Google Maps adds tools for food orders, hotel booking, and tickets

In short: Google is adding new “Ask Maps” features that let people use Google Maps to order food, look for hotels, and find event tickets.

What happened

Google announced that its “Ask Maps” feature in Google Maps is getting new abilities that go beyond directions. These updates are designed to help people complete everyday tasks without leaving the app.

One new option is food ordering. A person can ask for a specific kind of meal nearby, pick a restaurant, and then tap “Order online.” Ask Maps can add items to a cart, and the final payment happens on a supported ordering service such as Square, Toast, or Uber Eats.

Ask Maps is also getting hotel search features. People can ask for a hotel with certain needs, like a good price, strong ratings, and a specific location. Ask Maps will compare prices and check availability, then send the user to a partner site to finish the booking.

Google says Ask Maps can also help find nearby comedy shows or live music, and it will provide links to buy tickets.

Another update is “Personal Intelligence,” which can use information from Gmail and Google Calendar to tailor answers, like checking a flight arrival time from an email. Google says this setting is off by default.

Google is also adding memory for past conversations and a live transit widget that shows delays and changing conditions. The new “agentic” features (meaning the tool can help take steps toward finishing a task, like filling a cart) are rolling out to users in the U.S., while Personal Intelligence and the transit widget are expanding to all markets where Ask Maps is available.

Why it matters

For regular users, Google Maps may start to feel more like a helper for errands, not just a map. At the same time, some of the most personal features depend on giving the tool access to your email and calendar, so the default off setting will matter to privacy minded people.

Source: TechCrunch AI