Ask HN: Why does Google disable the minus (-) operator on Google Maps?

2 pointsjoncrane2 comments

So this is a question that gets plenty of search results, but Google is intentionally disabling the feature. The classic case is when a user wants to search for local coffee shops that are NOT Starbucks or Dunkin. My conspiracy theory is that Starbucks and Dunkin pay Google lots of money for this. What's the real reason?

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Interesting. I wonder how different the search is for maps and if it becomes an issue. I have no idea. I will say, as someone living in New England, Dunkin and CVS both pay to have a block icon of their stores on your map even when you didn't search for them. For example, if I'm trying to get to the grocery store and there is a Dunkin on the way or slightly out of the way, there will just be an icon for it no matter what with their logo, not the little orange cup of coffee they use for their general icons on Google Maps. I think I saw it with Dunkin for the first time in 2020.

Addendum: I just tried Bing maps and it's the same.

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