Welcome to Operator Notes, a new weekly newsletter written by coffee operators, consultants, creators, and practitioners who spot trends and share insight on what to do about them.
Each week, an expert working in the industry spotlight a learning, a takeaway, or trend they care about to help other operators in coffee learn and grow faster.
This week’s edition is written by Garrett Oden, publisher at Fresh Cup.
✉️ Operator Notes: practical advice from people working in coffee.
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Google’s Ask Maps Wants Your Live Menu Data
Last month Google announced the direct integration of Ask Maps (the Google Maps AI chat interface) with two point of sale providers: Toast and Square. This means cafes and restaurants using those systems now have their hours, shop details, and even real-time menus fully accessible within Ask Maps.
Prior to the new integration, Ask Maps looked primarily at Google Business Profiles and customer reviews to answer user questions. Now when a customer asks something like, “I want an iced strawberry matcha latte,” Ask Maps will also query live menus of coffee shops using integrated point of sale providers.
This means Google Maps is more capable of (1) finding shops serving the exact drink the customer is looking for and (2) offering additional information that could be relevant, like pricing or additional menu items.
Customers can then place their order and submit payments directly within the Ask Maps interface. However, if ChatGPT shutting down its in-app payment features is any indication, I suspect direct ordering through Ask Maps will remain rare.
Andrew Costaris, Digital VP at Partners Coffee, said in a press release for Square that the new integration means Partners Coffee “shows up accurately wherever people are looking, so those first interactions feel as intentional as the ones at our counter—whether someone’s using Ask Maps to find great cold brew nearby, checking our hours, or exploring our seasonal drinks menu.”
Keep Your Point of Sale Data Compete and Updated
In the last decade I’ve worked with dozens of coffee brands in a marketing consultant role. One of the low-hanging fruits for new customer discovery is keeping your digital profiles up-to-date.
In the past, that meant filling out complete profiles for Google Maps, Apple Maps, Yelp, and Instagram, among other platforms. For example, adding original photography, posting updates on seasonal menus or specials, keeping hours accurate, responding to reviews.
Google and other search engines use this data to give more precise search results to customers typing things like “pour over near me,” “coffee shop with outdoor patio,” and “gluten-free bagels.” It’s always been in your best interest to maintain full, detail-rich information on these profiles. This new integration of Google Maps with Square and Toast is no different.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Make sure you have a Google Business Profile, and link it to your Square or Toast account
- If you have multiple locations you will need to opt in for the Ask Maps integration your account settings (otherwise, it’s already activated)
- Keep your business information and menu up-to-date in your point of sale
Important note: online ordering must be enabled for the integration to function. If you do not currently offer online ordering, it may be worth considering the potential visibility boost this new service might add.
The internet is a crowded place, and it is only becoming more difficult to stand out and capture attention. With the new Ask Maps integration, the AI answer engines will (theoretically) be able to help you stand out to consumers when you’re most relevant.
Go Deeper
This Coffee Shop Went Viral. Here’s What Happened Next
How Coffee Milano Cafe, making the most of virality, and the importance of getting mentioned in Google search results.
Live Session Recap: Modern Tech Stacks for Growing Roasters and Coffee Shops
Why AI and maps competition saturation is making it harder to get surfaced in search results, plus how consumers use social media and search tools to research cafes.
How Cafes Can Get the Most Out of Instagram in 2025
Social media, Instagram in particular, as a coffee shop discovery tool, and why being available and showing up is key to getting noticed.
