SEO for restaurants and cafés
Guests decide on their phones – via Google Maps, photos, reviews and the menu. In Swiss cities and tourist spots, many search in English. We make sure your restaurant is found for “restaurant near me”, lunch and group dinners, and turns searches into bookings.
- 1Your restaurant★★★★★ 4.9 · Restaurant · Tables free tonightOpen
- 2Restaurant A★★★★☆ 4.3 · Restaurant
- 3Café B★★★★☆ 4.1 · Café
How guests search
Someone who wants a quick lunch searches differently from a visitor looking for a Swiss dinner experience or a team planning a Christmas party.
| Need | Typical searches | What your website needs |
|---|---|---|
| Nearby & now | restaurant near me restaurant zurich open now café with terrace geneva | Current hours, location, terrace, photos and one tap to book. |
| Lunch | lunch menu zurich business lunch geneva takeaway lunch basel | Weekly menu as text, prices and quick service. |
| Swiss specialities | best fondue zurich raclette restaurant geneva traditional swiss food lucerne | Menu as a web page with clear dish names, English descriptions and allergen notes. |
| Groups & events | company dinner zurich christmas party venue private dining room geneva | An events page with rooms, capacity, set menus and an enquiry form. |
| Brunch & weekend | brunch geneva sunday brunch zurich breakfast café basel | A brunch page with times, price and booking – high weekend demand. |
A restaurant’s Google profile
For restaurants, the Google profile often matters more than the website. Guests decide here in seconds.
- Category and cuisinePrimary category matching your cuisine, e.g. “Swiss restaurant” or “Café”, plus others.
- Hours and exceptionsKeep opening hours, kitchen hours, rest days and holidays current.
- Menu and reservationsLink your menu and booking system.
- Photos of food and roomRegular new, real photos – dishes, terrace, team.
- Replies to reviewsReply to every review, politely and specifically.
- AttributesTerrace, vegetarian options, wheelchair access, dogs welcome – where applicable.
Rules for hospitality online
These three points cost restaurants guests online – or cause trouble.
Allergen information
Guests must be able to get allergen information. State online how.
Alcohol advertising
Advertising spirits is restricted, especially towards young people. Be restrained with promotions.
Bought reviews
Fake reviews breach Google’s rules and Swiss unfair competition law.
This is guidance, not legal advice. For technical questions, GastroSuisse and the cantonal food inspectorate can help.
Example: page title in Google
Found in ChatGPT and AI Overviews
Questions like “Where can I get good fondue in Zurich with a vegetarian option?” are increasingly asked of AI assistants. They name restaurants with clear, current information.
How we work with restaurants
Restaurant check
Google profile, website, portals and competition nearby.
Clarify goals
Lunch, dinner, tourists, brunch or events?
Implementation
Menu as a web page, events pages, schema markup, profile upkeep.
Reporting
Monthly: rankings, calls, bookings and direction requests from Google.
Restaurant SEO by canton
Search behaviour and competition vary a lot from canton to canton. Here are our regional pages.
Frequently asked questions from restaurants
Do tourists and expats search in English?
Constantly. “Best fondue Zurich”, “brunch Geneva”, “restaurant with lake view Lucerne” – English searches are huge in Swiss cities and tourist spots. An English menu page and profile details win these guests.
Why not a PDF menu?
PDFs are hard to read on phones and Google understands them less well. A menu as a normal web page ranks for dishes and keywords – like “vegan rösti” or “cheese fondue Bern”.
How important are reviews?
Very. Guests read them before booking. Reply to reviews politely and specifically – especially critical ones.
What about allergens?
Guests must be able to get allergen information. Online, a clear note on how to obtain it, or labels on the menu, helps.
Is SEO worth it for group dinners and events?
Yes. “Company dinner Zurich”, “private dining room Geneva” or “Christmas party venue” bring high revenue per enquiry. A dedicated page pays off quickly.
Free analysis for your restaurant
Within two working days you’ll receive:
- +Your position for “restaurant + your city” in Google Maps
- +A check of your Google profile with the three most important fixes
- +A fixed-price quote – suitable packages from CHF 890 per month