The Secret Sauce to Winning AI Search For a Restaurant

AI search already decides where people eat. Not next year. Not someday. Now.

I was in the “nahhh” camp on this until literally this week when my good buddy Chip Klose, MBA shared something with me that clicked in hard. He said the reason we don’t immediately see it is because we still use AI like we’re using a Google search but Millennials and Gen Zs use it differently. It’s becoming more and more part of their search journey.

And while I can confirm from very trustworthy sources that the best way to optimize a restaurant for search whether it’s traditional, apps, or AI is listings management, the world is rapidly becoming more AI enabled every single day.

Given that, it’s actually pretty easy to optimize for this type of search right now. Might as well do it while it’s still easy. You do want your restaurant to be more discoverable online, right?

What I learned: AI doesn’t “discover” you. It doesn’t magically understand who you are. It only knows what you make clear on your listings AND your website.

I spend a lot of time helping restaurants get more guests, more orders, and more feedback. And right now, I’m realizing that solving the AI blind spot is simple: your site doesn’t give AI enough clean info to recommend you.

So the models guess … and guessing usually helps your competitor.

It’s not complicated. It’s answering the exact questions people ask AI every single day.

These are the 10 FAQs every restaurant needs on their website, and why each one actually matters.

People constantly ask AI: “Are they open right now?” If your hours aren’t clear and current, the model pulls old data from a third-party site or skips you. Easy win.

AI gets “near me” queries with details like cross streets, parking, and transit. If your site doesn’t answer that, you don’t get included.

AI reduces friction. If you bury your ordering link, you disappear from “quick dinner,” “order food,” or “pickup near me.”

People ask AI this instead of calling. If you don’t say it clearly, the model makes assumptions ... usually wrong ones.

AI needs anchors when describing you. Give it your signatures or it picks something random.

Dietary intent is massive in AI search. If you don’t say you have it, AI assumes you don’t.

AI won’t guess. If you don’t give a price tier, you get filtered out of “affordable,” “casual,” or “nice but not expensive.”

High-value searches. If your site doesn’t explain capacity or process, those bookings go somewhere else.

Friction slows down recommendations. AI boosts restaurants that make life easier including parking.

This is the only section where you define why someone should choose you. AI uses it to understand your vibe, your hospitality style, your differentiation, everything that separates you from “generic American restaurant.”

Search has been getting more contextual for years. It’s no longer “best pizza near me.” It’s “best pizza near me with gluten-free options, parking, a kids’ menu, and a family-friendly vibe.” That’s why optimizing for both local search and AI is important.

Not because of my brand promise obsession. Not because it fits my talk track. Because guests actually ask this. And AI depends on it.

Every other FAQ is functional hours, parking, ordering, reservations. Those answer logistics. But AI and humans also want to know “Why you?”

This one question is where you give AI the vocabulary to describe your experience instead of getting shoved into the “generic American restaurant” bucket.

So yes, keep it in. It’s not optional. It’s strategic.

OK, now how do you actually do it? You trust me as the “how to” marketing guy, and of course I’ve got a framework for this.

These are the questions AI tools get asked every single day. Answer them clearly and AI can finally talk about your restaurant accurately.

Copy/paste this into your website and fill in the blanks:

We’re open:

Our address is [Full Address].

We’re near [cross streets / landmarks].

Parking: [details]

Transit: [lines / stops]

Yes! You can order here: [Online Ordering Link]

We also partner with: [DoorDash / Uber Eats / Grubhub / etc.]

We offer [reservations / walk-ins / both].

If you’d like to book ahead, here’s the link: [Reservation Link]

You can view our full menu here: [Menu Link] Guest favorites include:

Yes! We clearly mark all dietary options.

If you have an allergy, our team is happy to help guide you.

We’re generally in the [$ / $$ / $$$] range.

Most dishes fall between [Price Range].

Yes! We host events up to [capacity] guests.

We also offer catering trays and large-order pickup.

Contact: [Name / Email / Phone]

We offer [street / lot / garage / validated / valet] parking.

Details: [timing / fees / instructions]

We’re known for [your brand promise], [signature dish], and [hospitality style].

Our focus is delivering a consistently great experience every time you visit.

Let me be crystal clear about something:

You can’t win AI search, local search, or organic search without solid listings management. It’s the foundation. It’s the plumbing. Without it, nothing else works, not Google, not Apple, not ChatGPT, not your website.

These FAQs don’t replace listings management. They add power to it.

Listings management tells the internet who you are, where you are, when you're open, and what you offer ... everywhere a guest might look. It’s the single most important thing a restaurant can do to control its online visibility.

The FAQ section simply gives AI the extra context that listings can’t cover. Together, they make your restaurant fully discoverable in a world that’s shifting to AI-first search.

The good news? These two steps are straightforward, doable, and put you in a stronger position as AI becomes a bigger part of how people decide where to eat.

If you want help tightening up your listings, your website, or your AI search presence, you know where to find me.

Email me: [email protected]

—Rev Ciancio

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