How to Make Sure Your Catering or Venue Business Shows Up on ChatGPT

Right now, AI tools like ChatGPT are changing how your future clients find vendors—and if your catering or venue business isn’t showing up, it’s not because you’re not excellent.

It’s because AI doesn’t recognize or understand you yet. You’re not alone. Most caterers and venues haven’t been told how to optimize for AI tools like ChatGPT.

In this blog, I’ll break down how to talk to AI through your website and what you can do right now to make sure your business shows up in tools like ChatGPT when clients ask:

“Who are the top caterers or venues in my area?”



This week, I got a text from my client Becca from Hamby Catering.

“Margaret. It happened. A lead just submitted a form and said they found us… on ChatGPT.”

It wasn’t a fluke.

It was a corporate client looking for a venue in her area, and when they asked ChatGPT for recommendations, her business was listed. WE CELEBRATED!

This idea is not some “in the future” idea.
This is happening in real time. So that means we all have an opportunity for growth and change.

AI is already out here recommending venues, caterers, and event pros based on what it can find and understand about your business online.

And if your business isn’t showing up?
It’s not because you’re not amazing at what you do. It’s because AI can’t find you in a way it recognizes and trusts.

Why AI Doesn’t Recognize Your Business Yet

It looks for:
✅ Clear, client-forward website copy
✅ Straightforward service descriptions
✅ Specific, repeated location data
✅ Human-friendly (and AI-friendly) structure
✅ Keywords that match what people are actually asking

And no, it’s not magic. You don’t need to hire a developer. You just need to
make your presence a little more… readable.

4 Ways to Make Your Business AI-Friendly

1. Use “you” language on your website.
Don’t describe your services—speak to your client.
“We offer full-service catering” is fine.
But “You deserve an unforgettable dinner party, and we’ll take care of every
detail” hits differently. And AI loves clarity.

2. List your city + state consistently.
This sounds simple, but you’d be surprised how often it’s missing.
Make sure your homepage, footer, and contact page all clearly say where you are. AI isn’t guessing. As my friend Camille Moore would say, “Make it Scannable & Snackable.”

Make sure your city and state are in:

• Your homepage
• Your footer
• Your contact page
• Your meta description (if possible)

AI doesn’t assume. It needs to be told where you are.

3. Answer the questions people are asking.
Want ChatGPT to recommend you when someone types:
“Best wedding venues in [City]”
Then that phrase—or something close to it—needs to be on your site. You
don’t need 500 blog posts. But you do need to echo your client’s search
language.

4. Don’t hide your offerings in PDFs.
I love a beautifully designed downloadable menu. I mean, I create them.
But AI tools can’t read them. Make sure your core services and pricing (if you
are giving it out) live in plain text somewhere on your site.

Want to know if you’re showing up?

Ask someone outside of your business to search this in their ChatGPT account:
“Who are the best [caterers/venues/planners] in [City] for [type of event]?”
Do you show up?
Do your competitors?

What to Do If You’re Not Showing Up in ChatGPT

First, take a breath. Not showing up yet doesn’t mean your business isn’t valuable. It just means you need to make some small, but strategic changes.

Here’s where to start:

• Search like a client. Type a few different prompts into ChatGPT or Google and see what comes up. Notice the businesses that do appear—what language are they using? What do their websites include that yours doesn’t?
• Update your website copy. Add clear service descriptions. Use phrases that match what people are typing into AI and search tools.
• Get your location visible. City, state, service area. Say it multiple times, in plain text.
• Make your services scannable. If someone can’t figure out what you do or how to work with you in under 30 seconds, neither can AI.
• Think like a buyer. What are they actually asking? Use that language. Be the answer.
• Ask for help if you’re stuck. You don’t have to overhaul everything at once. Start with clarity, not complexity.
  

The Human Edge in an AI World

AI is here. That’s not a threat—it’s an invitation.

Everyone is getting faster. Everyone has templates. Everyone is “optimized.”

What sets you apart is how human you are.

The voice memo. The warm follow-up. The menu that feels personal. The copy that sounds like a person, not a bot, wrote it.

Be the business that AI can find.
Be the brand that clients want to book.

Because when they ask ChatGPT “Who’s the best in town,” you want it to answer with your name.

Your Checklist to Get Found

I’ve opened 2 audit spots this summer for catering and venue businesses who want to get found, get clear, and get booked. Let’s make it easy for AI to recommend you, and even easier for clients to say yes.

Reserve your audit spot.