Google Maps adds delivery and takeout filters to increase restaurant traffic

Restaurants are taking a brutal blow during COVID-19 as the state of emergency forced them all to close in Spain.

Takeout and home delivery have become the only way that restaurants can continue to generate income.

Some consumers may be more inclined to order their food from restaurants that were already associated with restaurant pickup and home delivery, over restaurants with better reputations but new to online ordering.

Eat there, take out or food delivery

The new function of Google Maps will help all restaurants that have the possibility of giving the service of “take out” and “home delivery” to be visible, even if they are new to these services and it serves as a means for many consumers to take advantage of this functionality to discover new restaurants that until now had not been considered.

Media reports on the impact of restaurants during this pandemic have prompted some consumers to purchase gift cards to help generate steady income for restaurants; But for restaurants to survive it is important to be able to continue offering service and not depend on being able or not to offer food in their premises.

The function is already active in Spain and is very easy to use: in Google Maps, on your mobile, you just have to see the words at the top and we will see the filters: take away or home delivery.

The counterpart is that, if your restaurant has incorporated these delivery or home delivery services, but you do not have a listing in Google My Business, you will be invisible to all consumers who search for a restaurant on Google.

If you do not have your own means to make home deliveries you can use third party delivery services, which charge a commission for each order they deliver, which have continued to operate during this crisis and have seen an increase in orders as the consumers stay home.

Delivery operators have improved the conditions they offer to help the catering industry, which is experiencing so many difficulties, so this may be the moment when you are interested in working with them.

Although the conditions of confinement are relaxing, for many restaurants it will not be profitable to open a terrace if they do not complement it with local delivery services and home delivery and now with Google Maps you have the opportunity to get new customers.