To efficiently plan your visits to stores and other establishments, Google Maps provides a convenient feature that reveals the current and typical crowd levels. Whether you’re heading to a grocery store, restaurant, park, or any other location, Google Maps can instantly inform you about how busy it is, helping you make informed decisions about when to go.
Accessing this information is easy, whether you’re using the Google Maps website on your browser or the mobile app on iPhone, iPad, or Android devices. Begin by searching for the specific store, restaurant, business, or even a park you’re interested in. The feature also extends to various locations.
Once you’ve found the desired location, click or tap its name to access more details. Look for the “Popular Times” chart within the panel, which may require scrolling down. Here, you’ll find the “Live” time, indicating the current crowd level. This real-time information allows you to gauge how busy the establishment is right at that moment.
For a more comprehensive view, click on the name of the weekday and choose another day of the week. This feature lets you explore when the location is typically busiest or quieter. You can identify patterns, such as whether more people tend to visit on Wednesdays or Sundays, and whether the store is less crowded in the early morning or late at night. The chart provides valuable insights into the establishment’s usual crowd fluctuations.
It’s worth noting that while this feature is available for most locations, it may not be accessible for every place. Google tracks crowd data for locations that receive sufficient visits from individuals who have enabled Google Location History. If a location doesn’t meet this criterion, the information may not be available.
How It Works
This functionality leverages the location data obtained from users who opt to enable Google Location History on their phones. By utilizing this data, Google can estimate the current crowd density at a particular location. Additionally, the feature retains historical data, enabling it to provide average crowd levels, showcasing when a store is typically at its busiest and quietest each week. Google employs a similar approach to track traffic conditions on roads within Google Maps.
Reference: Google Business Profile Help > Popular times, wait times, and visit duration