Gemini never named 65% of top-listed restaurants; ChatGPT never named 42%
In 383 answers about restaurants in Austin, Denver, Nashville and San Diego (November 2026), ChatGPT named 59 of 101 well-listed restaurants at least once and Gemini named 35. Only 33 were named by both.
- ChatGPT named 59 of 101 restaurants at least once; Gemini named 35.
- Only 33 (33%) were named by both.
- 26 were named only by ChatGPT; 2 only by Gemini.
The numbers
- Each restaurant had 12 ChatGPT answers and 12 Gemini answers to appear in (one Denver group had 11 ChatGPT answers).
- Named by both: 33. ChatGPT only: 26. Gemini only: 2. Neither: 40.
- Gemini answers tended to repeat the same two or three restaurants; ChatGPT spread its picks wider.
Source and method
Frisler Digital Restaurant AI Visibility Study 2026. 101 restaurants that Google Maps lists first for Mexican, Thai, Italian and Indian food in Austin, Denver, Nashville and San Diego. Six everyday questions per city and cuisine (for example “What are the best Thai restaurants in Austin, TX?”), asked to ChatGPT (gpt-5.4-mini) and Gemini (gemini-3.6-flash) with web search on, twice each: 24 answers per restaurant, 383 usable answers in all. A restaurant counted as named if its name appeared in the answer. Collected November 14, 2026.
How to read this
A snapshot of two assistants on one day. The sample is restaurants Google already lists at the top, so an average restaurant is probably less visible. Groups are small (5 to 13 restaurants). A mention is not always a recommendation.
What it suggests
- Visibility in one assistant says little about the other: check both.
- Gemini draws heavily on Google data, so a complete Google Business Profile and strong local listings matter for it.
The full study, with all five findings, is the Restaurant AI Visibility Study 2026. You are welcome to quote these figures with a link to this page.
Common questions
Short, direct answers.
Does ChatGPT or Gemini recommend more restaurants?
ChatGPT. In our test it named 59 of 101 well-listed restaurants at least once; Gemini named 35.
If ChatGPT mentions my restaurant, will Gemini?
Not necessarily. 26 restaurants were named by ChatGPT but never by Gemini.
Check your AI visibility, free
Find out whether ChatGPT and Gemini name your business when customers ask. Run the live check in about a minute with your email, or use the free self-test (no sign-up) for Copilot, Perplexity and Google too.
More free tools: review link and QR code · schema generator · llms.txt generator · ROAS and CPC calculator
Request your free growth audit
Tell us about your business. We review your search presence, AI visibility and ads, then send you what we find.
Prefer to talk? WhatsApp +91 95992 84951 or email info@frislerdigital.com.