A restaurant owner in London made an emotional appeal for support after alleging that Google is accepting fake one star reviews while rejecting genuine five star reviews from customers, claiming that the issue is affecting the business at a time of mounting financial pressure.
In a post on X, the owner of Singh's Dining, Harman Singh Kapoor, urged people to book tables, share the appeal and keep the restaurant operational. The owner also said that the restaurant had outstanding rent and was facing the threat of court proceedings from its landlord.
"Please book. Please share. Please help us survive," Kapoor wrote in the appeal, describing the restaurant as a passion and livelihood built through years of hard work.
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Today, I'm swallowing my pride and asking for your help to save my restaurant. Running a restaurant is more than a business to me. It's my passion, my livelihood, and something I've worked incredibly hard to build. We're facing one of our hardest times. Right now, @Google is accepting only 1-star fake reviews, while genuine 5-star reviews from customers are not being accepted. You can try posting a 5-star review and see for yourself. This is seriously affecting our business. With outstanding rent and our landlord threatening court proceedings, the pressure is unbearable. I never imagined making a post like this, but sometimes you have to set pride aside and ask for help. ???? Please book a table at Singh's Dining. Come enjoy our food, experience our hospitality, and see what we're all about. We're proud to be a non-Halal restaurant and want to keep serving our community for years to come. If you can't visit, please share this post with friends and family. Every booking, share, and bit of support means more than you can imagine. ❤️ Please help us keep Singh's Dining open. ❤️ From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has supported us. We need you now more than ever. ???? Please book. Please share. Please help us survive. https://t.co/gHNdT5FsLJ #SaveSinghsDining
— Harman Singh Kapoor (@kingkapoor72) October 12, 2026
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In the post, Kapoor alleged that Google was accepting one star reviews which he described as fake, while genuine five star reviews submitted by customers were not appearing. He invited people to try posting a five star review to see for themselves whether it appears or not.
Kapoor stated that the financial burden had become difficult to bear and acknowledged that making a public appeal required him to swallow his pride as it was not something he imagined he would have to do.
The statement also highlighted the restaurant's identity as non-halal, with Kapoor saying that he wanted to continue serving their community for years to come. He ended the post by thanking supporters and reiterating the request for bookings and shares, stating that every bit of support mattered as the restaurant attempted to remain open.
Online ratings can influence how prospective customers evaluate restaurants before deciding where to eat. If genuine positive reviews are not visible, a restaurant owner may worry that the displayed feedback does not accurately reflect the customers' experiences.
Google's official guidance states that reviews may be delayed or removed for several reasons, including policy violations and technical issues. Reviews can also take several days to appear while undergoing checks.
Google has previously acknowledged broader reports of missing reviews. In July 2026, Search Engine Land reported that Google was investigating complaints about disappearing reviews and had temporarily paused reviews on some local listings. A Google spokesperson said that the company would restore reviews that had been incorrectly removed.
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