SEO for Restaurants: How to Be Found and Chosen Online

Sep 29, 2025

Today, 80% of diners search online before choosing a restaurant. For years, ranking well on TripAdvisor or Google Maps was enough. But in 2025, the customer journey has become hybrid: a diner might discover a spot on Instagram, check reviews on Google, then ask ChatGPT: “What’s the best Italian restaurant near me?”

This means SEO is no longer just about Google rankings. It’s about a holistic visibility strategy that combines local search, online reputation, and the social signals AI systems like ChatGPT and Gemini use to make recommendations.

At Sorbey.co, we help restaurants not only be visible, but also be chosen. This article shows you how to build a strong restaurant SEO strategy so your business appears on Google, gets recommended by ChatGPT, and ultimately drives more reservations.

1. Why SEO is critical for restaurants in 2025

The numbers don’t lie:

72% of local searches result in a visit within 24 hours
Restaurants in the Top 3 Google Maps results capture 60% of clicks
AI tools like ChatGPT already influence more than 1 in 3 dining searches

👉 If your restaurant isn’t visible, your competitors will be.

2. Understanding restaurant SEO

Restaurant SEO breaks down into three layers:

Local SEO: Visibility on Google Maps, Yelp, TripAdvisor.
Classic SEO: Ranking for queries like “best brunch Brooklyn” or “Italian restaurant in Paris 9th”.
Extended SEO: Social and authority signals leveraged by AI (ChatGPT, Gemini) and platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

3. From Google to ChatGPT: the AI transition

Google still dominates, but consumer behavior is shifting. More and more people prefer to ask ChatGPT or TikTok where to eat. A study shows 28% of generative AI users leverage it for local search

Best practice: Test your restaurant regularly on ChatGPT the way you used to test on Google. Ask “best Italian restaurant in [city]” and check whether you appear. If not → study who does, and why.

4. Reviews: the #1 driver of visibility and revenue

Reviews are the single most important ranking factor for both Google and ChatGPT.

Each additional star on Google or Yelp can increase revenue by 5–9% (Forbes)
Restaurants with more reviews are more likely to appear in ChatGPT’s recommendations.
Recent reviews (within 3 months) carry more weight than older ones.

👉 Replying to every review matters: diners are more likely to choose a place that actively engages with feedback.

💡 With Sorbey.co: we automate review collection and responses. This means:

You save 5+ hours per month.
You maintain a steady flow of fresh reviews.
You strengthen your reputation, which directly boosts visibility and drives bookings.

5. On-page SEO: how to optimize your website

Even though Google Maps drives most traffic, your website is still essential for credibility and AI indexing.

Step-by-step actions:

Create landing pages targeting local keywords:
- /brunch-brooklyn
- /italian-restaurant-paris-9
Publish menus in HTML text, not just PDFs.
Use optimized titles and headers (H1, H2) with your city/neighborhood keywords.
Test mobile speed with PageSpeed Insights → aim for under 3 seconds.
Add schema.org structured data (Restaurant, Menu, OpeningHours) to help AI systems interpret your info.

6. Off-page SEO: how to earn backlinks & mentions

AI and Google reward restaurants that are talked about elsewhere.

How to get backlinks:

Pitch 3 local food blogs and offer a guest article (recipe, chef story, behind-the-scenes).
Get listed in culinary directories (Yelp, OpenTable, Eater).
Partner with food influencers → ask for a link to your website in their blog or profile.
Participate in local events (food festivals, markets) that get covered in regional press.

👉 Target: at least 5 quality backlinks per quarter.

7. Social media & extended SEO

Instagram and TikTok are no longer “just marketing” — they’re discovery engines and SEO signals.

How to leverage them:

Post at least 3x per week, using local hashtags (#NYCBrunch, #ParisFoodie).
Always geotag posts with your restaurant location.
Vary content: dishes, behind-the-scenes, staff stories, customer testimonials.
Add a booking link in your Instagram bio.
Connect your social profiles to your Google Business Profile for authority.

👉 Why it matters: AI tools like ChatGPT factor in social popularity signals (frequency, engagement, mentions) when forming recommendations.

8. Common mistakes to avoid

Inconsistent opening hours: audit your listings weekly.
Outdated menus: centralize updates across platforms with a tool like Sorbey.co.
Ignoring negative reviews: respond using a 3-step framework:
1. Apologize (“We’re sorry about your experience”).
2. Acknowledge (“We’ve noted your feedback on service speed”).
3. Offer a solution (“Please come back, dessert on us”).
Non-mobile-friendly websites: 70% of restaurant searches happen on mobile.

9. How Sorbey.co helps restaurants

At Sorbey.co, we help restaurants:

Automate review management (collection + responses).
Ensure data consistency across all platforms.
Track visibility on Google Maps & ChatGPT.
Save time so owners can focus on hospitality, not admin.

👉 Our promise: put your restaurants on the map — and in AI recommendations.

Quick Takeaways

SEO is your digital storefront in 2025.
Reviews + Google Maps = top priority.
Social and AI signals are increasingly critical.
Sorbey makes SEO simple and automated.

Conclusion

Tomorrow’s diners may not use Google. They’ll ask ChatGPT: “Where should I eat tonight?”

If your restaurant isn’t in those first recommendations, you’re invisible.

The path is clear:

Build fresh reviews.
Keep your data consistent.
Optimize your website for local queries.
Build authority with social and local content.

With Sorbey.co, this becomes a streamlined, automated process. You save time, boost visibility, and guarantee your restaurant makes the list — not the footnotes.

👉 Request your free audit today to see if your restaurant is optimized for Google & ChatGPT.