The short versionOn October 8, 2026, Google published its first Fan-Favorite Dining List, built from Google Maps reviews, ratings and aggregated searches for directions across 10 cities. Trends were measured by dish mentions in reviews: froyo mentions in New York reviews spiked 320%. Google says Ask Maps analyzes billions of photos, reviews and menus. Ask every guest for an honest review, keep your menu and photos current, and never offer incentives for reviews.
Google Maps just showed how much it reads into your reviews. On October 8, Google published its first Fan-Favorite Dining List, and the food trends in it were measured by the dishes people mention in their reviews.
What happened
Andrew Duchi, Director of Product for Google Maps, wrote that the list "taps into Google Maps' reviews, ratings, and aggregated searches for directions" to find the biggest dining trends across 10 cities: Atlanta, Chicago, London, Melbourne, Montréal, New York, San Francisco, Santiago, Seattle and Tokyo.
The trends read like review counts. In New York, "Reviews mentioning froyo spiked 320%" year over year. In Seattle, reviews mentioning dosas climbed 136%. In Chicago, mentions of matcha surged 82%.
The details
Google also named the most-navigated-to dining spots in each city, including Katz's Delicatessen in New York, Pequod's Pizza in Chicago, La Taqueria in San Francisco, The Pink Door in Seattle and Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall in Atlanta, plus top-reviewed spots "for big portions and small checks."
Nation's Restaurant News reports the list used Google Maps information from September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026, including reviews and ratings from the Local Guides community, aggregated searches for directions and a final verification process.
In a companion post, Google says Ask Maps "analyzes billions of photos, reviews, and menus to find your match," and lets people order delivery through partners like Uber Eats, Toast and Square. The Explore tab also has dining lists "updated weekly": Trending, Gems and Top.
What Google doesn't say: whether any of this affects everyday Maps rankings. The Fan-Favorite list covers 10 cities only.
Why brands should care
Our take: your reviews work like a menu Google reads. A review that names the dish ("best dosa in town") tells Maps and the people searching it what you're known for. A star rating alone doesn't.
What to do
- Ask every guest for an honest review. Google's content policy bans incentives like payment, discounts or free goods, and bans selectively asking happy customers. It also says merchants shouldn't request that specific content be included, so don't script the wording.
- Keep your menu and dish photos current on your Business Profile. Google says Ask Maps reads photos, reviews and menus.
- Check the Trending, Gems and Top lists in the Explore tab near you to see who's getting picked.
Sources
- Google Keyword blog: Google Maps reveals the top food trends and popular restaurants across 10 cities (Oct 8, 2026)
- Google Keyword blog: 3 ways Google Maps can help you navigate your next culinary adventure (Oct 8, 2026)
- Google: Fan-Favorite Dining List
- Nation's Restaurant News: Google Maps releases its first Fan-Favorite Dining Lists (Oct 8, 2026)
- Google Maps: Prohibited and restricted content policy
FAQ
What is the Google Maps Fan-Favorite Dining List?
It's a list Google published on October 8, 2026, that uses Google Maps reviews, ratings and aggregated searches for directions to show the biggest dining trends and most-visited spots across 10 cities.
Which cities are on Google's Fan-Favorite Dining List?
Atlanta, Chicago, London, Melbourne, Montréal, New York, San Francisco, Santiago, Seattle and Tokyo.
Can I offer a discount for Google reviews?
No. Google's Maps content policy doesn't allow merchants to offer incentives such as payment, discounts, or free goods or services in exchange for reviews, or to selectively ask happy customers for reviews.
