Eat Out, SA’s best guide to SA’s best food, has launched a brand new app and a bookings platform. The free app, available now for Android and Apple users, will connect Eat Out’s massive directory of 6 000 restaurants with South Africa’s largest dining community – over 700 000 consumers. The brand has utilised its 20-year knowledge of the local dining landscape to craft an app that consumers need, along with a bookings platform that has been tailored to the requirements of restaurants.
There is no subscription or setup fee to use the Eat Out bookings platform. Restaurants pay only R10 per booking (excluding VAT) received through the Eat Out app. There is also no monthly fee – meaning no bookings, no fee.
Available in Lite and Pro versions, the platform offers restaurants the ability to manage bookings with a specially created user-friendly interface. The Lite version will allow restaurants to take bookings on request – thereby using Eat Out as a lead generator. It can be used in conjunction with any other booking system and restaurants have the ability to accept or decline any bookings made via the app. The Pro version makes instant bookings possible via the Eat Out app. It enables restaurants to streamline all reservations, set up sittings, configure tables, and send notifications to members of staff. The Pro version also gives restaurants access to a free bookings widget to use on their own website or Facebook page.
The intuitive bookings platform guides you through setup – meaning there is no need to incur any call-out fee. If restaurants do need assistance, however, there is a dedicated support centre available Mondays to Sundays (contact support@eatout.co.za or call 0861 636 638).
Mobile users have been used to booking movies or rides like Uber for some time, so the booking experience will be very familiar. They will easily be able to find a restaurant, book a table and review their experience. The app has been developed to find restaurants nearby using geo-location technology. Also available is the ability to search by a different area, for a specific cuisine type, or by using the restaurant’s name to find the perfect spot.
The app and bookings system are a collaboration between Naspers and New Media, a division of Media24, a Naspers subsidiary. It was developed by an experienced team of software developers at Naspers, led by Product Specialist Evan Person.
Aileen Lamb, Managing Director of New Media, the company that founded Eat Out, explains why the app is a game-changer: “As the host of South Africa’s largest online restaurant directory, Eat Out simply had to create a platform where users can find all their favourite restaurants and make bookings with just a few clicks. Whether you’re an award-winning fine dining establishment, a chain of family-friendly restaurants or a country-style kitchen, the Eat Out app will help you reach more diners and organise your bookings in a way that helps you.”
In order to activate bookings, restaurant owners or managers can claim their listings by visiting restaurants.eatout.co.za. The Eat Out app is free and available for iPhone and Android. Download it now from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
