Let’s face it: as an executive, you’ve probably noticed how much AI has changed our world, from the way we work to the way we behave, IRL or online.

This is one of the many ways AI is transforming hospitality for good.

As restaurants are entering a LLM-first era (Large Language Models), everything we know about online marketing strategy is changing, from local SEO to creating websites.

Top leaders and most profitable franchises, from Krispy Kreme and Riviera Dining Group to Nowon NYC, are already implementing AI tools. And it’s working.

👉 Here’s why: massive change is always a massive opportunity. Providing we accept and adapt.

Why is AI so important in hospitality? What key AI trends are reshaping restaurants and how? What impacts should you expect? 

Let’s break it down.

👀 Make sure to watch our full webinar on How AI is Reshaping Hospitality with advanced examples and use cases. 

7 Ways AI Trends Are Reshaping Hospitality in 2026

1. A Whole New Search Era

First things first: Artificial Intelligence is completely reshaping traditional restaurant discovery.

Before the rise of Large Language Models, the average diner used to interact with at least 5 digital touchpoints before choosing a restaurant, usually from Google to Instagram.

With AI Overview and AI tools, this is completely changing. Tomorrow’s AI discovery might consist in one only platform.

Does that mean Google is dead?

No- but the way users search is dead as we know it. 

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Instead of a top 10 list of websites (the “SERP”), Google users now find either one synthesized answer (AI Overview) or a top 3.

Except this new Pack-3 (Google Maps' top locations) is not selected the same way (this is Gemini, Google's AI at work).

Then, we have AI tools: ChatGPT or Perplexity.

They usually offer either one conversational answer or a curated list of restaurants, based on different criteria.

(We'll come back to these criteria later).

But even if these AI tools offer 4 to 5 restaurant options, something disappeared: links, sources, reviews. Google Business Profile.

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It's all happening in one platform: the AI tool. No more clics, scrolling, navigating... 

So, what exactly is happening?

How fast is this going?

Are people mostly using AI to book a table at your restaurant?

2. AI: An Exponential, Never-Seen Growth

Not quite yet.

Google is still a giant: about 90% of human searches online (~16 billion searches/day).

🤯 However, ChatGPT grew x25 times in only 3 years (~2.5 billion prompts/day)

For reference, it took Google 9 years to get to that level of adoption by users.

Right now, 1 in 5 U.S. consumers, including 45% of those aged 35–44, turn to AI tools like ChatGPT for venue discovery (Source: Hospitality Tech).

This is, of course, accelerated by younger generations.

‍40% of Gen Z users now turn to AI chatbots for restaurant recommendations even before opening Google (Source: Ivan Brewer on Linkedin).

So, no: Nor Google nor SEO are "obsolete". 

But things are changing fast.

And the leaders will be the ones going with the flow.

3. From SEO to AIO/GEO: Dont Let AI Ignore your Restaurants!

What makes an AI different than Google's algorithm?

If you are an executive in hospitality, you are familiar with SEO and Local SEO. Online strategies to helps your brand ranks first on Google's results.

LLMS (Large Language Models) have different mechanisms than traditional search engines like Google. 

They conduct multi-searches at once, called “query fan out”, on various sources before "deciding" if your brand is worth mentioning.

For that, they make sure your brand show positive signals of being real, trustworthy and relevant to the user's query/prompt.  

However, they use the same “crawling” principle as alorithms: going through your brand’s whole online marketing and presence management to spot green flags.

Top sources being Google Business Profile, reviews, social media, top platforms and directories, etc.

LLMS tend to favor UGC (User Generated Content): they will easily trust quotes, blogs or online reviews as they are found in a more “human” context and are usually more descriptive, higher in attributes or niche keywords.

This natural evolution of SEO is called GEO (GPT Engine Optimization) or AIO (Artifical Intelligence Optimization. SEO made for AI.

The strategies are quite different in many ways, and fully explained in our dedicated article How to make your restaurants appear on AI like ChatGPT?

4. AI-powered discovery: A Different Mechanism

AI don't really crawls websites, it reads entities.

And it does it best if your data is structured.

Your restaurant names, locations, attributes, reviews, etc. will be easier to “find” for an AI if it’s well structured in an ecosystem : a website with local pages, schema.org, etc.) 

Which means the restaurants best-structured will get surfaced in AI results. This is why SEO tools like a Store Locator boosts AI visibility.

Here’s what a Store Locator for Restaurants looks like👇

This a natural evolution of SEO trends that shifts from “one point of entry” to the entire “Search Everywhere” ecosystem. 

This is why using a full-stack App ensures your whole actions have the best ROI, especially if you are a multi-location group.

5. The AI Knowledge Gap or Invisibility Risk

In our latest 2025 Benchmark on Restaurant Groups Performances, we found that nearly 4 out of 5 guests don’t search by brand name anymore.

They search “best tacos in Austin” or “family-friendly brunch in Chicago”.

If 79% of diners search by intent and not discovery, brands risk being simply invisible if they don’t work on their AI “apparitions”. 

Moreover, consumers now search by experience (“romantic dinner near me,” “best brunch with rooftop,” “AI-recommended hidden gems”), not by category.

At FS/TEC, Chipotle’s CMO shared that AI-driven content personalization increased engagement by +22% across channels.

Our top tips: aiming for brand recognition through content (website with Store Locator, brand mentions in reviews, PR, quotes in blogs, etc.

6. Generative AI’s Impact on Hospitality Profits

Visibility brings traffic. Conversion brings ROI.

This is where the magic happens for client acquisition. And it's slowly coming on AI tools!

AI (LLMs) are becoming must-have acquisition channels in hospitality. 

We mentioned it: 1 in 5 U.S. consumers, including 45% of those aged 35–44 turned to AI tools like ChatGPT for venue discovery.

With over ~700M weekly users, that’s millions of potential diners up for grabs.

And that’s not all.

Tomorrow, with “Agentic AI” (AI as a personal assistant), AI tools will be able to buy, order a meal, and book a reservation for 2. 

This has already begun with Google’s AI Mode or Chat GPT App Store & ChatGPT Instant Check Out. 

Next steps: crucial restaurants applications and restaurants platforms are progressively being integrated in ChatPGT: 

• Booking.com for reservations ;
• Uber (rides & food delivery);
• DoorDash (restaurant orders);
• Tripadvisor (reviews, attractions, restaurant discovery;
• OpenTable (advanced restaurant booking flow), etc.

All these native integrations will allow users to orider and buy directly from an AI.

ChatGPT Ads and Recommandations is also rolling: when searching for "how to complete a marathon", ChatGPT might push a pair of sneakers as an ad or a simple suggestion. Then, the user will be able to buy it directly in the GPT's Shopping Card.

7. Leaders are already using AI powered tools 

In 2025, 86% of Restaurant Operators Are Already Comfortable Using AI (Source: Toast on Linkedin).

Once a brand is visible, every click, review, and call becomes a conversion opportunity. With AI-fueled restaurants marketing tools, top leaders can predict and act on that.

Good news: in hospitality, a lot of restaurant solutions are run and fueled by AI, at each layer.

At FS/TEC 2025, 62% of U.S. hospitality leaders cited “data visibility across locations” as their top challenge.

AI analytics and native integration solve that. They centralize and merge all your top data (reservations, reviews, sales) into one source of truth for KPI-based decisions all over your brand. 

With Malou, for example, you can connect marketing performance with:

• Financial results: using “Gains”, our ROI functionality to understand exactly how many clients and revenue each marketing action generates 
• Operations : using our e-reputation Semantic Analysis to understand clients sentiments and solve live problems for each location, whether it’s an issue with service or a specific dish.

With Malou’s analytics suite, restaurant groups can:

• Forecast conversions from Google “Directions” and “Calls” data versus organic trafic (SEO)
• Detect sentiment trends 3 weeks before sales drops.
• Compare performance by region, brand, or location.

Final Takeaway

AI isn’t replacing marketers. It’s empowering the ones who adapt first.
In hospitality, the winners will be those who use AI not just to predict — but to act.

The good news? Every group can start today.

Book a Free Strategy Session with Malou

What It Is:
A 30-minute session with one of our Malou experts. We run a custom audit covering SEO, reviews, Google Business Profiles, and AI visibility across your locations — and present actionable insights tailored to your brand.

Why It Matters:
This is not a sales call. It’s a data-backed growth plan used by hundreds of restaurant groups worldwide (Krispy Kreme, Dinex Group, Riviera Dining Group). You’ll leave with a clear roadmap to improve visibility, customer acquisition, and profit margins.

👉 Book your free session or call us directly at +1 (929) 494 52 10

Today is the best time to be a restaurant operator. With the right marketing stack and AI insights, you can scale faster, smarter, and more profitably.