Google recently gathered influential voices in the food industry to unveil the latest trends shaping restaurant search and digital marketing.
From skyrocketing search terms to drone deliveries and the power of YouTube Shorts, here’s everything you need to know from the Restaurant Industry Influencer Summit.
Sizzling search trends: What’s cooking in 2025?
Google’s latest search data offers a glimpse into what today’s diners are craving – both in terms of food and digital experiences.
Here are some of the hottest trends shaping restaurant searches right now:
- “Hot honey pizza” is up 232% year-over-year (YoY). And if that doesn’t give you insight into the modern diet, I don’t know what will. It’s right up there with “food near me” and “food near me open now.”
- “Food near me” has seen an impressive 99% YoY growth.
- “Food near me open now” skyrocketed by a jaw-dropping 875% YoY, which is basically Google screaming at you to update your business hours.
- “Restaurants cerca de mÔ (restaurants near me in Spanish) emerged as a breakout search. This really highlights the growing demand for businesses to cater to Spanish-speaking audiences.
Speak their language – literally
There’s been a noticeable rise in Spanish-language searches for terms like “restaurants near me” and “fast food near me.”
Businesses that translate their menus and ads into Spanish (and other languages) will attract more customers and spend less money bidding on keywords.
Wendy’s and DoorDash take flight: The future of fast food delivery
DoorDash and Wendy’s are expanding drone delivery.
Testing is underway in Christiansburg, Virginia, and Dallas, with plans to launch in Charlotte.
These drones reduce delivery times from 30 minutes to 15, flying up to 70 mph.
Show, don’t tell
Search is becoming increasingly visual as Google doubles down on images and videos. No surprise there.
But here’s why it matters: restaurant-related searches have grown 33% year over year, and Google’s AI prioritizes high-quality visuals.
If your business still has blurry food photos, it’s time for an upgrade.
Professional photography can make all the difference. Let’s be honest, no one is clicking on a pixelated burger.
If your Google Business Profile could talk…
Lisa Landsman, Google’s head of global partnerships for the restaurants and travel verticals, posed a thought-provoking question:
“If your Google Business Profile could talk, what story would it tell?”
For many, it would likely be a tale of missed opportunities.
Michael Gnagy, product manager at Google, emphasized that “no one is better at telling your story than you.”
Keeping your profile updated with menus, photos, and accurate business hours helps Google’s AI deliver better results because it thrives on fresh data.
When I asked Gnagy whether adding attributes like Vegan or Vegetarian contributes to the “Ask Maps About This Place” feature, he confirmed that, theoretically, it should.
Google’s AI reviews all available data. Even small menu updates can shape how your business appears in search results.
While AI models aren’t perfect, they work best when given more data – so make sure your profile tells the right story.
Dig deeper: Google expands AI organized search results to restaurants
For restaurants, the future is Shorts
YouTube for restaurants is about to be a real thing.
If you’re not already creating YouTube Shorts and linking your account to your Google Business Profile, you’re leaving money on the table.
YouTube Shorts is a unique feed experience centered around vertical, full-screen videos up to three minutes long.
Here’s why your restaurant needs to jump on this trend:
- Over 70% of YouTube channels now upload Shorts regularly.
- Shorts outperform competitors like TikTok and Instagram Reels in terms of monthly usage.
- The format is designed for continuous engagement with swipeable, looped playback and algorithm-driven discovery.
- Initially popular with Gen Z, YouTube Shorts has expanded its reach to all age groups, now appealing to audiences aged 13-54.
- By optimizing your Shorts with geotags, relevant titles, and descriptions, your content has the potential to be featured in search results.
“According to a survey by Material, screened respondents in the US reported using YouTube Shorts the most among short-form video providers on a monthly basis.”
– “How brands can get the most out of YouTube Shorts ads,” Google Ads & Commerce Blog
Farah Shirzadi, stressed the importance of establishing a solid presence on YouTube. At a minimum, she recommended:
- Creating a channel.
- Linking to your website.
- Adding your location and business type.
- Uploading your logo.
- Linking your menu.
Connecting your YouTube handle to your Google Business Profile ensures your channel is recognized as the official page.
Introducing Place Pivot Pages: A new way to showcase your business on YouTube
To help your business stand out, Google offers a new feature called Place Pivot Pages, which centralizes all videos and Shorts related to a specific location or business.
By linking your YouTube handle to your Google Business Profile, you can make your business’s official videos more discoverable alongside user-generated content tagged to the same location.
This integration offers an opportunity to showcase your business through both official content and community-driven media.
Building your brand on YouTube Shorts
SEO experts are increasingly focusing on branding, a shift highlighted by last year’s Google API leak, which confirmed Google’s preference for recognized and trusted brands.
YouTube Shorts isn’t just about short-form videos. It’s a powerful branding tool. Here’s how to use it to strengthen your restaurant or local business:
- Showcase your personality: Share behind-the-scenes moments, tell your story, and highlight what makes your brand unique.
- Collaborate with local creators: Partner with influencers to expand your reach and connect with new audiences.
- Engage your community: Use comments, polls, and live streams to foster a strong connection with your audience.
Shawn P. Walchef of Cali BBQ Media shared success stories during a recent event, which he live-streamed on his YouTube channel.
His key takeaway? Go live.
Even if a stream starts with just 20 viewers, the real power lies in its simplicity. No post-production, just authentic engagement.
“We started going all in on YouTube Shorts in October 2024,” he shared.
Bottom line? YouTube Shorts isn’t just a trend – it’s a branding powerhouse.
Local Promotions in Maps: Boosting foot traffic with Performance Max
Launched in January 2025, the Local Promotions in Maps ad format – available through Performance Max for Store Goals – helps drive in-store traffic and boost sales with highly engaging, actionable promotions.
This feature allows businesses to attach in-store redeemable coupons to their campaigns, making them prominently visible on Google Maps. These promotions are:
- Viewable: Shown directly on a store’s location pin.
- Sharable: Customers can save and share offers.
- Actionable: Redeemable in-store or online for a seamless experience.
Note: Promotion assets must be added to the Performance Max for Store Goals campaign. Account-level promotion assets won’t automatically serve in Maps.
Learn more from Google’s help resources:
Justin Huang, Google’s global product lead, shared a key tip: use Performance Max bids to target local actions or store visits and enhance engagement by adding an offer code.
The results speak for themselves:
- Advertisers in the pilot saw a +42% increase in CTR by appending redeemable coupons.
- Nearly 45% of surveyed shoppers identified deals and promotions as the most helpful brand communication when considering a purchase.
Final thoughts
One thing is clear: Google wants more content.
They’re “motivated and excited” (their words, not mine) to create new features with AI, but they need businesses to step up.
Text messaging is making a comeback, and dynamic updates are the new normal.
My advice?
Log in, update your profile, and give Google’s AI something to work with.
It’s 2025. Your menu, videos, and photos should reflect it.
Dig deeper: Google Business Profile’s AI-transcribed menu upload just got better
source https://searchengineland.com/google-restaurant-search-trends-2025-451328
0 Comments