Google Lets Restaurants Turn Off Ordering Providers With One Switch

Restaurants can now switch off specific third-party ordering providers directly in their Google Business Profile dashboard, according to a LinkedIn post by Google's Lisa Landsman. The change removes the middleman from a process that previously depended on providers acting on removal requests.

Google product manager Michael G. confirmed in the post's comments that the setting is available in "all" countries.

What changed?

Under the old system, a restaurant could ask Google to remove a provider link, but the provider itself had to process the request. Google's help page for ordering options gave providers five business days to take the link down.

An archive of Google's compliance policy from May shows how the burden was structured. Each ordering provider had to give restaurants a method, such as a removal form or a support ticket, to remove themselves from the provider's feed to Google. Providers had five business days to review and complete an opt-out request.

The current version of that policy page, most recently updated Oct. 19, no longer contains that requirement. It states instead that merchants may enable or disable individual provider integrations through product controls. It still obliges providers to drop any restaurant that asks to be removed from their feed. One line matters for operators: "All partner integrations are enabled by default."

How does the new setting work?

A screenshot in Landsman's LinkedIn post shows a "Manage provider" panel for a placeholder provider, www.provider.com. Under the heading "Show provider to customers," the panel carries separate switches for pickup and delivery. Both appear switched on in the image.

Landsman, Google's Head of Industry Engagement & SMB Success, wrote that restaurants can skip sending a request to each delivery platform. If a provider no longer fits a restaurant's operations or margins, "you can turn it off yourself," she wrote.

She also argued for keeping some providers listed. Diners tend to order through apps where they already hold a subscription or have a card saved, she wrote. Listing those apps can keep those orders from flowing to a competitor.

Why does this matter for operators?

A provider a restaurant does not want on its profile can now be turned off for pickup, delivery, or both, straight from the dashboard. No request form is needed and no five-day clock applies.

Because integrations switch on automatically at setup, the provider list under "Food ordering" belongs on the checklist for every profile a marketer or owner manages. Default-on integrations mean unmanaged profiles may display ordering links the restaurant never chose.

What remains unresolved?

As of Oct. 28, the Google help page describing the "Remove link" option does not mention the new "Show provider to customers" control. Documentation has not caught up with the product.

The LinkedIn post also did not say whether the setting works in bulk or through the Business Profile API (the interface for managing profiles at scale). Commenters asked about both. Agencies managing large portfolios will need that answer before the control replaces their existing removal workflows.