Google Maps' Ask Maps adds AI food ordering and personalised travel features

Google is expanding Ask Maps with AI features that handle food orders, compare hotels, surface local events, and pull travel details from Gmail. The update moves Google Maps beyond navigation toward completing parts of real-world tasks, a shift that directly affects how hospitality and events businesses will be discovered and booked. Google describes Ask Maps as "the biggest transformation of Maps in more than a decade." The service combines Gemini model capabilities with Maps' location data and real-time information to respond to complex, conversational requests. Instead of simply telling users where to go, Ask Maps is beginning to help them decide, plan, and in some cases, take action.

Food ordering becomes agentic

One of the most significant additions is AI-assisted food ordering. A user can ask Maps to "order spicy pad kee mao with seafood for me to pick up on my way home," and Ask Maps will identify open restaurants along the route that serve the dish, factoring in saved places and dietary requirements. Once the user chooses a restaurant, Ask Maps automatically adds the dish to the shopping cart. The system does not complete the transaction autonomously - the user reviews the cart and completes the order. Food ordering is initially rolling out in the United States through partners including Square and Toast, with Uber Eats support expected later. Google is also co-developing the Universal Commerce Protocol for Food with partners. This creates a structured layer through which AI agents can interact with commerce systems rather than merely recommend businesses. For restaurants and caterers, that points to a future where AI handles parts of the ordering process before a customer ever clicks "checkout." Professionals tracking these developments can follow AI for Hospitality & Events for practical implications.

Hotels, events, and personal context

Ask Maps can now handle detailed hotel searches conversationally. Instead of entering individual filters, users describe what they need - a reasonably priced, highly rated hotel near a conference in downtown Miami, with an artsy atmosphere and within walking distance of a gym and restaurants. Ask Maps compares real-time prices and checks availability while considering proximity to the amenities specified. The capability does not mean Maps independently books the hotel; it is primarily aimed at reducing the research involved in finding appropriate options. The same interface helps users discover nearby concerts, comedy shows, and other events, with ticket links where available. Google is also bringing Personal Intelligence into Ask Maps. The optional capability lets users connect Gmail so Maps can factor flight details, hotel reservations, and restaurant bookings into its recommendations. A traveller could ask for ideas on how to spend a few hours near a hotel before a flight the following day, and Ask Maps could use the hotel reservation contained in Gmail to recommend nearby activities and suggest when to leave for the airport. The Gmail connection is off by default and users must choose to enable it. Support for additional applications, including Calendar, is expected later. Ask Maps is also gaining conversational memory. When history settings are enabled, users can return to earlier planning sessions rather than begin every query from scratch. Real-time public transport information is also entering the conversation - a new transit widget displays up-to-the-minute information for buses, trains, subways,