Dining App Saves Big Bucks

Qfer lets users find special dining offers in Riga. The service has just surpassed 100,000 users, 60% of whom use the app at least once a week.

Not many local apps have grown to a six-digit userbase in Latvia. Those that have, include mobile payments solution Mobilly and Swedbank mobile application. Qfer is the first marketing application to make it. According to AppAnnie, Qfer has been Latvia’s most downloaded iOS app in lifestyle category for the last two months. It is also within Top 20 overall currently, ahead of Google Maps, Skype and Spotify.

“Every day thousands of diners in Riga find special meals with Qfer. And that’s only the beginning. We are already developing the app in Lithuania, are preparing to start operations in several bigger markets,” reveals one of the company’s founder Arturs Burnins.

The company was  founded in 2014. Since then, it has enlisted almost 150 dining places and sold almost 610,000 meals. Businesses featured on the platform range from local cafes to global chains like McDonald’s and Hesburger. Founders estimate their users have already saved at least 1.2 million euros with Qfer.

“We continue to develop our platform for businesses to offer more diverse advertising solutions and wider targeting options in the future. Our goal is to be one of the primary tools in company’s communication with clients,“ says Arturs.

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Qfer provides their business clients with detailed usage statistics and does not charge any fees until someone actually uses the offer. This is a clear advantage for restaurants that used to rely on printed coupons, flyers and loyalty cards to attract clients.

Dining out is a growing industry. According to Bloomberg, in 2015 the spending of US consumers on dining out has finally exceeded the grocery sales. This trend is only projected to continue, as young people spend the most on dining out, particularly on fast food and takeaway. 

It will be interesting to see which bigger markets Qfer chooses for its international expansion. Dining bargain apps have been around for a while, and the biggest cities in the US, China and Europe already have established players to compete with.