One of the best things about being in NYC is that you have endless dining options. There are simply too many restaurants to count. The only problem is your wallet definitely suffers from trying every type of restaurant NYC has to offer. But you are in luck! Seated is a new app that rewards you for going to certain restaurants at less popular times. Now you can have your cake and eat it too (literally).
How It Works
In simple terms, Seated rewards you for dining out. First you search from the hundreds of restaurants in your city (the app includes NYC, Boston, D.C., Miami, LA and more). Seated sorts restaurants by location, popularity, and bookings in the past hour. You can also sort by time of day, price, or neighborhood. On the explore page you can browse restaurants based on type food or on the vibe, which is helpful if you're looking for a good spot for drinks, a group dinner, or a date night. Then when you find a restaurant you like, Seated offers you different reservation times that the restaurant has available. Usually there are more times on weekdays because Seated wants you to go to the restaurant when it is less popular, but hey, that means a less crowded restaurant for you too!
Your Rewards
Obviously, the best part of the app is that you get rewards. Currently the rewards either involve a Lyft, Starbucks, or Amazon gift card. I know. Amazing! Once you pick the restaurant, the app gives you information on how much your reward will be based on the size of your party and how much you spend. For example, say I want to go to Blossom On Columbus, "a refined vegan eatery", I type in party of two for Tuesday night at 7:00pm and it lets me know that if I spend $50 pre tax/tip I will get a $30 Amazon Gift card!
If the rewards aren't enough to convince you, there's one more thing. For every reservation made with Seated, the company donates one meal to a child in need via the #Sharethemeal app from the UN World Food Program. Now you can enjoy a meal, get rewards and give to charity all at once. Win, win, win.