I ended our nightly dinner debates with this experimental Chrome feature

My family and I often found ourselves stuck in long, tedious debates about where to eat dinner. The problem stemmed from never having a clear starting point when choosing a cuisine or restaurant. Hours were wasted in group chats as we stuck to our usual spots and avoided trying new places. The experimental feature on Google Pixel 10 and later devices, called Magic Cue, ended those debates quickly.

Magic Cue, powered by Google's Gemini Nano on-device AI, is available on newer Pixel models and relies on the phone's Tensor chipset, Google's Tensor chipset, and provides timely suggestions based on group chats and browsing history. It considers recent screen activity, making it particularly useful when decision paralysis strikes while searching for exciting new restaurants.

In 2026, Google improved the feature for users like me who frequently discuss new restaurants with family members. Magic Cue detects conversational context and offers suggestions from Gemini with a single tap. Gemini suggests restaurants with relevant reviews and directions right in the chat, eliminating the need to switch apps for restaurant information.

Turning on Magic Cue on a Pixel device is simple, but I made a few tweaks to get contextual recommendations. To turn the feature on, go to Settings and look for Magic Cue. You'll need to grant it access to your most-used apps, including Chrome, Gmail, Calendar, Messages, Google Maps, WhatsApp, food delivery apps, and social media apps.

This allows Magic Cue to use recent screen activity from these apps and provide contextual recommendations. While still experimental, Magic Cue can sometimes be less reliable than desired. However, it works well most of the time and respects user privacy, as everything happens on-device and isn't uploaded to a cloud server. With Magic Cue on, a simple "What are you craving?" thread in a group chat provided three to four restaurant options that matched my recent browsing history and order receipts.

The feature even adapted to our plans when we were out for a comedy show, finding nearby restaurants and helping us choose the best one. Although Magic Cue isn't always perfect and third-party app support is still limited, it significantly reduced the time spent finding and booking restaurants. By providing contextual AI recommendations, Magic Cue transformed my phone into a helpful co-pilot during decision-making processes.

Give Magic Cue a try on your Pixel device and see if it helps ease decision-making during family dinners.