Is your café showing up in ChatGPT? A 2-minute test

Picture this. Someone has just moved to your suburb. They open ChatGPT on their phone and type: "Where's a good café near me for brunch with a dog?"

Does your café come up?

For years, the question was "are we on Google?" Now there's a second question: when people ask an AI assistant for a recommendation, does it know you exist, and does it describe you correctly?

The good news is you can check this yourself in about two minutes, for free. And most of the fixes are things a busy owner can do in an afternoon.

More and more people ask AI tools for recommendations, like where to get a good brunch nearby, so it's worth knowing what they say about your café.

Why this matters for a café

AI assistants like ChatGPT, Google's Gemini and Microsoft Copilot are increasingly used to answer everyday questions, including "where should I eat?" They don't have a secret café list. They pull together information from what's available about you: your website, your Google Business Profile, reviews, social media, local articles and directories.

So if that information is thin, out of date or contradictory, the AI either won't mention you or might get things wrong, like old opening hours or a dish you stopped serving two years ago.

You can't control exactly what an AI says. But you can make sure the information it draws on is clear, complete and correct.

The 2-minute test

Grab your phone and a coffee (your own, ideally).

Step 1: Ask like a customer (60 seconds)

Open ChatGPT, or whichever AI assistant you use, and ask three questions a real customer might ask. Swap in your suburb and specialties:

What are the best cafés in [suburb] for brunch?

Where can I get good coffee near [landmark or street] in [suburb]?

I'm looking for a [dog-friendly / family-friendly / vegan-friendly / quiet laptop-friendly] café in [suburb]. Any suggestions?

Write down: did your café appear? Where in the list? Which other cafés came up?

Step 2: Ask about you directly (30 seconds)

What can you tell me about [café name] in [suburb]?

Check every detail it gives you: address, hours, what you're known for, price range, dietary options. Note anything wrong or missing.

Step 3: Try a second assistant (30 seconds)

Run the same questions in another assistant, like Gemini or Copilot. Different tools use different sources, so you'll often get different answers.

A quick tip: results can change depending on the day, the exact wording, whether the assistant searches the web, and your location. Don't panic over one answer. Look for the pattern across a few questions.

What your results mean

You showed up, and the details were right. Lovely. Your job now is to keep that information fresh.

You showed up, but some details were wrong. This usually means something online is out of date: an old website page, an old listing, an old menu. Find it and fix it (see below).

You didn't show up, but competitors did. Look at what the cafés that appeared have in common. Usually it's a complete Google Business Profile, plenty of recent reviews that mention specific things, and a website that clearly says what they offer.

The assistant said it didn't know your café. There probably isn't enough clear, public information about you yet. That's fixable.

Simple fixes (most are free)

1. Complete your Google Business Profile

This is the big one. Fill in everything: category, hours (including public holidays), address, phone, website, menu, photos, attributes like "dog-friendly" or "wheelchair accessible", and a clear description. Google says creating and managing a Business Profile is free.

2. Make your website say the obvious things in plain words

Your homepage should clearly state:

• Your café's name, suburb and full address
• Your opening hours
• What you serve and what you're known for ("all-day brunch", "specialty coffee", "gluten-free options")
• Who you're great for ("families", "dog owners", "remote workers")
• Your menu as text, not just a photo or PDF

Text matters. A menu that only exists as a photo is easy for a person to read but harder for software to understand.

3. Keep your details identical everywhere

Your name, address and phone number should match exactly on your website, Google, Facebook, Instagram, delivery apps and any directories. If you've moved or changed your hours, hunt down the old versions.

4. Encourage specific reviews

Reviews that mention specific things ("best eggs benedict in [suburb]", "great for kids", "lovely outdoor area for dogs") help describe what you're good at. Never buy or fake reviews. Just ask happy customers, and make it easy with a QR code at the counter.

The easiest time to ask is when a regular says something nice. A simple "Thank you, that means a lot. If you ever have a minute, a Google review really helps us" feels natural and isn't pushy.

5. Answer the questions people actually ask

Add a short FAQ to your website: Do you take bookings? Are dogs allowed? Do you have vegan options? Is there parking? Those are exactly the questions people ask AI assistants, and clear answers on your site help.

6. Get mentioned locally

Local news stories, community pages, "best of" lists, markets and event listings all add to the picture of your café online. Get involved in your community and say yes to local features.

7. Post regularly with real details

Social posts that mention your suburb, new dishes and events keep fresh information about you online. It doesn't need to be daily. Consistent is better than frequent.

Re-test every month

Put a reminder in your calendar. Run the same questions once a month and jot down the results in a simple note: date, question, did you appear, anything wrong. Over a few months, you'll see whether your fixes are helping.

A few honest cautions

• AI answers aren't the same as Google rankings. They're less predictable, and they change.
• No one can guarantee you'll be recommended. Be wary of anyone who promises that.
• AI can be wrong. If an assistant gives incorrect information about you, the best fix is correcting the sources it draws from, starting with your website and Google Business Profile.

FAQ

Can I pay ChatGPT to recommend my café? Not in the way you can pay for a Google ad. The practical approach is making sure clear, accurate information about your café is available online, then checking regularly how assistants describe you.

How often should I run this test? Once a month is plenty for most cafés, plus whenever you change something big like your hours, menu or address.

What's the single most useful fix? For most cafés, a fully completed and up-to-date Google Business Profile, followed closely by a website that states your name, address, hours and menu clearly in text.