[Update: Search too] Google Maps highlights takeout and delivery restaurants amid coronavirus pandemic

Ben Schoon | Apr 6 2020 - 2:10 pm PT

The coronavirus pandemic has millions of people staying in their homes as much as possible and, more than ever, that has many relying on takeout and delivery to get their daily meals. To help find local options, Google Maps is now highlighting nearby stores that offer takeout and/or delivery.

Rolling out widely this week, Google Maps has highlighted shortcut buttons to the main interface of its mobile app. These new “Takeout” and “Delivery” shortcuts work a lot like other Maps shortcuts for restaurants, gas stations, coffee shops, and other locations. The options for takeout and delivery have been in Maps for a while, but Google is just now pushing them to the forefront.

Clicking these shortcuts simply searches for “takeout” and “delivery” keywords in local business listings. For many, clicking delivery may pull up mostly nearby pizza shops or chains such as Jimmy Johns. From the looks of it, there’s no integration with services like DoorDash or Uber Eats to view other locations that offer delivery. That said, an ordering process is integrated into Maps — as well as Assistant and Search — for certain businesses. The takeout option, though, does seem to pull up any location that offers takeout to its customers.

As far as we can tell, these takeout and delivery shortcuts have been highlighted for all Google Maps users on both Android and iOS in the United States and we’ve also confirmed they are showing in France. It’s possible Google has rolled these out globally in the face of the pandemic.

Notably, these new shortcuts are in addition to other COVID-19 notices such as a shortcut to Google Search and a hub on the topic, as well as a warning that appears when searching for medical locations.

Update 4/6: Since we first reported Google Maps highlighting delivery and takeout options over the weekend, more examples of this functionality have popped up. Particularly, it was discovered that Google Search is also highlighting which restaurants offer takeout and/or delivery. In the Maps panel showing nearby restaurants, checkmarks show if restaurants offer dine-in, takeout, or delivery. You can see this pictured below.