Locations Map
The Locations Map allows customers to discover restaurant locations using an interactive map experience. It supports browsing the map, searching by city and state, and finding nearby locations, while giving brands flexibility in layout, behavior, and presentation across desktop and mobile.
We love options and with this addition, there are now 3 options for location search on the Onosys platform:
- Locations Map - selecting Locations from the site header will open a map that shows all available restaurant locations. The user can then interact directly with the map, the list of locations, or perform a location search to find available restuarants in their area. Continue reading to find out more.
- Location Search Results Map - this option provides users the standard location search, and upon submitting, provides a map displaying the available restaurants in the area. Check out this article for more details.
- The third option is the classic location search and results list, which does not include a map view.
This article describes the Locations Map, including it's available features and options. If interested, a Client Success Manager can help set up the Locations Map for your brand.
Customer Experience
How To Access the Locations Map
If a brand is using the Locations Map, selecting Locations from the site header will open a map view showing all restaurant locations on the map.
This is a map-first experience, that is coupled with a location list and location search bar to narrow results.
Benefits
- View all restaurant locations on an interactive map
- Browse the locations list, organized by restaurant state or province
- Automatically find nearby locations using browser based location detection
- See favorite locations highlighted in the location list and on the map with unique markers
- Focus the map view on a desired area by searching by city, state, or ZIP code
- Toggle the map display on or off
Recommended for:
- Brands with many locations
- Regional or national brands
- Brands with customers who prefer visual browsing
Map Layout
Mobile Experience
On mobile devices:
- The map is displayed at the top and can be sticky for the user as they scroll through the location list
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The map height is set to prioritize screen real estate, allowing both the location map and location list to display
Desktop Experience
On desktop, the map can be positioned:
- To the right of the location list (default)
- To the left of the location list
- Above or below the location list
Further layout settings allow control over map height, width, and overall size to maintain a balanced experience with the restaurant list.
Location Pin Configuration
Map pins can be configured to align with brand identity. This includes logos, colors, and size.
Supported marker differentiation:
- Location marker
- Active marker (selected location)
- Favorite location marker
Benefits:
- Brand recognition
- Clear visual distinction for users when viewing locations, selecting a location, and seeing favorite locations
Restaurant List
Organizing the Restaurant List
With the location search map, all restaurant locations are automatically displayed in the location list. This can be a long list for customers to sort through and can be grouped by state or province, with cities nested underneath, in order to provide easy navigation.
Available options:
- Show all locations grouped
- Expand all groups by default
- Sort groups either alphabetically or by number of locations
Benefits:
- Quicker browsing for brands that have multiple states or provinces
- Improved readability and filtering for large location lists
More Options
Default to a Predefined Location
As mentioned, instead of showing all locations the map can instead focus on a predefined area.
Common use cases:
- Regional chains where most locations are around a central geographic hub
Behavior:
- Map centers on the predefined location
- Automatically zooms to show nearby stores within a set radius
- Restaurant list only displays the locations within this area
Limit Restaurant Search Results
Brands are also able to limit the number of locations returned.
- For example, if the search radius is set to 100 miles, only return the first 20 results closest to the search criteria.
- This can prevent overwhelming customers with too many results and only return the most important options.
Best Practices
- If using the location map, mark test or lab locations as Admin Only so they do not appear on the map as active locations
- Make use of the grouped location option in the locations search list for brands spanning multiple states or provinces
- Use the default location search option for regional brands focused around one city or market
- Always test on both desktop and mobile devices to make sure it is displaying as intended
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