Digital reviews reshape Andorra's restaurant scene

Word-of-mouth still exists, but it has moved from the street to the screens. Its reach is no longer local but global, condensed into stars and comments that often decide whether a restaurant fills up or empties. Digital reputation has become an essential guide for customers and a constant source of tension for restaurateurs.

Fernando Blanco, a digital marketing expert and director of the agency SisèGrau, says the power of review platforms is clear and has a direct impact, especially in tourist areas. “The pressure on establishments is enormous, because customers make quick and often impulsive decisions based on ratings,” he says. That speed can be an opportunity, Blanco adds, but also a vulnerability when criticism targets factors unrelated to the food. He warns the system can be used as a lever for public revenge: “On Google it is very easy to drop a bomb on a place for any reason.”

Many restaurateurs echo that reviews sometimes judge things unrelated to cuisine and that there are cases of orchestrated campaigns. Andreia Antunes, manager of Andrea de la Massana and El Racó de la Tapa in Sant Julià de Lòria, laments that platforms are “an open door for everyone; anyone, even someone who hasn’t been to the restaurant, can comment.” When a review is unfair, the ability to respond often falls to opaque algorithms or support protocols. “We contact the service, but until they remove the review — if they do at all — weeks or months can pass.”

At the same time, the positive side for restaurateurs is undeniable: customers gain a compass when they don’t know the local scene. “A user can be guided by opinions when choosing a restaurant, especially when they are tourists and unfamiliar with the offerings,” says Laura, a manager in Andorra la Vella who asked to use a pseudonym. “If a place does things well, it will have a high overall score.” But that same tool can be used to inflict damage with impunity. Laura describes the thin line between a legitimate critique and an attack: customers can be rude or abusive from home instead of addressing issues in person. When a reputation has been built over years, living under constant scrutiny becomes exhausting. “We are one of the highest-rated restaurants in Andorra,” she says, “but you must strive for near-excellence to avoid online disparagement.”

Responding publicly is delicate; restaurateurs try to maintain composure even when faced with aggression. “I only reply to serious accusations, always with a polite and respectful answer,” Laura explains. Blanco reflects on the broader distortion of a system that began with a democratic aspiration: the degradation is not limited to reviews but includes the role of so-called influencers, who help shape an “opinion industry” that can also be harmful.

Antunes recounts everyday tensions that blur promotion and extortion. “There are supposed influencers who use their status to avoid paying and threaten to post a negative review if you don’t invite them,” she says. Some restaurateurs, meanwhile, downplay the influence of social media while acknowledging its risks. Joao da Costa, owner and chef of Barra Mar’s in Andorra la Vella, admits there is little to be done against negative comments and is frustrated by the bias of readers who focus on negatives. “You can have 500 good comments and 10 bad ones, and people only look at those last ones,” he observes.

Da Costa also criticises practices aimed at conditioning scores before a genuine experience: prompting customers to give five stars via a QR code before they sit down, or offering a shot in exchange for a good review. “That isn’t ethical either, because it pressures customers,” he says. Today, online visibility is essential, but it is not always managed fairly.

Digital reputation is a double-edged sword: it helps the public choose, incentivises quality and offers powerful promotion, yet it also opens the door to defamation, coordinated campaigns and a constant exposure that can damage businesses regardless of culinary merit.