221–230 of 272 posts
1. I can't add a thing, says address incorrect. Confirmed via google maps entry. 2. Drag and drop image upload expected by the dashed outlines but doesn't exist. 3. It should be possible to choose/save a location from a map after a search instead of entering it from blank fields. (see #1)
Edit: I’m in SF near Union Square maybe that’s why. Looks a lot better in Dallas with photos of the menus
Here are some cases:
You can get food for under $10 at many casual NYC restaurants -- if you just order an appetizer.
Also a snack is not a meal. For instance, I noticed a Salted Egg Yolk Bun in NYC for $1.50. But that's not really a meal (unless you get 4 of them). https://cheapfoodmap.com/spot/golden-steamer-new-york-ny
The average check price in NYC Chinatown can easily be under $10 if you get the right combination of appetizers/snacks.
Furthermore there are places where you can get food by the pound. Technically you can get a prepared meal at Whole Foods ($12.99/lb salad bar) if you get it just under 0.76 lbs. If you're light eater, then every Whole Foods in the country qualifies as cheap eats. Then the map will be saturated.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not really. GasBuddy has a standard: price per gallon But this is just a map of the lower-priced items, which are available everywhere. You can find a cheap sandwich, bowl of soup, slice of pizza, or taco virtually anywhere. There is no corresponding standard point of comparison (no "gallon").
The unit should be a Meal. Not just an appetizer, a full meal. (Does it include drink? In US, many places give free tap water, but not others. Is it okay if it’s only lunch, or should it be available for dinner too? What about tipping?)
It should be value for value, or pegged to a state's minimum wage or something, but then you lose the $10 marketing angle.
Sucks about getting laid off (been there, still there), but I don't see this as an ongoing concern if you are targeting consumers. If I am hungry, $10 is not my criteria. It could be $5, it could be $10.59 depending on fast I can get that protein in. Do I drive, does it get delivered, or do I just go downstairs to a taco stand.
OTOH, as others suggested, you could have businesses and franchises fight for foot traffic with coupons/promos.
(Only one place with a drink can give you a small lunch around $10 here, because no tip.)
I added a good spot in Tyson's Corner, VA - Falafel Inc. $5 for a sandwich
I also clicked around some more and noticed that there are some chains on there but only one is tagged per chain. Maybe some automation around finding the other locations of chains at data entry time. Some examples - Taco Bamba is a staple here and can be cheap, multiple locations all over the place. Andy's pizza is another one, although as another user pointed out, $5 is not a screaming deal for a slice, but it is under $10. When I typed in Falafel Inc, I saw the other locations there already, so maybe as simple as a multiselect or select all.
I like the google auth integration without forcing the use of my identity for the username. Probably worth adding a google logo as I read right past that initially as an option for auth.
I also love some of the other ideas for expansion and offering advertising options for restaurants that want it. That could be a good way to support your efforts. Maybe you could even incentivize users to tell the restaurants about this in some way.
Minor issue - When I liked my own drop, it took a few seconds to update in the UI.
As for price freshness model, I'm not exactly clear on how well that will work until there is more data there. If I could click and check out the menu real quick, that's enough for me to commit to trying it out. Looks like you are going with the upvote/downvote model, which I think could work. It might also be possible to hook into some of the online ordering apis to get the live data (ie. Slice - https://slice.com/ and others)
This feels like GasBuddy, but for food. One of the reasons GasBuddy took off was that it wasn't just based on community reports; there was an incentive for gas stations themselves to accurately report their prices and keep them up to date. It seems like you're trying to discourage businesses from participating (e.g. by not accepting sponsored placements), and that will have implications for your growth rate. I think…
Wow, thank you for this suggestion. This might be most sustainable way to update prices, as long as I set boundaries correctly. I will research how GasBuddy set up their data pipeline this week to see if we can benchmark.
Food4thecheap Good food on the cheap Cheapo's meal map Bums' Guides
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Wow, thank you for this suggestion. This might be most sustainable way to update prices, as long as I set boundaries correctly. I will research how GasBuddy set up their data pipeline this week to see if we can benchmark.
I could be wrong but I think you’ll want to consider changing the name. The parent post is on point, but companies won’t be attracted by the “cheap food” moniker. Even “budget food” is more palatable for a restaurant to associate with.