ChatGPT now displays local search results with integrated maps and Google reviews.

The local SEO has long been synonymous with Google: being well positioned in Google Search and Google Maps was key to attracting nearby customers.
But in 2025, a notable change disrupts the game. Now, even conversational AI tools like ChatGPT integrate local information (notably reviews and ratings from Google Maps) into their responses.
In other words, the playground of local SEO is expanding beyond traditional Google search results pages.

In this article, we decipher this evolution and what it means for your restaurant's visibility.

ChatGPT draws from Google Maps reviews: what does that change?

The new development that is making headlines is the integration of Google Maps data into ChatGPT's responses. Specifically, when a user asks, for example, "What is the best café in Paris?", ChatGPT is now capable of displaying a mini local result with a map, the names of establishments, their average rating, and the number of Google reviews.

This brings ChatGPT's experience closer to that of a traditional search engine, with the difference that it is the AI that selects and presents the information in a synthetic manner.

Recent analyses have shown that ChatGPT pulls directly from Google Business Profile rankings and profiles to formulate these local responses. In other words, the restaurants highlighted by the AI are simply those that appear at the top of the results on Google Maps for the given query.

If your restaurant is number 1 on Google Maps for "Italian restaurant Lyon", ChatGPT is likely to recommend yours first. Conversely, if you are relegated to 10th place on Maps, you may risk being invisible via ChatGPT, regardless of the quality of your own website.

It is important to note: Each local query processed by ChatGPT essentially amounts to a disguised Google Maps search, or TripAdvisor, etc. Not being in the local Top 3 of Google Maps for a query means being invisible to ChatGPT users. These users trust the AI's suggestions and will contact the restaurant it recommends first. Therefore, it is crucial to be among the top-ranked locally to capture this new flow of potential clients.

Local SEO is no longer limited to Google... nor to search engines

Until now, "doing local SEO" meant optimizing your site and your Google listing to please Google's algorithm. From now on, you also need to think about pleasing AI algorithms that will be picking up information from everywhere. Certainly, Google remains the dominant data source (ChatGPT primarily uses Google data for local), but other players could follow suit. Bing (and its embedded chatbot) uses its own local data, Apple Maps is also developing its reviews, not to mention potential future specialized AI assistants.

As you can see, ChatGPT will draw its sources from a plethora of different links.

For you, restaurateurs, this implies a more cross-cutting strategy: take care of all your online aspects and not just aim to climb on Google. Your overall reputation and the quality of your information will be evaluated by multiple artificial intelligences simultaneously.

Focusing on the quality of reviews and optimizing your Google listing

In this new ecosystem, two elements dominate to stay at the top: your customer reviews and your Google Business Profile listing (formerly Google My Business).

1. The quality and freshness of online reviews. ChatGPT and others do not read all reviews, but they interpret the general trend. An excellent average rating accompanied by flattering and recent comments will be a green light for the AI to recommend you. Conversely, a profile dotted with unresolved negative reviews will avoid mentioning your establishment. It is important to recall that in 2023, 94% of consumers said that a negative review had dissuaded them from going to a business; AIs are likely to adopt the same reflex by "eliminating" restaurants with a bad reputation from their responses.

What to do: regularly encourage your satisfied customers to leave 5★ reviews to maintain a high average rating. Aim for at least 4 stars or higher, as users (and therefore AIs) mainly trust establishments rated 4★ and above. Also, monitor the recency of your reviews: it’s better to have 100 reviews with an average of 4.5, of which 10 were obtained this month, than 300 reviews at 4.7 where the most recent one dates back a year. Moreover, ChatGPT gives significant weight to recent reviews in its recommendations. The velocity of acquiring reviews (consistent flow of new reviews) is becoming a leading local SEO asset.

2. An exemplary Google Business Profile listing. Your Google listing is now your business card with AIs. ChatGPT extracts numerous pieces of information from these profiles: average rating, number of reviews, photos, hours, etc., and presents it all as a personalized recommendation. Therefore, you need to ensure that your listing is filled out optimally and attractively: precise description, relevant categories, up-to-date hours (including holidays), online menu, price range, quality photos (which we will touch upon in the next article), and even regular Google Posts to show that you are active. A well-maintained listing not only pleases Google’s algorithm (and improves your ranking on Maps), but also provides the AI with all the elements to confidently promote you.

What to do: review each field of your Google profile. Do your photos entice people? Does your description contain the right local keywords (cuisine, neighborhood)? Have you thought about activating Google messaging to quickly interact with prospects? All these details contribute to your prominence online, which is a key criterion of local SEO. Google Maps considers relevance, distance, and prominence (reputation) when ranking a place. That’s precisely the ranking that ChatGPT reuses in its responses. Hence the necessity of being as relevant and popular as possible in Google’s eyes.

Towards an expanded, multiplatform local SEO

In conclusion, yes local SEO is changing and becoming more demanding. However, the recipe for success remains consistent: excelling on Google will serve you well everywhere else. Consider ChatGPT (and other AIs) as new intermediaries that amplify the importance of your online presence. A single neglected area – for example, unresolved negative reviews – can now cost you visibility not just on Google but also on ChatGPT, Bing, and others.

The good news is that if you follow the best practices of local SEO (optimized Google listing, well-maintained customer reviews, up-to-date website), you will be equipped to shine on all fronts. Restaurants that understand and anticipate these changes now will attract a new clientele that comes through AI recommendations.

Need help adapting your local visibility strategy?

Don’t hesitate to contact us.

We offer a free audit of your local SEO and e-reputation to ensure that your restaurant remains essential on Google and on new intelligent platforms.