Google Maps may soon order food for you, leak shows

Hidden strings buried in the latest Android version of Google Maps point to a feature that would let users order food through conversation and have it ready for pickup. The code was uncovered by Android Authority in the course of a teardown, which included prompts such as "Say what you’re craving” and assurance that “Maps will order for you even while you’re on the move.”

From the looks of it, the code is related to Ask Maps, a natural language conversational component powered by Gemini, which Google rolled out earlier this year to help users ask about locations and directions.

From the strings, such as the “Try it out” and “Maybe later” buttons, it is clear that Google is preparing to launch the food order feature similar to any other feature roll-out process.

This is not conjecture based on leaked code alone; weeks before the teardown went public, Google itself announced on its blog that users would soon be able to order food delivery via conversation in Maps.

The key difference, however, is that the leaked strings refer to a drive-up service, whereas Google's announcement referred to food delivery, an inconsistency which indicates that the mechanics of the process have yet to be figured out.

What is unknown, however, is whether this will be available to all users or be initially released as a beta test, as was the case for Google’s Magic Cue functionality on the Pixel 10 line.