Restaurants warn: Don’t fall for Google’s AI specials, they’re fiction but your embarrassment will be real

What happens when technology starts making promises your local restaurant can’t keep? The marriage between artificial intelligence and online search engines is changing the way people find dinner and not always for the better. Recent episodes from a small town in the US reveal how digital helpers sometimes cause more chaos than convenience.

When the robot recommends

In recent months, restaurants like Stefanina’s, a family-run pizzeria in Montana, United States, have found themselves at the centre of unexpected confusion, First Alert 4 reported.Their troubles didn’t start with a bad review or a competitor’s scheme, but with an AI-powered tool built into Google Search. Instead of reflecting accurate, up-to-date information from the restaurant, the chatbot began broadcasting imaginary daily deals. Hungry customers began arriving, clutching their phones, adamant about discounted pizzas and combo specials that simply didn’t exist anywhere outside of Google’s suggested answers.

Question is, can restaurants control what is written about them online anymore? The owners at Stefanina’s certainly didn’t think so. They posted a clear message on Facebook urging customers to double-check restaurant news on their official website or social pages instead. The trend of AI hallucinating, or generating made-up details with a straight digital face, is not just an American oddity. It’s a growing global reality as large language models become central to how billions discover their next meal or plan an outing.

Real-world trouble

The effects of such things can be very real for small businesses. Restaurant staff, especially in quieter towns where word of mouth and customer loyalty count for everything, have reported frustration and even angry outbursts from customers who feel let down. The digital confusion doesn’t stop at pizza. For instance, a Minnesota-based solar company recently sued Google, saying the AI search didn’t just invent deals, it created negative stories about the company’s legal history too, despite no lawsuits ever actually happening.

The relentless push from tech giants to trust AI tools with everyday decisions is only accelerating. With Google running ad campaigns pushing its AI-powered search and chat features, customers everywhere are being nudged to “just ask Google” before making plans, booking tables, or placing orders. That’s a system built for speed and convenience but sometimes, accuracy gets left behind. For restaurants and countless other businesses reliant on web searches for new and returning customers, this new landscape is a challenge.