How to appear on Google when someone searches for "delivery near me"

"Delivery near me." This is one of the most frequently searched Google searches for anyone looking to order food right now. Whoever appears in the first positions receives the order. Anyone who doesn't show up simply doesn't exist for that customer.

The good thing: you don't have to pay anything to appear here. The bad: most restaurants never did anything about it.

How Google decides who appears first

Google's local search algorithm considers three main factors to decide who shows up when someone searches for "delivery near me" or "restaurant [neighborhood]":

1. Relevance

Does your profile match what the customer is looking for? If he searches for "pizza" and your profile is categorized as "Generic Restaurant" with no mention of pizza, Google won't show it to you — even if you make excellent pizza.

What to do: Use the most specific category possible in your Google Business Profile ("Pizzeria" instead of "Restaurant"). Include key menu items in the produce section. Use natural words in your business description.

2. Distance

Google considers the user's location at the time of the search. Whoever is closer tends to appear earlier — but it's not the only factor. A restaurant 3 km away with a well-optimized profile may appear above one 1 km away with an empty profile.

What to do: Confirm that your address is correct and complete in the profile. If you deliver to a wide area, add the regions in the description ("Delivery for [neighborhood 1], [neighborhood 2] and [neighborhood 3]").

3. Prominence

How much does Google "trust" your business? This includes:

• Number and quality of evaluations
• Profile update frequency
• How many links point to your website or menu
• Whether the profile is verified
• How long the business has existed on Google

What to do: Get reviews, answer questions, update photos regularly.

The role of NAP consistency

NAP is the acronym for Name, Address, Phone. Google checks that this information is consistent across all platforms where your business appears.

If on Google it's "Pizzaria do João", on iFood it's "Pizzaria João" and on Facebook it's "João Pizzas" — Google sees it as three different businesses and doesn't know which one is real. This harms the ranking.

Consistency checklist:

• Name exactly the same everywhere
• Address in the same format (street + number + neighborhood)
• Same telephone number (including area code)

Platforms to check: Google Business, iFood, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp Business, Rappi, your website.

Reviews as a ranking signal

The number of reviews and the average rating are some of the most important factors for appearing on Google Maps.

Industry benchmark data:

• Restaurants with more than 50 reviews appear on average 2x more in local searches
• Rating below 4.0 significantly reduces click-through rate
• Responding to reviews increases the perception of trust for new customers

How ​​to get more reviews:

1. Order directly after delivery — "If you liked it, rate us on Google [link]"
2. Place the review link in the automatic post-order message on WhatsApp
3. Print a card with a QR Code for evaluation inside the delivery packaging
4. Never buy fake reviews — Google detects and severely penalizes

How ​​to turn review into direct link:

From your Google Business dashboard, go to "Get more reviews" and copy the link. Shorten it with bit.ly and place it on all materials.

How the digital menu with its own URL helps with SEO

Having a menu link with a personalized URL makes a difference in rankings for a simple reason: Google indexes this link.

If your menu link isquickap.me/pizzaria-do-joao, every time someone searches for "joao's pizzeria" on Google, this link may appear in the results.

But there's more:

• The link can be on Google Business as a menu (increases relevance)
• Every time someone accesses the link, it generates a signal of engagement
• The link can be mentioned on other websites, creating natural backlinks

The more unique and descriptive the name of your digital menu, the better. Avoid generic names like/restaurante123.

Free tools to monitor your local position

Google Business Insights Available directly from your Google Business dashboard. Shows:

• How many times your profile appeared in the search
• How many people clicked to call, see directions or access the website
• Where each action came from (direct search, discovery or maps)

Google Search Console To monitor the performance of your website or menu in organic searches. You see which keywords bring visits.

Google Alerts Set up an alert for your restaurant name. You receive notification whenever someone mentions your business online.

Checklist to rank in "delivery near me"

• [ ] Verified Google Business Profile
• [ ] Specific main category (ex: Pizzeria, not just Restaurant)
• [ ] Exact and complete address
• [ ] Updated opening hours, including holidays
• [ ] At least 10 quality photos
• [ ] Digital menu link filled in the "Menu" field
• [ ] Product section filled with popular items
• [ ] More than 20 reviews with answers
• [ ] Consistent NAP across all platforms
• [ ] Weekly profile post

You don't need to do everything at once. Start with the first three items today — it's enough to give you a boost in visibility compared to competitors who never configured anything.

Create my digital menu to put on Google →