Financial technology major Square has expanded its strategic relationship with Google, bringing US food and beverage (F&B) merchants directly into Ask Maps, Google Maps' conversational AI search and discovery platform.
The integration enables local restaurants, cafés, and food outlets to surface in natural-language search queries and process direct consumer orders within the Google Maps interface. By automatically syncing store details, operational hours, and real-time menus from the Square Dashboard, the system removes technical setup requirements, contractual hurdles, and additional service fees for participating merchants.
The partnership also advances the adoption of the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open standard for agentic commerce designed to standardise AI-driven transaction workflows across the hospitality sector.
Conversational AI Restaurant Discovery
The introduction of Ask Maps allows consumers to discover local dining options through conversational text prompts rather than traditional keyword searches.
Through real-time data synchronisation between Square Dashboard and Google Business Profiles, restaurant information remains continuously updated across Google's digital channels without manual intervention from store operators.
Key capabilities delivered through the Ask Maps integration include:
🤖 Conversational Discovery: Merchants surface directly within natural-language AI responses when consumers request specific dishes, dietary preferences, or meal options nearby.
🔄 Automated Real-Time Syncing: Operational hours, location details, and active menu items pull directly from Square to maintain information accuracy.
⚡ Zero Technical Overhead: Deployed across eligible Square F&B accounts without requiring API development, custom configurations, or added transaction costs.
Andrew Costaris, Digital Vice-President at Partners Coffee, stated that maintaining accurate digital touchpoints is critical for consumer recruitment, noting that integration with Ask Maps ensures initial brand interactions align with physical counter experiences.
Direct Checkout and POS Integration
Beyond venue discovery, the collaboration embeds end-to-end transaction capabilities into the search experience, enabling US consumers to complete orders directly within Ask Maps.
Users can browse full digital menus, apply item customisations, and complete transactions using Order by Cash App. Completed orders route directly into the merchant's existing Square operating infrastructure, including point-of-sale (POS) systems and Kitchen Display System (KDS) hardware, requiring no separate operational workflows for kitchen staff.
Morgan Kuntze, Global Partnerships Lead at Block, noted that consumer discovery habits are transitioning toward conversational AI platforms, adding that expanding integration with Google ensures Square sellers maintain visibility across evolving digital ordering channels.
As part of the broader commercial collaboration, Square, Google, and industry partners are extending the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) to the food and beverage industry.
UCP operates as an open technical standard for agentic commerce, designed to facilitate multi-platform interactions between autonomous AI agents, digital wallets, and merchant inventory systems. By applying UCP parameters to quick-service and full-service restaurant ordering, the initiative seeks to establish a standardised framework for AI-led transaction processing across retail ecosystems.
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