---
title: "Google Maps' first dining trends list: what it shows about how Maps reads restaurants"
url: "https://eaiservice.com/blog/google-maps-dining-trends-what-restaurants-can-use/"
markdown: "https://eaiservice.com/blog/google-maps-dining-trends-what-restaurants-can-use/index.md"
publisher: "Evaluate AI Service"
owner: "Midwest AI Solution Inc."
editor: "Peter Chen"
datePublished: "2026-10-22"
dateModified: "2026-10-22"
relationship: null
corrections: "corrections@eaiservice.com"
---

[Blog](https://eaiservice.com/blog/) · Explainer

# Google Maps' first dining trends list: what it shows about how Maps reads restaurants

Google Maps' first Fan-Favorite Dining List, published October 8, 2026, ranks food trends and popular spots in 10 cities from reviews, ratings and direction searches. Froyo mentions in New York reviews rose 320% in a year, and dosa mentions in Seattle rose 136%. For a restaurant, the useful part is the method: Maps reads the dishes guests name in reviews and counts who asks for directions, and both show up in data you already have.

By [Peter Chen](https://eaiservice.com/authors/editor/)

Published October 22, 2026 · Updated October 22, 2026

## What did Google Maps publish?

On October 8, 2026, Google Maps put out its first [Fan-Favorite Dining List](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/maps/google-maps-fan-favorite-dining-list/). It covers 10 cities: Atlanta, Chicago, London, Melbourne, Montréal, New York, San Francisco, Santiago, Seattle and Tokyo. Google says it built the list from Maps reviews, ratings and aggregated searches for directions.

The list has three parts. First, food trends, measured as the change in reviews that mention a dish. Second, the dining spot people asked directions to most in each city. Third, top-reviewed places for big portions and small checks.

## Which food trends did the list find?

Google grouped the trends into three themes. The figures are year-over-year growth in reviews that mention each food.

| City | Food | Change in review mentions |
| --- | --- | --- |
| New York | Froyo | +320% |
| Tokyo | Mochi | +168% |
| Seattle | Dosas | +136% |
| London | Hojicha | +114% |
| Montréal | Cinnamon buns | +84% |
| Chicago | Beef tallow | +82% |
| Atlanta | Beignets | +77% |
| Melbourne | Ube | +75% |

Matcha grew by double digits in nearly all 10 cities. Google puts it at 82% in Chicago and 84% in Santiago, and over 50% in Seattle, San Francisco, New York and Atlanta.

The “most-navigated-to” list names one spot per city. Chicago’s is Pequod’s Pizza, New York’s is Katz’s Delicatessen and Seattle’s is The Pink Door.

## How does Maps read a restaurant, going by this list?

The list is a marketing piece. But it shows two things Maps measures closely.

**The words in reviews.** Every trend figure is a count of reviews that name a food. Google isn’t just reading the star rating. It reads which dishes guests write about. A spot that guests keep naming for its dosas is, to Maps, a dosa place.

**Who asks for directions.** The “most-navigated-to” ranking counts direction requests. That is a strong signal of intent, because a person who asks for directions is on the way. It is also a number you can see. Google lists Directions in [the performance data](https://support.google.com/business/answer/9918094?hl=en) of every verified Business Profile, next to calls, website clicks and menu clicks.

A [companion post](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/maps/google-maps-restaurant-tips-tricks/) from the same day shows where these signals surface for guests:

- **Ask Maps.** A guest types what they want, like a dish and a kind of seating. Google says Ask Maps reads billions of photos, reviews and menus to find a match.
- **Weekly lists in the Explore tab.** A Trending list for places that spiked in popularity, a Gems list for new neighborhood favorites and a Top list for classics.
- **“Know before you go” tips.** Notes from the Maps community on reservations, parking and what to order.

Ask Maps can also place orders. Google’s [August 6 post](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/maps/order-food-in-ask-maps/) said ordering was rolling out in the U.S. with Square and Toast, with Uber Eats coming soon. The October post lists Uber Eats, Toast and Square as partners.

## What can a restaurant do with this?

Start with what you control. You can’t buy a spot on the list, and Google does not say what it takes to get on one.

1. **Read your reviews for dish names.** Which dishes do guests name most? That is what Maps likely thinks you are known for. If it isn’t the dish you want to be known for, the fix is on the menu and the plate, not in the review.
2. **Make your menu match those words.** If guests write “dosa,” don’t list it only under a house name. A guest asking Ask Maps for a dish should find it on your menu, with the same word.
3. **Watch direction requests per store.** Compare each store with its own last month. A drop is worth a look at hours, photos and the menu link.
4. **Answer the “know before you go” questions.** Put parking, booking and signature dishes on your profile and your site, so the community notes match the facts.
5. **Check how guests order from Maps.** If your ordering runs on Toast or Square, see whether Ask Maps ordering reaches your stores yet.

Don’t ask guests to name a dish in their reviews. Google’s [Maps content policy](https://support.google.com/contributionpolicy/answer/7400114?hl=en) says merchants should not request that specific content be included. Ask every guest the same way for an honest review, and let them pick the words.

Your website and guest marketing tools feed the menu and ordering side of this. [Popmenu](https://eaiservice.com/reviews/popmenu/) and [Owner.com](https://eaiservice.com/reviews/owner-com/) both build restaurant sites with menus and online ordering. [Toast Email Marketing](https://eaiservice.com/reviews/toast-marketing/) works only for restaurants already on Toast POS. [SevenRooms](https://eaiservice.com/reviews/sevenrooms/) suits a group that wants one guest profile across stores. Our [restaurant marketing rankings](https://eaiservice.com/best/restaurant-marketing/) compare them on published plans.

## What we would not read into it

The list does not say how many reviews were counted. It gives no minimum for a place to qualify, and no number of direction requests behind each top spot. A rise of 320% from a small base could still be a small number of reviews. And Google does not say whether these signals shape normal search ranking, or only this list.

So treat it as a view into what Maps measures, not a ranking to chase. Dish words in reviews and direction requests are signals Maps clearly reads. Both come from guests who visited and wrote freely. A store that serves a dish well, names it clearly and keeps its profile right is doing the work this list rewards.

## Related reviews and comparisons

- [Popmenu review: best for an independent restaurant](https://eaiservice.com/reviews/popmenu/)
- [Owner.com review: best for an independent restaurant](https://eaiservice.com/reviews/owner-com/)
- [Toast Email Marketing review: best for a restaurant already on Toast POS](https://eaiservice.com/reviews/toast-marketing/)
- [SevenRooms review: best for a restaurant group](https://eaiservice.com/reviews/sevenrooms/)
- [Restaurant marketing](https://eaiservice.com/best/restaurant-marketing/)
- [All reviews](https://eaiservice.com/reviews/)

## Frequently asked questions

### How did Google pick the Fan-Favorite Dining List?

Google says the list draws on Maps reviews, ratings and aggregated searches for directions in 10 cities. It does not publish the review counts, the time window in days or any cut-off a place had to pass.

### Can a restaurant ask guests to mention a dish in their review?

No, Google's Maps policy says merchants should not ask for specific content in a review. Ask every guest for an honest review, and let them choose the words.

### Where can a restaurant see its own direction requests?

Direction requests appear in the performance data of a verified Business Profile. Google lists Directions as one of the metrics owners and managers can check, next to calls, website clicks and menu clicks.

## Sources

- [Google Maps reveals the top food trends and popular restaurants across 10 cities](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/maps/google-maps-fan-favorite-dining-list/) (read October 17, 2026)
- [3 ways Google Maps can help you navigate your next culinary adventure](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/maps/google-maps-restaurant-tips-tricks/) (read October 17, 2026)
- [Ask Maps gets more helpful with food ordering and more](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/maps/order-food-in-ask-maps/) (read October 17, 2026)
- [Maps user contributed content policy: fake engagement](https://support.google.com/contributionpolicy/answer/7400114?hl=en) (read October 17, 2026)
- [Understand your Business Profile performance & insights](https://support.google.com/business/answer/9918094?hl=en) (read October 17, 2026)

## Changelog

- October 22, 2026: First draft written with AI from the cited sources, then checked against them.

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