Google’s “What’s Happening” Feature: A Must-Have for Restaurants and Bars

Get Your Restaurant in Front of More Guests—Fast and Free

Want a free, fast, and highly visible way to attract more guests to your restaurant or bar? Google just rolled out an exciting new feature for Business Profiles called “What’s Happening.”

Audio Discussion of this New Feature

Patrons rely on Google to discover local dining options, and the “What’s Happening” section ensures your restaurant’s events and promotions grab their attention instantly.

Whether it’s a one-off wine-tasting event, a recurring Taco Tuesday deal, or a National Pizza Day blowout, this feature positions your offerings front and center, boosting foot traffic and reservations without spending a dime.

Google’s decision to roll out this tool reflects its commitment to supporting small businesses. Unlike paid advertising platforms, “What’s Happening” is accessible to any verified food and drink business in the supported regions (US, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand). It’s a rare opportunity to level the playing field and compete with larger chains for customer attention.

If you’re looking for a fast, no-cost way to drive awareness and foot traffic, this is it.

How It Works: Simple, Fast, and Effective

Adding your events and specials to the “What’s Happening” section is straightforward. Use Google Posts, a built-in feature of your Google Business Profile, to create and publish updates. Here’s how to get started:

• Access Your Google Business Profile: Log in to your Google Business Profile dashboard via Google Search or Google Maps.
• Navigate to Google Posts: Select the “Posts” tab and choose “Create Post.”
• Craft Your Update: Write a compelling description of your event or special. Include key details like dates, times, and any unique selling points (e.g., “Half-price margaritas during Happy Hour!”). Add high-quality images or videos to make your post pop.
• Select the Event Type: Choose the “Event” post type and specify whether it’s a one-time or recurring event.
• Publish and Monitor: Hit “Publish,” and your update will appear in the “What’s Happening” section of your profile. Track engagement metrics like views and clicks directly in your dashboard.

The entire process takes less than five minutes. Your post will appear prominently in your profile, giving you valuable real estate to attract attention. No waiting. No approval delays.

Post Directly on Google Instead of Syncing Social Media

You can sync your Facebook, Instagram, or X accounts to auto-populate Google Posts, but this approach has drawbacks.

Automated updates often lack the precision and immediacy of manual posts. Social media platforms may delay or fail to sync correctly, and their formatting doesn’t always align with Google’s clean, professional layout.

Posting directly through Google ensures your message is tailored, timely, and reliable. Don’t cut corners—take control of your marketing and do it right.

Use Cases: Maximize Impact with Strategic Posts

The “What’s Happening” section is versatile, accommodating a wide range of promotions. Here are some ways to use it effectively:

• One-Off Events: Announce special occasions like live music nights, chef’s table dinners, or holiday-themed menus. For instance, a Valentine’s Day prix-fixe dinner can draw couples searching for romantic dining options.
• Recurring Specials: Highlight weekly deals like Taco Tuesdays, Wing Wednesdays, or daily Happy Hours. Consistency builds customer habits and keeps your profile fresh.
• Seasonal Promotions: Capitalize on holidays or local festivals. A Fourth of July barbecue special or a Halloween costume party can attract crowds.
• Limited-Time Offers: Create urgency with flash sales or exclusive menu items. Even your fresh soup or sandwich of the day can attract more diners.

Each post should include a clear call-to-action, such as “Reserve your spot now!” or “Order online today!” Pair your text with eye-catching visuals to maximize click-through rates.

Best Practices for “What’s Happening” Success

To get the most out of “What’s Happening,” follow these proven strategies:

• Keep It Fresh: Update your posts regularly to reflect current or upcoming events. Stale content signals neglect and reduces customer trust.
• Optimize for Search: Use relevant keywords in your post descriptions, such as “Happy Hour [city name]” or “live music [restaurant name].” This improves your visibility in local search results.
• Leverage Analytics: Monitor post performance through your Google Business Profile dashboard. Identify which types of posts generate the most engagement.
• Be Visual: High-quality photos or short videos significantly increase engagement. Showcase your dishes, ambiance, or event setup to entice customers.
• Time It Right: Post events at least a week in advance to give customers time to plan. For recurring specials, schedule posts to coincide with peak search times, like Friday afternoons for weekend deals.

Google’s “What’s Happening” section isn’t just a restaurant marketing tool—it’s a strategic asset. By placing your events and specials at the top of your Google Business Profile, it amplifies your reach in a crowded digital landscape.

Patrons searching for dining options in your area will see your promotions before they even click through to your website or social media. This prime real estate drives organic traffic, boosts brand awareness, and ultimately increases revenue.

Moreover, it’s a testament to Google’s investment in small businesses. Unlike paid ads or third-party reservation platforms, “What’s Happening” requires no financial investment—just a moment or two of your time.

For smaller restaurants, coffee shops, cafes, breweries, and bars, this levels the playing field, allowing you to compete with larger chains and franchises.

Get Started Today

The implementation barrier for this feature is remarkably low. With just a few minutes of effort, you can begin showcasing your restaurant’s events and specials to everyone searching for your business on Google.

Don’t make the mistake of overlooking this powerful marketing channel. While competitors hesitate or rely on inconsistent social media syncing, proactive operators who directly manage their Google Business Profile will capitalize on this visibility advantage.

For food and beverage businesses constantly seeking cost-effective marketing solutions, Google’s “What’s Happening” feature represents one of the most accessible and impactful tools introduced in recent years.

Take five minutes today to implement this feature for your establishment. Your next promotion deserves this premium visibility.

Let Bloom Intelligence Make It Effortless

Bloom Intelligence is an AI-powered restaurant marketing platform. It includes a powerful customer data platform, website integrations, automated guest data collection, one-click audience segmentation, marketing automation via email and SMS, advanced reputation management, and reporting tools.

Bloom makes guest data collection and reputation management effortless, which allows you to quickly execute the strategies listed above, saving you time, increasing customer lifetime values, attracting new guests, improving your reputation, and boosting your bottom line.

Call us or schedule a free demo online and Bloom will show you how our restaurant marketing platform can help you save time and increase your customer lifetime values by automatically building first-party customer databases, unlocking important guest insights to trigger automated marketing at the right time and place, discover true guest sentiment, save at-risk guests, increase your current guests’ frequency, supercharge your website, and find new guests.

Click to schedule a Free Online Demo, or call 727-877-8181 to see how we can help you drive tangible results for your restaurants.