Google Business Profile for restaurants: a setup checklist for Canadian owners

When someone in Canada searches for a place to eat nearby, the first result they see is usually not your website. It is your Google Business Profile: the box with your hours, photos, reviews and directions. For many diners, that box is the whole decision. Here is how to make it work for you.

Why does a Google Business Profile matter for restaurants?

It answers the questions diners ask before they choose: Are you open? Where are you? What does the food look like? What do other people say? A complete, accurate profile builds trust, and an incomplete or outdated one quietly sends people to the place down the street. Google describes local results as being based on relevance, distance and prominence, and a complete profile helps with relevance.

If you do only one thing this month, check that your hours on Google are right, including holidays.

How do you set up a Google Business Profile for a restaurant?

1. Claim or create your profile and verify your business.
2. Choose the right primary category, such as "Italian restaurant" or "Coffee shop", and add secondary categories.
3. Add your address, phone number and website exactly as they appear elsewhere.
4. Set your regular hours, and add special hours for holidays and events.
5. Add your menu, ideally as text or a link to a mobile-friendly menu.
6. Upload photos of your food, interior, exterior and team.
7. Complete attributes such as outdoor seating, accessibility, takeout and reservations.

What photos should a restaurant post on Google?

Photo type	Why
Signature dishes	Show what you are known for
Interior	Helps diners judge the vibe and occasion
Exterior and entrance	Helps people find you
Patio	A big draw in Canadian summers
Team	Makes the place feel human
Menu boards	Useful for counter-service spots

Use real, well-lit photos, and refresh them through the year, especially when your menu changes with the seasons.

How should restaurants respond to Google reviews?

• Reply to every review you can, positive and negative.
• Thank people specifically for what they enjoyed.
• Stay calm with criticism. Acknowledge the issue, apologize where appropriate, and invite them to contact you directly.
• Never argue or share private details about a customer.
• Do not offer incentives for positive reviews; it breaks Google's policies.

What should Canadian restaurants add to their profile?

• Holiday hours for Canadian statutory holidays, which vary by province.
• Seasonal hours if you open a patio or change hours in winter.
• Accessibility details, such as step-free entrance and accessible washrooms.
• Dietary options, such as vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free, where Google offers them.
• Payment options, including tap and cards.

Should a Quebec restaurant's profile be in French?

If you operate in Quebec, the Charter of the French Language requires French for business communications such as signs, menus and websites. Make sure your business information and posts are available in French, and add English if you want to reach visitors, without making French less prominent.

How do you use Google posts for a restaurant?

Profile posts let you share updates: a new seasonal menu, a festival menu during Dine Out Vancouver or Summerlicious, an event, or holiday hours. Keep them short, use a good photo, and update regularly.

How often should you update your Google Business Profile?

Check it at least monthly, and whenever something changes: hours, menu, prices, phone number, or a temporary closure. Look for edits suggested by the public, which can change your information if you are not watching.

How do you answer questions on your Google profile?

Diners can ask questions publicly on your profile, such as "Do you have gluten-free options?" or "Is there parking?". Anyone can answer, and the answers are not always right. Check regularly, answer from your business account, and keep answers short and accurate. You can also anticipate common questions by making sure your attributes, menu and description already cover them, which saves both you and your customers time.

What mistakes should restaurants avoid on Google?

• Wrong or missing holiday hours.
• An outdated menu or prices.
• Stock photos instead of real ones.
• Ignoring reviews and questions.
• Inconsistent name, address and phone number across the web.

Mosey is built around diners rating the places they actually ate at, dish by dish. Wherever people discover you, the same rule applies: be accurate, be visible and give them a reason to choose you.

More guides for your business:

• Restaurant marketing ideas in Canada that do not need a big budget
• Should your restaurant join Dine Out Vancouver or Summerlicious?
• Running an Okanagan restaurant through a wine-tourism year: staffing, bookings and the winter gap

More in the Canadian guides for food businesses.