In September 2026 Marriott’s CEO told investors that AI’s biggest impact on the hotel industry would be on distribution.
In the last month I’ve written about ChatGPT booking restaurant tables through OpenTable, Resy and Yelp, and about Uberall’s finding that 83% of quick service restaurant locations don’t appear in AI recommendations at all. My advice both times came down to getting your data in order and making sure your booking platform is connected. After reading what Marriott International said this month, I don’t think that will be enough for too long.
At a Bank of America investor conference on 9 September, CEO Anthony Capuano said AI’s biggest impact on the hotel industry will be on distribution. Marriott sends its portfolio content to Google and OpenAI so its hotels show up in AI search, and he said reports show it appears more readily than its peers. It has added plain-language search to the Bonvoy app. It is also testing ads on OpenAI’s ad platform.
That mention of ads should raise eyebrows for restaurant operators. It’s OpenTable and the OTAs again, but with one additional layer. If the venues ChatGPT suggests for dinner tonight can be paid for, organisations like Marriott can deal with OpenAI directly and pay once. An independent restaurant isn’t going to open an account with OpenAI. If it pays for AI placement at all, it will be through its booking platform or a delivery app, and it will pay OpenAI’s rate with the platform’s margin on top.
I’d expect booking platforms to sell AI visibility as a paid extra, the way delivery apps sell sponsored listings, and I suspect it’s part of the reason some are offering restaurants six-figure signing bonuses, as Boston Globe Media reported last month.
As far as I can see, none of this is live for restaurants yet but the time to ask about it is now - before the price list exists. If you run restaurants, ask your booking provider whether it plans to charge for placement in AI results, and whether a restaurant that doesn’t pay will still show up.