u/XxLogitech98xX

How do you feel about Google starting to heavily use their AI Gemini to now scan for patterns of review manipulation, fake accounts and incentivized feedback. I keep seeing anti Yelp users come on this subreddit to basically tell people to use Google because they don't filter or remove reviews but now in 2026, they are heavily using their AI to check reviews.

I seen on their Google Community Page and subreddit of business owner complaining that reviews they consider legit is being removed. Google does have a appeal process though but I don't know how fast or good they are on that. From the business owner posting, it seem like the appeal process is slow or not helpful. My experience with Google is that they are slow on responding to reports.

I was wondering for the Yelp users, do you guys check-in to the business when you're there and before you write your reviews? I do it 99% of the time, by always uploading a picture with my check in and writing a little message.

For the users that keeps saying their reviews goes to the Not Recommended, I think this is one way to trick the algorithm to think you were actually there regardless if you have low review count or no default picture BUT I can't say with 100% accuracy. Someone would have to try it. I also know that new users or older generation users won't know about the check-in feature.

So I was looking through Google Maps when deciding where to take my mom for mother's day and I wanted to search for a particular dish from the photos. You don't have a search function when you're in the photos album on a place Google Page. I think that would be a nice feature to have, what other features would you like to see?

Do any of you uses or did used Yelp waitlist? I used it yesterday for a place we took my mom and it was convenient since we didn't have to wait long for a table at Boiling Crab which gets very busy.

I saw some places don't advertise it on their Yelp page but when you get there, they have a check in tablet with Yelp to be put on the waitlist.

Just wanted to see other people experience after you left a 1 star review for business and the owner responded to you. I left a 1 star review for a business that has over 800 reviews on Yelp and they have like a 4.9 star. They also have a 4.9 star on Google as well but less reviews like 300.

I left a 1 star because the service I received was bad. They never call ahead of time to make sure I was home and came late to the appointment. They did the job quickly but didn't check their work after they were done. I had to reset the unit and let it calibrate thanks to Google search. They also made a mess in the area and didn't clean up after themselves. My security camera captured everything and I took pictures for proof. After I wrote my review and attached pictures but not the videos, the owner basically started verbally attacking me in his response. He mention that I'm entitled because of my reputation on Yelp with a lot of reviews so I think I should get the best service and why he doesn't like doing services for people who write reviews on Yelp. He also mention that all contractor who does home repair will leave some kind of mess which is false. He also sent me a Yelp message calling me names and stuff. I just reported him to Yelp with his message screenshot but don't anticipate anything coming from that.

I also wrote my review on Google for him as well and he basically said the same thing on there. He kept mentioning how other people give him 5 star reviews and that's why he has good rating. I checked his Google reviews and a lot are from users account with max 5 reviews or less and didn't upload pictures. I think it's funny that my pictures are highlighted on his page on Yelp and Google. My review also have over 30 reaction from my Yelp friends so the sorting is putting my review on top LOL