Google Business Profile for Restaurants: Step-by-Step Guide
When someone searches for “restaurant near me”, the first thing they see is a Google map card, not your website. Your Google Business Profile for a restaurant is the free business card that decides whether they choose you: hours, photos, rating, menu and an order button. Here is everything to do, step by step.
In short
- The profile (Google Business Profile) is free. Adding or claiming it costs nothing, but you must verify it.
- Google ranks by relevance, distance and prominence. Ranking cannot be bought.
- The three most common mistakes: too many categories, outdated hours and unanswered reviews.
- Add at least 3 food photos, a menu link and an order link that points to your own page.
- Menuto can take your regular opening hours from Google every morning, so you do not maintain them in two places.
How to claim and verify a restaurant Google Business Profile
First check whether your venue already has a profile. Search for the name and city in Google Maps. If a profile exists and is unverified, choose “Claim this business” and “Manage now”. If there is none, add it at business.google.com/add.
If somebody else has already verified the profile (a former owner, an agency, a colleague), you cannot simply take it over. You have to request ownership from the current owner. Google also has a process for duplicate profiles: one venue, one profile.
The verification method is chosen by Google, not by you. Depending on the business type and region you may get a code by phone or text, email, a live video call, a video recording, and in some cases a postcard.
- #01
Enter your details
Name, address, phone and category exactly as they are in the real world.
- #02
Use the method offered
Phone or text, email, video. Automated phone systems (IVR) cannot receive the code.
- #03
Wait for the review
After verification Google can take up to 5 business days to review the profile.
- #04
If it is a postcard
A 5-digit code, usually within 14 days, valid for 30 days. Do not change name, address or category while waiting, and do not request a new code.
What to fill in on a restaurant Google Business Profile
This is where “relevance” to the search is decided. Google’s rules are simple, and breaking them is a reason for the profile to be suspended or changed by Google itself.
Name: only the real name of the venue, with no slogans, phone numbers, hours or “best pizza downtown”. Categories: as few as possible and as specific as possible. Google suggests a category should complete “This business IS a …”: for example “Italian restaurant” or “Pizzeria”, not a list of dishes. Additional categories are for genuinely separate services. Editing a category may trigger a new verification.
Description: honest and short, with no links, prices or promotions. Phone and website: must lead to this specific location. Attributes (Wi-Fi, parking, outdoor seating, wheelchair access, delivery, pickup): tick only what is true. They help guests filter and help Google match you to the right searches.
Opening hours and holiday hours on Google
Wrong opening hours are the most expensive small mistake: a guest arrives at a locked door and leaves a one-star review. The profile has three different settings, each for a different job.
| - | What it is | When to use it | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular hours | The standard schedule by day, including days off | Always | If you stay open late, enter the real closing time, not “around 11 pm” |
| Special hours | An exception for a specific date | New Year, Christmas, Easter, a private event, renovation | Enter it a week ahead |
| More hours | A separate schedule for a separate service | Kitchen, delivery, breakfast, pickup | Only if it really differs |
Google reviews changes before they go live, so do not leave them to the last minute. After saving, check how the profile looks in both Maps and Search.
A practical rhythm: once a week look at upcoming holidays and events and enter the special hours for them. If you close for a private event or renovation, mark it in advance, not on the day. That way guests who plan dinner see the right information.
Photos and video on your Google profile
Google recommends adding at least three photos of the food and drinks you serve, featuring your most popular dishes with even lighting. Your newest media appears first, and uploads can take 24 to 48 hours to show up.
Photos should be real, without heavy filters: the profile should look like the venue. Besides dishes, upload the entrance (so people find you from the street), the dining room and, if you have one, the terrace. Do not fill the profile with photos of empty tables. For how to shoot dishes, read food photography with a phone.
Guests also upload photos to your profile, and not all of them are good. You cannot forbid it, but you can outweigh them with your own: add new photos of seasonal dishes regularly so they sit on top. Check guest photos too: if one is wrong or breaks the rules, you can report it.
In numbers
- food photosGoogle’s recommendation
- 3+
- recommended size720 × 720, minimum 250 × 250
- 720 px
- maximum per photoJPG or PNG
- 5 MB
- longest videoup to 75 MB, 720p or higher
- 30 s
Menu link and the “Order” button
A guest who finds your profile wants two things: to see the menu and to order. Google allows one menu link and ordering links for pickup and delivery, up to 10 links per category. You add them in the profile, in the food ordering section.
A detail many skip: the order link can lead to your own page, not only to a platform. That way the order arrives without commission. You can mark your link as “preferred” for pickup and for delivery. The menu in the profile should reflect what is actually available, not just “popular items”. How own orders pay off is covered in own ordering vs platforms.
In some countries Google shows these links under an “Order online” button, so the display can differ from other regions. Check your profile on a phone.
- #01
Open your profile
In Search or Maps, signed in with the account that manages the profile.
- #02
The menu
Add a link to your menu page. Ideally the same address as the QR code on the tables (QR menu).
- #03
The orders
In “Food ordering” choose “Add a link” and paste the address of your ordering page.
- #04
Preferred link
Mark it as preferred for pickup, delivery or both. Make sure “Accept orders on your profile” is on, otherwise the links are hidden.
Reviews and posts
Reviews are part of “prominence”. Google lets you ask for reviews with a link or QR code, but forbids offering discounts or gifts in exchange for a review or for removing a negative one. Replies are public, so keep them calm and short.
The goal of a reply is not to convince the author but the guests who read it later. Someone choosing where to eat often reads exactly how a venue reacts to criticism. A calm, specific reply is often worth more than the review itself. Name one person to watch the profile and give them ten minutes every few days so reviews do not go unanswered.
A review that breaks Google’s rules (spam, wrong venue, abusive content) can be flagged for review. Disliking the food is not a violation: it gets an answer.
Posts are short news items on the profile: Updates, Offers, Events. They suit a daily menu, a seasonal dish, a music night. Posts older than 6 months are archived unless you set a date range. A phone number in the text may get a post rejected if it cannot be tied to the business.
A good reply
- Addresses the guest by name and is signed (name or initials)
- Answers soon, clearly and to the point
- Admits a real mistake and says what you can do
- For a complex case: “please contact us by phone or email”
A bad reply
- The same generic “thank you for your review” under every review
- Arguing with the guest or making personal attacks
- The guest’s personal data in a public reply
- Advertising or offers in the reply
Google Business Profile mistakes for restaurants and a checklist
Do
- One profile per venue, verified and under your own account
- The real name, 1 primary category and only the additional ones you need
- Holiday hours entered before the holiday
- An order link that points to your own page
Avoid
- Duplicate profiles and old profiles of former owners
- Keywords in the name (“Pizzeria Best Pizza Sofia”)
- Outdated hours and outdated menu prices
- Reviews left unanswered for months
Google profile checklist
- The profile is claimed and verified, under your account (not an agency’s)
- The name is the real one; no duplicates
- The primary category is specific; additional ones are few
- Address, phone and website lead to this venue
- Regular and special hours are up to date
- At least 3 food photos, plus entrance and dining room; no heavy filters
- A menu link and an order link (pickup and delivery)
- Attributes that are true: Wi-Fi, outdoor seating, accessibility
- Every new review gets a reply within a few days
- A monthly check from a phone: hours, photos, buttons
Total10 items
Frequently asked questions about a restaurant Google profile
Is a Google Business Profile free for a restaurant?
Yes. Adding or claiming the profile is free. You only pay if you choose paid advertising yourself, which is not needed for the profile and the map.
How long does verification take?
After you complete the steps, Google can take up to 5 business days to review the profile. A postcard usually arrives within 14 days and is valid for 30 days. Phone, email or video are faster, but Google decides which method you get.
How do I change opening hours for a holiday?
Use “Special hours” for the specific date. Your regular schedule stays unchanged. Google reviews changes, so enter them at least a few days ahead.
Can I add a link to my own ordering page?
Yes. Google allows custom order links, they appear in Search and Maps and you can mark them as preferred. That way you avoid platform commission. See how own ordering works.
Can I offer a discount in return for a review?
No. Google prohibits incentives for reviews. You can ask for a review, for example with a QR code on the receipt or the table, without promising a reward.
How do I remove a bad review?
Only if it breaks Google’s rules (spam, wrong venue, abusive content) can you flag it. Unhappy reviews stay, and you answer them calmly.
What does Menuto do with the Google profile?
Menuto can take the regular opening hours from your profile and refresh them every morning. Special days stay in Google. The menu and orders live on your own page, which your link points to.
Sources
- Google Business Profile Help: Claim or add your Business Profile
- Google Business Profile Help: Verify your business
- Google Business Profile Help: Guidelines for representing your business
- Google Business Profile Help: Improve your local ranking
- Google Business Profile Help: Edit your business information (hours, special hours)
- Google Business Profile Help: Photo and video requirements
- Google Business Profile Help: Tips for business-specific photos
- Google Business Profile Help: Manage online ordering options
- Google Business Profile Help: Read and reply to reviews
- Google Business Profile Help: Choose a business category
- Google Business Profile Help: Posts on your Business Profile