When someone asks an AI assistant “where should I eat tonight?”, the answer is assembled from a handful of trusted sources — not a Google scroll. If your restaurant isn’t named, you’re invisible at the exact moment of intent.
AI answers aren't built from a Google scroll — they're assembled from a few sources the engine trusts for this category. Win these and the AI starts naming you:
the single biggest signal — ratings, review volume, recency, and category tags
AI engines quote their ranked lists and review summaries directly
being named in a city’s “best ramen” post is often what gets you cited
The audit above shows which of these the AI actually cited for your business — so you know exactly where to focus.
AI recommendations for restaurants are local — see how your restaurant ranks in: