· Notes

How restaurants keep menus and hours right on Google

Keep your restaurant's menu and hours right on Google: special hours, more hours, temporary closures, the menu editor, order links and a monthly routine.

Short answer: Restaurants keep Google accurate by owning their Business Profile, changing hours and menus there first, setting special hours before every holiday, and matching the same menu and hours on their own website. Google says menu changes can take 24 to 48 hours to show, so update before the change, not after a customer complains.

Nothing sours a first visit like driving to a restaurant Google says is open and finding the lights off. Or ordering a dish from the online menu that came off the menu last spring. For restaurants and cafes, the Google Business Profile is often the menu and the front door at the same time. Here's how to keep it right.

Step 1: Make sure you control the profile

You can only edit your profile once you've claimed and verified it. Sign in with the Google account linked to the profile, search your restaurant's name, and look for "Edit profile". If you see "Own this business?" instead, claim it first. Keep the login with the owner, and add managers rather than sharing a password.

Step 2: Get every kind of hours right

Google gives restaurants several kinds of hours. Use each one for its job.

Main hours. Your regular customer-facing hours. Google's guidelines allow you to use your current seasonal hours as your regular hours if that applies.

Special hours. For holidays, events and short closures, set special hours so your regular hours don't change. Google says you can use special hours when you change hours or close for up to 6 days in a row. It also suggests confirming your hours for official holidays even when they're the same, so customers know they're accurate.

More hours. If takeout, delivery, brunch or happy hour run on a different schedule from the dining room, Google suggests setting "More hours" instead of special hours.

Temporarily closed. If you'll be closed 7 or more days in a row, or for an unknown period, Google says to mark the business as temporarily closed. Use this for a remodel or a long family trip, not a single holiday.

A simple habit: put holiday hours on your calendar a month ahead. Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, New Year's Day and the Fourth of July are the usual problem days.

Step 3: Keep the menu current

Use the menu editor. Food and drink businesses can add menu items with descriptions and prices, grouped into sections such as appetizers, mains and desserts. Google says changes can take 24 to 48 hours to show on Maps and Search. Some restaurants are offered a copy of an existing menu from another source to edit. If you accept it, check every item.

Check anything Google builds for you. Google offers an experimental tool that turns a photo or PDF of your menu into a menu on your profile. It can save typing, but review every name and price before you publish.

Add a menu link. Your profile can include a single link to your menu. Point it to the menu page on your own website, so there's one place to update.

Upload your own menu photos. Customers can add menu photos too. If your only menu photo is from three years ago, upload a current one.

Step 4: Check ordering and reservation links

Your profile can carry links for food ordering and reservations, and Google can add links from third-party partners automatically. Look at which delivery or reservation services appear on your profile. If one is wrong or you've stopped using it, you can remove it, and Google says providers must remove third-party links within 5 days of a removal request. Google also says that if you turn off "Accept orders on your profile", all ordering options and links are hidden.

Restaurants that use a waitlist provider through Reserve with Google can also show a "Join waitlist" button.

Step 5: Watch for changes you didn't make

Your profile isn't only edited by you. People can suggest edits to a profile they don't own. Google may also call, text or WhatsApp the verified phone number to confirm details like your hours, and use the answers to update the profile. You can review this in "Collected info" under Edit profile. Customers can also post photo updates that show seasonal menus or new hours.

So check your profile once a week. It takes two minutes.

Step 6: Make your website match

Your website should show the same hours, phone number and menu as Google. Put the menu on a real web page in text, not only as a photo, so it reads well on a phone and is easy to update. Google's local business structured data supports a menu link for food businesses and opening hours by day. Ask whoever runs your website to add it and keep it in step with your profile.

A 10-minute monthly routine

  • Search your restaurant on your phone. Are today's hours right?
  • Open the menu. Are prices and dishes current?
  • Are holiday hours set for the next month?
  • Do the ordering and reservation links work?
  • Does your website say the same thing?

AP Visible manages Google profiles and websites for local restaurants and cafes. Call (331) 298-2109 for a free audit.

Frequently asked questions

How long do menu changes take to show on Google?

Google says menu editor changes can take 24 to 48 hours to display on Google Maps and Search. Make changes a couple of days before a new menu starts.

What if my restaurant closes for two weeks?

Google says to mark your business as temporarily closed if you'll be closed for 7 or more days in a row. Special hours are for changes or closures of up to 6 days.

Can I list different hours for takeout or delivery?

Yes. Google suggests using "More hours" for specific services with different times, such as delivery and takeout hours, instead of changing your main hours.

Why did my hours on Google change when I didn't change them?

Others can suggest edits, and Google may call or text your verified number to confirm details and update your profile from the answers. Check "Collected info" under Edit profile.

Related: How we build websites for restaurants and cafes →

Sources

Written by Priscilla Patel, CEO of AP Visible, which builds websites and manages Google profiles for family-run shops around Aurora and Naperville, Illinois. More notes →

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