Restaurant Menus in Google Search

Google mentioned this feature a few weeks ago, but I think it's important enough to write a post about this. If you're in the US and you search for the name of a restaurant followed by "menu", Google will display the restaurant's menu above the list of results.

"Next time you're planning a brunch or a date night, check to make sure the menu has something to satisfy everyone in your group, without having to browse through several restaurants' websites. Just search Google to show you the menu for the eatery you're considering and you can see it right on the top of your search page — complete with tabs for different parts of the menu (like appetizers, brunch or dinner) and, often, prices — before you make your reservation. Menus are available in the U.S. only for now."

Google used to display short answers to simple questions and now it shows full restaurant menus, driving directions, animated widgets with details weather information, long lists of sport results, facts and more.

Google's goal used to be sending people to the most relevant results. Now Google wants to show the best answers and that's the reason why search results are less important. As more and more people use smartphones to search the web, Google has to provide answers, not just search results. Having to open multiple pages, scroll to the right section to find an answer is inconvenient, especially if you are on the go, your internet connection is slow and you don't have too much time.