The short version
- We put 24 real customer questions about Denver, CO Restaurants to ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google AI Mode. The same handful of names recur, but no single business is named by all three.
- Being listed isn't being answered for. AI nails what you do and whether you do it, then breaks down on the questions that decide the job.
- Ask what you charge and every assistant invents a different number: on Guard and Grace the quotes span $150, on Closed1801 California St $134. Ask when you're available and it hedges: “I can't book on your behalf, call them.”
- Fix the gaps below (pricing first) and you move from a name in a list to the business AI can actually book.
1See where you stand
First, find out if AI surfaces you at all
Which businesses AI names isn't random. Ask ChatGPT “who's the best restaurant in Denver?” a few times and you'll see the same handful of names, right now that's Directions, Alma Fonda Fina and Work & Class.
If your business isn't in that set, AI isn't recommending you yet, and no amount of ad spend changes that. Check where you rank →
2The real bar
Showing up isn't the same as being answered for
AI is good at the surface questions. It answered what they offer 65% of the time and fit 42%, directly and accurately.
It's the decision questions where it falls apart. Across the Denver, CO Restaurants businesses we tracked, on availability it hedged or deflected nearly half the time, and on pricing the assistants' quotes for a single business diverged by as much as $150. Those are the exact questions a customer asks right before they book.
Ask when you're available and AI won't commit: “I can help you check, but I can't book on your behalf.” Ask what you charge and every assistant invents a different number: on Guard and Grace the quotes span $150, on Closed1801 California St $134. A customer comparing prices through AI is getting fabricated quotes.
We roll this into a depth score: how completely AI can carry a customer to a booking. Closed2556 15th St tops the Denver board at 73; Closed1801 California St sits at 56, not because it's a worse business, but because AI has nothing concrete to say about why you'd choose it. Depth is the difference between a name in a list and the business AI actually books the job with.
3The fix
The five things AI needs to know about you
These are the five dimensions we grade depth on, and the exact checklist for moving from “mentioned” to “booked.” Get each one accurate, complete and current everywhere AI looks.
1Menu & offerings
AI already gets this mostly right, so keep it complete: the full menu, dine-in, takeout, delivery, and catering. Spell out signature dishes rather than a generic cuisine label. Keep: a current menu and catering list AI can read.
2Reservations & availabilityAI hedges
AI knows you take reservations but won’t commit to a real table at a real time: “they appear to book online, but I can’t confirm 7pm Saturday; call them.” That deflection loses the booking. Fix: connect live reservations so AI can say “a table for two at 7pm is open” instead of sending them to the phone.
3Price per personAI invents it
AI doesn’t stay silent on cost. It fabricates a price per person, and every assistant guesses differently. Diners get a fake number and the wrong expectation. Fix: publish a real price range and any prix-fixe or set menu AI can quote.
4Dietary & private diningAI hedges
Ask about vegan, gluten-free, allergies, or a private room and AI hedges: “they may have options, but check with the restaurant.” That uncertainty sends the table elsewhere. Fix: state your vegan, gluten-free, allergy, and private-dining options so AI can send you the right guests.
5What you’re known forAI goes generic
Ask why choose you and AI recites “great food and cozy atmosphere,” true of everyone and useless to a diner. Fix: give AI one concrete thing you’re known for: the wood-fired pasta, a chef’s-table tasting, the best patio in town.
The fastest way to close the gap
This is exactly what Courtyard does. It builds a living knowledge base of your business and connects it to your booking, hours, services and pricing, so AI stays accurate and can recommend and book through you, not an aggregator. Set up in about 10 minutes, first month free. Then watch your depth score climb week over week.
The more AI understands your business, the more customers it sends.
Common questions
Why does AI get my pricing wrong?
Because it's guessing. If your pricing isn't published where AI can read it, each assistant fills the gap differently. We saw a $150 spread across assistants on Guard and Grace. The fix isn't to hide pricing; it's to give AI something accurate to say.
How do I know if AI recommends my business?
Look it up on the AI Visibility Index. You'll see which of the ${MODEL_COUNT_WORD} assistants name you, your share of voice, and your depth score. If you're not listed, AI isn't surfacing you yet.
Isn't this just SEO for AI?
No. SEO ranks a webpage. This is whether AI understands your business well enough to help someone who's already asking: the right services, the real availability, an accurate price. Ranking doesn't help if the assistant can't answer the next question.