Google AI Overviews in the Netherlands: what does this mean for your restaurant’s local SEO?

You may recognize this: you used to rank high in Google, but fewer people are visiting your website. And you feel it in reservations, phone calls, or fewer group inquiries.

A major factor now affecting the Netherlands: Google AI Overviews. Google places its own answer at the very top, before people even reach the regular search results. That pushes down your CTR (click-through rate), even if your ranking stays the same.

In 10 to 15 minutes, you will know what to check and adjust right now to stay visible locally. Not with new tricks, but with clear information, proof, and a website that helps people book immediately.

What are Google AI Overviews (in plain English)?

Google AI Overviews is a summary shown at the top of the search results. Someone asks a question and Google instantly provides a short answer. Sometimes a few links are included, but often the searcher already has enough information and does not click through.

Where you see them in Google (at the top, before websites)

You see them at the top, before the normal list of websites. So where your site might previously have ranked in position 1, there is now a large AI block first.

In the Netherlands, these AI overviews have been officially live since May 2025. You mainly see them for searches where Google thinks it can provide a quick answer.

When Google triggers an overview (mostly for questions and exploration)

Mostly for questions and exploratory searches. For example:

• What is the best restaurant for tapas in Utrecht?
• Where can you eat gluten-free in Haarlem?
• What does an average 3-course menu cost in Rotterdam?
• Nice restaurant for a large group Amsterdam

For searches with clear intent (such as restaurant Zwolle city center), you will more often see the map and local results. In those cases, your Google Business Profile usually matters more than a blog article.

Why this hits restaurants especially hard (local searches)

Restaurants rely on local searchers who decide at the last minute. And those spikes happen exactly in the periods when you want full tables: Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, the first warm terrace weather, and December.

If Google already gives the answer in that phase, there is a bigger chance people will click less. It can feel like your visibility disappeared, even though you are often still being shown.

Restaurant + city vs what is the best (difference in behavior)

Broadly, you see two types of searchers:

1. The focused searcher: restaurant Breda, pizzeria Groningen, tapas Den Bosch. They want to choose quickly, plan a route, and book. Here, opening hours, photos, reviews, and a good reservation button make the difference.

2. The exploring searcher: best Italian restaurant Maastricht, romantic restaurant by the water, kid-friendly restaurant. AI Overviews appear more often here. Google summarizes options and the click to your site happens later, or not at all.

Fewer clicks does not always mean fewer guests (what you should watch instead)

Fewer website clicks do not automatically mean less revenue. In hospitality, the action often happens directly in Google:

• calling immediately
• clicking directions
• booking via a button
• viewing photos and reviews, then deciding

So the better question is: can they still find me, do they trust me, and can they take action immediately?

What is the real impact? (CTR pressure and what you see in data)

The pattern you are seeing more and more: impressions stay the same (or increase), but clicks drop. That happens because AI Overviews capture attention at the top.

You do not have to guess. You can see it in your data.

Which metrics to check in Google Search Console (clicks, impressions, position)

Open Google Search Console and look at:

• clicks
• impressions
• average position

What you often see when AI Overviews are involved:

• impressions stay the same or rise
• clicks drop
• position stays fairly stable, but traffic still declines

That last part is frustrating, but explainable: you may still rank high in the standard results, but something now appears above them.

Which pages are usually affected (informational, FAQ, best-of)

Most impacted are pages that answer questions, such as:

• FAQ pages
• blog articles like best tapas in...
• dietary needs (gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian)
• groups, packages, pricing questions

Menu and reservations are often less affected, but only if they are easy to find and truly clear on mobile.

Quick baseline check (30 minutes): top 10 queries and pages

Do this once so you know what is happening:

1. In Search Console, take your top 10 queries by impressions.
2. Note clicks, impressions, and position for each query.
3. See which page is associated with it.
4. Label each query as exploration or direct booking.

Are you seeing lots of impressions but suddenly fewer clicks on exploration terms? Then there is a good chance AI Overviews is showing up in between.

New win conditions in local SEO with AI Overviews

SEO used to feel like: higher rankings equal more traffic.

Now it is more like: Google needs to trust your information and be able to summarize it easily. And if someone does click, your site must immediately help them book.

Focus on proof and specificity (menu, prices, opening hours, location)

Google cannot do much with vague language. What helps:

• an updated menu (not a PDF from two years ago)
• clear pricing or starting-from prices
• current opening hours (including holidays)
• location and accessibility (street, neighborhood, parking, public transport)
• dietary options stated clearly (not “we also have something vegetarian”, but what exactly)

Practical example: “authentic tapas” means nothing. “Shareable tapas, also vegetarian options, closed on Mondays, 5 minutes walk from the station” is specific and easy to quote.

Content Google can quote (short answers and clear headings)

If your site is mostly polished marketing copy without clear headings, it becomes harder for Google to use quick snippets.

What works better:

• short blocks
• headings like Parking, Allergies, Group bookings, Kids
• for questions: start with a 1-sentence answer, then explain

So: Yes, you can eat gluten-free here. Just mention it when you book. Done. Then you can add nuance after.

Trust: reviews, photos, updates, and consistency

Local trust carries a lot of weight:

• recent reviews
• real photos (interior, dishes, terrace, team)
• updates in your Google Business Profile (weekly menu, events)
• consistent NAP details everywhere (name, address, phone number)

During busy seasons, inconsistent holiday hours are a common failure point. That creates frustration and also reviews. And that is exactly the kind of signal Google is sensitive to.

Practical checklist: what to update this week? (simple and doable)

Get your Google Business Profile in order

Check this in 20 to 30 minutes:

• correct category (be specific)
• short description: cuisine, location, who it is for
• services: takeaway, delivery, terrace, private dining (if relevant)
• 10 recent photos
• post 1 update (weekly menu, new dish, live music)

Website pages you must have (menu, reservations, contact, location)

If someone does click, it has to be clear immediately. At a minimum:

• menu (easy to read on mobile)
• reservations (clear and fast)
• contact (clickable phone number)
• location (address, small map, parking/public transport)

If you notice your website is messy here, it is often smarter to tighten up the basics instead of constantly patching things.

Add a small FAQ block to your site (questions guests really ask)

Place a small FAQ block at the bottom of your menu or location page with 5 questions you hear often:

• Can we come with 10 people?
• Do you have vegetarian or gluten-free options?
• Is there parking nearby?
• Can families eat early with kids?
• Do you offer a menu for a birthday or company outing?

This helps guests decide faster, and it helps Google (and AI Overviews) understand and place your information.

Technical mini-block: structured data for restaurants (useful only)

Structured data is basically a label with facts on your website:

• name
• address and phone number
• opening hours
• menu link
• cuisine type

You do not need to figure this out yourself, but it is a quick quality check: is it correct, is it present, and does it point to the right pages?

How to still drive revenue when people click less

If you get 20% fewer visitors, you want the visitors who do arrive to book or contact you faster.

Action over information: make reservations or WhatsApp more prominent

Make action easy everywhere:

• a reservation button at the top (mobile)
• a WhatsApp button if you get a lot of questions (groups, dietary needs, packages)
• one-tap calling

If reservations are your main conversion, it pays to make that flow truly smooth.

Conversion details: opening hours, directions, parking, dietary needs, group bookings

Do not hide these:

• opening hours (including kitchen closing time)
• directions and parking (free/paid, nearest garage)
• dietary needs (what is possible, how to request)
• group bookings (from how many people, set menus, deposit)
• terrace: yes or no, and whether you take terrace reservations

A simple but often forgotten check: if you have a terrace and it is not clearly mentioned anywhere, you will lose revenue during the first sunny week.

Frequently asked questions and objections

Do I suddenly need to do AI SEO now?

No. This is not a new hype trick. It is about clarity, accurate details, and trust. Exactly the local SEO basics that have always worked, but now it is more obvious when that foundation is missing.

Does this take a lot of time or money?

The basics mainly take attention: your profile, opening hours, photos, menu, and FAQ. You can often handle that in a few hours.

Money only becomes a factor if your website truly does not work well or if reservations are so clunky that people drop off.

Can I do this myself, or do I need someone?

You can do a lot yourself: photos, copy, FAQ, updates.

Help is useful if your website is slow, unclear on mobile, or if your technical setup (structured data, tracking) is incorrect.

What if Google uses my content but nobody clicks?

That happens more often. That is why you also need to be bookable and reachable outside your website: via your Google Business Profile, phone, and reservations. Think of your website as your best employee: if someone does come in, they should be able to close the deal immediately.

Does local SEO still work if AI sits at the top?

Yes, but you win less with polished copy and more with:

• reliable details
• strong reviews and recent photos
• clear actions (reserve, call)
• pages that answer real questions immediately

Mini plan for the next 30 days (without stress)

Week 1: baseline and quick wins

• baseline in Search Console (top 10 queries)
• update opening hours and holiday hours
• upload recent photos
• post 1 update in your Google Business Profile

Week 2: improve 2 to 3 pages (menu/reservations/location)

• make the menu readable on mobile
• put reservations and calling at the top
• add parking and route information

Week 3: FAQ and a local proof page

• add an FAQ block with 5 questions
• create 1 proof page, for example groups/company outings, packages, or birthdays

Week 4: measure and adjust

• check clicks and impressions again
  n- make pages with declining CTR more specific
• actively ask happy tables for recent reviews

Book a maximum 30-minute advice call: I will check with you whether AI Overviews are already affecting your restaurant (and which 3 fixes bring the biggest impact). After that, you will get a simple action list. Then you can get in touch.