Catching up with your friends when you’re preoccupied with responsibilities could be complicated. Apart from finding a common schedule, deciding where to go has always been a dilemma during reunions and nights out. Another thing to consider is budget. We all know that most yuppies are conscious consumers who want to get the most out of what they paid for. Thankfully, I discovered Booky, a lifestyle app that solves the timeless question: Where do we eat?
True to its name, Booky serves like an online phonebook of establishments, from restaurants, salons, spas, and fitness studios. Developed by local software company Scrambled Eggs Pte Ltd, Booky has been gaining traction with Filipinos. It has currently recorded over 500,000 downloads from the app market. The consumer app, which eats up less than 200 MB on mobile devices, features a lot of upgrades since its first release in 2014. It has expanded its offerings, providing health, wellness, and recreation services nationwide through over 15,000 accredited partners. Users are also in for a treat with its exciting promos that are curated for singles, couples, best friends, and even large groups.
There are two types of subscriptions available: one is free of charge, while the other has a monthly fee of PHP 199. New users are entitled to get a free month trial of Booky Prime which offers more deals and discounts. Services are divided into five major categories: Eat for restaurants, Glam for beauty salons, Move for gyms and fitness studios, Relax for spas and wellness centers, and Play for leisure facilities.
So how does it work? It’s simple. Just tap the app, register, browse, and select the promo you want to redeem. Then go to the nearest branch where you can claim the offering. And since we’re already heading towards cashless payment, the app adapts the QR code system for transactions. There’s a built-in QR code scanner in the app which sends the code to your phone. That code will then be recorded by the staff from partner brands for reference.
Booky’s user interface is very user-friendly. However, it does require an internet connection to work. Upon opening the app, you’ll be able to browse the recommended menus and service lists. Some of these are sorted by area, brand, type of cuisine, and exclusive daily offers. There’s even freedom for customers to organize places that they want to try. So if you’re a foodie or a fitness buff, I highly recommend that you spare some space on your phone for this app.
The Nearby icon below shows partner establishments in the vicinity. Should customers want to know how to get to an establishment, the app supports navigation via Google Maps. It also shows the menu of the restaurant or the services of a specific establishment and their contact numbers. To keep track of your transactions, the app has a history feature under the Me section which shows complete details on the previous redemptions as well as the amount the users were able to save.
Apart from encouraging Filipinos to save more and spare their wallets during Petsa de Peligro, Booky is a strong advocate of education and malnutrition prevention. The app gets a part of every Booky Prime subscriber’s fee to sponsor school lunches through its feeding program partners, ARK and Kusina ng Kalinga. This initiative was started by Booky because studies show that providing public students meals helps raise average school attendance from 70 percent to 95 percent. Now, if that’s not for a good cause, we don’t know what is.
Booky is available for download on the App Store and Google Play.
Also published in GADGETS MAGAZINE October 2019 Issue
Words and Photos by Jewel Sta. Ana