Yelp is gaining momentum in major cities in MENA, particularly among expats and youth. It offers integrated reviews for a broad range of businesses, including restaurants. This makes it a useful tool to reach a growing and diverse audience.

 

The Entertainer

While best known for deals and discounts, The Entertainer also features real community reviews on service quality and food. Popular in Gulf countries, it’s widely used within loyalty and savings programs.

 

Noon Food

Noon Food, a food delivery solution affiliated with the Noon platform, has rapidly expanded in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. 

It offers a user-friendly experience and daily discounts. It’s a favorite option for those seeking reliable food delivery. 

Noon Food is also easily integrated with other Noon’s offerings. The platform aims to offer competitive pricing while directly supporting local restaurants, along with providing reviews and ratings.

Talabat

Talabat is the Middle East’s pioneer food delivery platform, particularly in Gulf countries and Egypt. It stands out with its wide coverage, Arabic and English interface, rating system, and accurate instant delivery. 

It also provides restaurants with advanced services like in-app ads, promo codes, and performance analytics. This makes Talabat a key strategic partner to most restaurants in the region.

 

Uber Eats

Uber Eats is one of the major global platforms that actively operates in the regional market, especially in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. As part of the global Uber brand, it offers a seamless user experience and fast delivery. 

It also provides advanced tools for tracking orders and reviews, making it a reliable option for mid- and high-end restaurants targeting global and local audiences.

 

How Can Restaurants Benefit from these Platforms?

Restaurant platforms aren’t just for reservations or orders, even if that’s how they started. They have become a strategic tool to improve your restaurant’s reputation, attract customers, and achieve notable growth. 

Here’s how to benefit from a restaurant review platform:

 

Register and update your restaurant profile

Start by registering, creating, and updating your restaurant’s profile on major platforms like Google and Tripadvisor to fully control your information. 

Make sure you accurately update data such as your restaurant’s operating hours, address, phone number, website link, and any other key information. 

You can also upload high-quality photos of your restaurant that reflect the dining experience. Ensure your digital menu is clear and up to date, as this boosts customer trust and encourages them to visit or order.

 

Encourage happy customers to leave reviews

Make it easy for your customers to share their positive experiences. Train your staff to ask customers nicely for reviews after a visit. 

You can also send customers push notifications, SMS, or emails with direct links to rate the experience. 

Consider adding QR codes in visible spots at your restaurant to ease access to the review or rating page.

 

Deal with reviews professionally: Do’s and don’ts

What to Do: Respond quickly and professionally to all reviews. Thank customers for their positive ratings. In case there’s a complaint, be understanding, offer a sincere apology, and present a clear solution. Apologize publicly and discuss the details with the customer privately if needed.

What Not to Do: Don’t ignore negative reviews. Avoid defensive responses or arguments with customers. Don’t rely on automatic replies and make your responses as customized as possible.

 

Monitor reviews to improve restaurant performance

Reviews aren’t just tools to build reputation, they’re valuable to understand your restaurant’s performance. They help you spot repetitive patterns, whether positive or negative, to identify and reinforce strengths and tackle weaknesses.

Restaurant reviews also guide you in training staff based on repeated feedback. They help you improve the menu to match customers’ preferences. Moreover, constantly analyzing your reviews contributes to enhancing the overall experience and achieving better customer satisfaction.

 

Finally…

Customer satisfaction isn’t measured solely inside the dining room. It’s now written, read, and shared on online platforms that influence the decisions of thousands of customers every day. 

Therefore, the “review-driven economy” is no longer a passing trend, it’s a reality that restaurants need to adapt to stay relevant and competitive.

In MENA, restaurants that recognize the value of digital reviews and interact with them smartly, whether by listening, improving, or building relationships, are likely to attract more new guests.

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