Restaurant Survey Ideas: 70 Questions to Help You Improve Service and Food

Customer feedback is the secret sauce behind every successful restaurant. In a crowded dining landscape, knowing what your customers think (and acting on it) can turn casual diners into loyal fans.

A thoughtfully designed restaurant survey reveals what’s working, what’s not, and what changes could spark real growth.

With Polling.com, collecting and analyzing that feedback becomes fast, simple, and insightful.

In this article, we’ll explore how to craft effective restaurant surveys and share over 70 question survey topic ideas to inspire your next polling.

Why Restaurant Surveys Are Critical for Success

Understanding your customers is more than just good business; it’s essential for staying competitive.

Restaurant surveys unlock powerful insights that help you improve every part of the dining experience, from food and service to menu innovation and customer loyalty.

Understand Customer Preferences and Behaviors

Every diner walks in with different tastes, and data gathering surveys help decode what they’re really looking for.

Maybe 70% of your patrons prefer quick-service meals. Maybe they’re craving more bold flavors or healthier choices.

When you gather this kind of data, you can align your offerings with customer expectations.

Improve Food Quality, Service, and Ambiance

Sometimes small tweaks can have a big impact.

Restaurant surveys highlight problem areas, like bland dishes, long wait times, or dim lighting, that you might not catch otherwise.

Acting on that feedback, whether it’s upgrading ingredients or retraining staff, can lead to a noticeable boost in satisfaction.

Gain Insights for Menu Innovation and Pricing

Want to know if your diners are open to plant-based options or how they feel about your pricing? Surveys provide the answer.

For example, if 60% of respondents want vegan dishes, you’ve got a clear path to freshen up your menu.

Keep Your Customers Loyal and Happy

Feedback doesn’t just fix problems; it builds relationships.

Customers feel appreciated when their feedback results in real changes. That kind of connection can boost repeat visits.

How to Create an Effective Restaurant Survey

The best restaurant surveys don’t just collect data; they spark action. To get the most out of them, you need the right tools and a smart approach.

Choose the Right Tool

When it comes to restaurant surveys, Polling.com stands out.

Its drag-and-drop builder, real-time analytics, and flexible templates make it ideal for busy managers who want results without the hassle.

While Google Forms offers simplicity, it lacks depth. SurveyMonkey is powerful but comes with a steeper learning curve. Typeform is great for design, but its reporting is limited.

Polling.com strikes the perfect balance, offering robust features without the complexity.

Best Practices for Restaurant Surveys

Crafting a high-performing survey means following a few key principles.

First, keep it short, like 10 questions or fewer, to maintain attention.

Offer a small incentive, like a free drink or discount, to increase participation. In addition, time your survey delivery strategically, whether it’s right after dining or through a follow-up email.

And don’t stick to just one format. Mixing multiple-choice, NPS (Net Promoter Score), and open-ended questions gives you a richer set of responses.

Polling.com supports all of these best practices, making it easy to create restaurant surveys that actually work.

70 Restaurant Survey Ideas to Ask Your Customers

A great restaurant listening survey uncovers what diners truly think, helping you refine service, food, and ambiance with precision.

Here’s how to make a survey for a restaurant​ with 70 restaurant survey questions, grouped by theme, target key areas like customer experience and menu preferences, ensuring actionable insights.

Customer Experience Questions

1. How would you rate your overall experience?
2. Was our staff friendly and attentive?
3. How long did you wait for your food?
4. Was your table ready when you arrived?
5. How quickly was your order taken?
6. Did staff check on you during your meal?
7. Was your server knowledgeable about the menu?
8. How easy was it to make a reservation?
9. Did you feel welcomed upon arrival?
10. Was your dining experience consistent with past visits?
11. How would you rate the speed of service?
12. What could improve your experience today?

Menu Feedback Questions

13. What’s your favorite item on our menu?
14. Is there something you’d like to see added?
15. How would you rate the portion sizes?
16. Was the food prepared to your liking?
17. How fresh did the ingredients taste?
18. Did the menu offer enough variety?
19. Were dietary options (e.g., vegan, gluten-free) sufficient?
20. How would you rate the presentation of your dish?
21. Was the menu easy to navigate?
22. Did any dish exceed your expectations?
23. How spicy or seasoned was your meal?
24. What dish would you like featured as a special?

Cleanliness and Ambience Questions

25. Was the dining area clean and welcoming?
26. Did the noise level affect your experience?
27. How would you rate our restrooms?
28. Was the lighting comfortable for dining?
29. Did the seating arrangement feel spacious?
30. How clean were the tables and utensils?
31. Was the exterior of the restaurant inviting?
32. Did the decor enhance your experience?
33. How would you rate the temperature in the dining area?
34. Were there any odors that impacted your visit?
35. What could improve the overall ambiance?

Pricing and Value Questions

36. Do you feel our menu is reasonably priced?
37. Was the meal worth the price?
38. Would discounts or loyalty rewards encourage you to return?
39. How would you rate the value of our drinks?
40. Did portion sizes justify the cost?
41. Were specials or combos fairly priced?
42. How do our prices compare to similar restaurants?
43. Would you pay more for premium ingredients?
44. Did you find any menu item overpriced?
45. How appealing are our happy hour deals?
46. What pricing changes would improve your experience?

Delivery & Takeout Experience

47. Was your order accurate?
48. Was the food packaged well?
49. How was the delivery time?
50. Did the food arrive at the right temperature?
51. Was the online ordering process simple?
52. How friendly was the delivery driver?
53. Were utensils and condiments included?
54. How would you rate the pickup process?
55. Did the packaging keep food fresh?
56. Was the order confirmation clear?
57. What could improve your takeout experience?

Loyalty and Recommendation Metrics

58. How likely are you to return? (1–10, NPS format)
59. Would you recommend us to friends or family?
60. What could we do better next time?
61. How often do you dine with us monthly?
62. What keeps you coming back?
63. Did today’s visit meet your expectations?
64. How likely are you to join our loyalty program?
65. What made this visit memorable?
66. Would you follow us on social media?
67. How do we compare to other restaurants?
68. What’s one thing we do best?
69. Would you try our catering services?
70. How can we earn your loyalty?

Bonus: Survey Question Ideas for McDonald’s & Wendy’s

If you’re gathering inspiration from top fast-food brands, here are some restaurant survey questions tailored to companies like McDonald’s and Wendy’s.

These examples can help you better understand how giants in the industry use survey data gathering to improve operations and customer satisfaction.

Wendy’s Restaurant Survey Ideas:

1. How satisfied were you with the freshness of your burger?
2. Did our mobile app make ordering easier?
3. Was our staff friendly and welcoming during your visit?
4. What new menu item would you like to see at Wendy’s?
5. How likely are you to recommend Wendy’s to friends or family?

McDonald’s Restaurant Survey Ideas:

1. How would you rate the speed of service during your visit?
2. Was your order accurate and complete?
3. How clean was the dining area at the McDonald’s you visited?
4. What do you think about our value menu prices?
5. How often do you use the McDonald’s mobile app or kiosk to place an order?

Top restaurant survey companies like Polling.com make it easy to launch these types of surveys.

With some of the best survey tools on the market, you can quickly gather and segment feedback to keep your fast-food chain running at peak performance.

Analyzing Restaurant Survey Results for Actionable Insights

The real power of restaurant surveys comes from knowing what to do with the responses.

By segmenting feedback, such as by location, time of visit, or customer type, you can uncover clear patterns and opportunities.

For instance, reviewing 500 responses might reveal that downtown locations need faster service, while suburban locations score high in ambiance but low in vegan options.

With this insight, you can:

• Train staff at specific branches to improve speed or friendliness.
• Add or adjust menu items to reflect customer preferences (like more plant-based options).
• Revise pricing to better align with perceived value.

Even better, share the impact of these changes with your customers. Post messages like, “You asked for faster service, so we hired more staff!” on social media or receipts.

This “you said, we did” feedback loop builds trust and reinforces your restaurant’s commitment to listening and improving.

Use Polling.com to Launch Better Restaurant Surveys

Polling.com makes it easy to build, distribute, and analyze restaurant surveys, all in one platform.

Its intuitive drag-and-drop builder lets you customize restaurant survey templates to reflect your brand and goals, while powerful analytics help you visualize results in real time.

You’ll know instantly if 60% of respondents want bigger portions or if service speed is slipping in a certain location.

With Polling.com, you can reach guests where it matters most by integrating surveys via email, SMS, or QR codes.

One local bistro, for example, used Polling.com’s QR code surveys on their printed receipts and doubled their response rate. They quickly spotted a service issue and resolved it by adding more staff during peak hours, which directly improved their reviews and return visits.

With features like real-time dashboards, smart targeting, and easy distribution, Polling.com turns survey feedback into a strategic asset that grows your business.

Conclusion

Restaurant surveys aren’t just about collecting opinions; they’re a roadmap to better food, service, and customer loyalty.

By asking the right restaurant survey questionnaires and using survey tools like Polling.com, you can uncover meaningful insights and act on them quickly.

Get started with your first custom survey restaurant on Polling.com today and turn diner feedback into your biggest competitive advantage.