Five Tips to Help Drive Diners to Your Restaurant from Google

By Ariel Kanter May 7, 2025

At Resy, we’re always looking for ways to help you get more people in the door and diners in seats. That’s why we sat down with the team at Google to hear their expert tips for reaching diners where they are.

Below, we’ll cover five easy tips from the Google team about how to make your Google Business Profile stand out, and how to make your restaurant more discoverable and enticing to potential new guests. This way, the next time someone comes searching for their next great meal, they’ll see your restaurant — spectacular photos, your latest menu, excellent reviews, and a simple and seamless way to book all in one place.

In 2024, 16.5% of first-time diner bookings made on Resy came from people using Resy’s integration with Google¹. Now’s the time to capitalize on that growth.

1. Accept Resy Reservations through Google

The first tip is simple: make sure you accept Resy reservations through Google. To do this, enable the Resy and Google integration, which allows diners to search and discover your restaurant on Google and make a reservation — or, if it’s a reservation requiring a credit card, they’ll be redirected to the Resy site to complete the reservation.

This integration helps streamline the reservation process for all the new and existing diners who want to book online through the Google Business Profile (and like we mentioned above, there are a lot of them!).

Here’s what you need to know about the integration:

The “Reserve a Table” button on your Google Business Profile connects right to your Resy availability.
Our integration is automated – once you are a Resy customer, this functionality is automatically available on your Google Business Profile.
For new openings, claim and verify your business on Google to manage all your most up to date information and offerings.

2. Having Your Menu (with Good Photos) on Google is Key

Here are some reasons why updating your menu is important:

84% of users look up the menu online before deciding on a new restaurant²
43% of final restaurant decisions are made after looking at the menu³
A user is 32% more likely to click on a menu item with a photo⁴

This tells us a lot about what turns a hungry diner who’s just doing some research into one that’s ready to make a reservation. First thing you need to do is add your menu to Google. The best menus will have dish information including names, descriptions, and price — and, most importantly — photos, since we know users love to see what they’re going to get.

If you have a photo or a PDF of your menu, you can even create a structured menu using AI to save time, so you don’t have to type in every single option available. And remember, even if your menu is seasonal and things change, this is about giving diners a sense of what to expect: a taste of what’s in store.

Don’t forget to add a link to your menu too, in case diners want to peruse the menu on your website.

3. Connect Your Social Media Links to Your Google Business Profile

Got a particularly popular Instagram account? Or want to grow your TikTok? Make sure you’re making the most of your online footprint by connecting your social media accounts to your Google Business Profile. This way, if users land on your page, they’ll be able to click through and see what you’re posting — perhaps check out your latest menu items or see that your patio is now open. Maybe they’ll learn about your new cooking classes and book a session. Hopefully, they’ll become a loyal follower and then book a reservation.

You can add any of the following social media profile links to your GBP: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Pinterest, TikTok, X and YouTube.

4. Focus on Events, Deals, and Menu Specials on Your Social Channels and Google Posts

If you’re trying to find ways to attract new diners and drive loyalty, whether that’s with cool events, happy hour deals, or menu specials, don’t forget to use all your channels to promote them. Post about your plans on social media and be sure to incorporate Google into your social media strategy by posting directly onto Google. This way, if someone searches, for example, “happy hours near me,” they may just happen upon yours.

If you are posting about what’s new or cool at your restaurant, here are few best practices:

Pay attention to the quality of the content and images you post. If it looks auto-generated, there are lots of misspellings, or images are blurry, it won’t be as alluring.
Make sure your posts are respectful and family-friendly.
Only post links to websites you trust that won’t create a security issue for anyone who clicks through.
Include keywords in your posts (i.e. Mother’s Day, Happy Hour, etc)

5. Encourage Customers to Share Their Experiences

Word of mouth is powerful, which is why a positive review is one of the best ways to build credibility and drive reservations. There are many ways diners can leave reviews, whether it’s a formally written Google review, a TikTok video of your hottest menu items and their favorites, an IG reel interviewing your chef, or even a Substack rundown. Make it easy for diners to find your social channels to tag you — and remind them how important customer reviews are to your business.

Just remember that a positive review is never guaranteed — customers are allowed to speak freely, so your best bet is to focus on hospitality and the good reviews (and reservations) will follow.

According to Resy proprietary data from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024.
Source: Touchbistro, State of the Restaurant Report
Source: Google Internal Data
Source: Google Internal Data

Learn more about the Resy x Google Integration here. For additional questions, contact your account manager or resysupport@resy.com.

*Opinions and views in articles shared on Resy OS are presented for the purpose of discussion and commentary on topics of interest in the restaurant industry; they should not be viewed as substitutes for advice given by professionally engaged business consultants and advisors.