Google Business Profile for restaurants: what to fill in and keep current

Start with verification and the right category

Verification shows Google you’re authorized to manage the business. Then pick the primary category that describes what you are, such as the specific cuisine, rather than a generic one. Google lists the category among the details to keep complete so it can match you to relevant searches.

Use your real name, nothing extra

Google’s guidelines say a business name must not include marketing taglines or location details, and that adding unnecessary information to the name isn’t permitted and can lead to suspension. Write the name as it appears on your sign and your menus. Put the neighborhood in the address and the specialties in the description.

Hours, holidays and the facts guests act on

Google’s guidelines ask for your regular customer-facing hours. Wrong hours send guests to a locked door and lead to bad reviews, so update them before holidays, seasonal changes and private buyouts. Then fill in what guests decide on:

• Links to your menu page, reservation page and direct ordering page, where your profile offers them.
• Attributes such as outdoor seating, parking, wheelchair access and Wi-Fi.
• A short description of what you serve and what you’re known for, in plain language.
• Your phone number, answered during the hours you list.

Photos that answer questions

Google recommends adding photos and videos to show what you offer. For a restaurant, that means signature dishes, the dining room at service, the entrance from the street, the bar and any private room. Replace photos when the menu or room changes.

Reviews and replies

Google says replying to reviews shows customers you value their feedback. Reply to every review, briefly and specifically. Fix the factual problems reviews reveal, such as wrong hours or a missing dish, at the source. Never buy reviews: the FTC’s 2024 rule prohibits selling or buying fake reviews.

Keep the profile and your website in agreement

Search and AI answers compare sources. When your profile, website and other listings show the same name, address, phone, hours and menu, every source confirms the others. When they disagree, guests and software have to guess. Our restaurant SEO guide covers the listings to keep in step.