Whether you’re a fan of Steak Queen or Scaramouche, Torontonians and their smartphones are hungry for restaurant apps, and a host of developers are well aware of that. With India’s multimillion-dollar restaurant-finding app Zomato just launching in town, here are a few homegrown options for finding a bite and maybe getting a little extra service.
TAB
Cost: Free, comes with $10 promotional credit
Locations in use: 40 plus
What it does: Eliminates the hassle of waiting for the bill by having it go straight to a diner’s phone. After your meal, you receive a push notification on your phone that lets you complete a private review of your experience that only the manager has access to.
Main competitors: Cover, OpenTable
Competitive edge: A focus on payment as a hospitality experience, with carefully curated restaurants. Also, multiple party-members can easily check in and split the bill.
SMOOTHPAY
Cost: Free, comes with $1-$2 in promotional credit at most locations
Locations in use: 45 plus
What it does: With a focus on quick-service cafés and lunch spots around Toronto. SmoothPay lets customers buy meals through a mobile wallet system on your smartphone that connects to your credit card. SmoothPay also services frequent use customers with customized loyalty rewards programs.
Main competitors: PayPal mobile
The edge: The app has support from Bruce Croxon, formerly of Dragons’ Den.
MAEGAN
Cost: Free
Locations in use: Still in its infancy, Maegan offers only 15 in Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo area, with many more promised.
What it does: Diners frustrated with slow service don’t need to flag down the waiter to place their order. Instead, they can browse the menu and order directly from their phones, as well as pay. The app also lets you order food to your home or for pickup.
Main competitors: JustEat, Orderit.ca
The edge: Word nerds will love it. Maegan’s name comes from old English and means main dish, or mighty power of your hands. The app also allows you to search through dietary filters to find the right place to meet your vegan, gluten-free, lactose-intolerant needs.
TORONTO LIFE BEST RESTAURANTS
Cost: $0.99
Restaurants featured: 450 plus
What it does: You won’t find every restaurant in Toronto, but every one listed has been positively reviewed by the magazine’s writers.
Main competitors: Yelp, Urbanspoon
The edge: While Yelp is great for crowd-sourced opinions, it doesn’t offer recommendations from professional critics.
BLOGTO’S TORONTO FOOD TRUCKS
Cost: Free
Food trucks featured: close to 100
What it does: It’s not always easy to find your favourite food truck. This app lets the user connect with food trucks in the GTA by displaying their updated locations, pictures and profiles.
Main competitors: Eat Street, Street Food App
The edge: BlogTO has a considerable following in the city.
