Seated

Getting paid to eat out -

​what’s not to love?

​​We’re really excited about SEATED,
a no-hassle booking app
that pays decent rewards in return for restaurant reservations

photo courtesy of Seated, used with permission

Me and hubby love going out for dinner, and for many years we’ve been using Opentable.com to make quick and easy online reservations. But Opentable rewards are pretty stingy - usually 100 points per booking which can be cashed-in only when you reach 2000 points for a $10 Amazon gift card (so basically 50¢ per booking). If it wasn’t for the convenience factor, it hardly seems worth it. And when I first heard about Seated, another free reservation app about a year ago, I was a bit skeptical. At that time, users were required to divulge credit card details to verify that they’d actually paid the bill (as opposed to doing a runner). Always cautious about security, I declined to hand over any top-secret financial info. However, I recently received a new invitation which persuaded me to sign up - Seated has removed the credit card requirement, allowing you to simply snap a pic of your restaurant receipt instead.

Seated has partnered with select, upscale restaurants in NYC, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco … and Atlanta. We were very excited to spot some of our local favourites (Emidio’s, Anis Bistro and Eclipse Di Luna) on Seated, and it’s even encouraged us to try some new places too. Admittedly, the app itself is a little glitchy, and navigating the map feature to find restaurants in your area is a bit tricky. To help you out, we have listed some of our Atlanta recommendations below. 

Seated helps restaurants attract new business, fill tables and create a loyal fan base by motivating diners to book in advance and remember to show up (don’t worry - the app won’t let you forget). In return for keeping your reservation and meeting a minimum spend you’ll be rewarded up to 30% of your check, which can be cashed-in as Amazon, Apple, Sephora or Target gift cards or Uber credits, and "experiences" such as wine tastings, celebrity dinners and other special events. I’m finding it amazingly quick and easy to upload a photo of my receipt, and I receive my reward within a couple of hours of leaving the restaurant. And all this done so simply on my phone. Splitting the check with friends? Just snap a shot their receipts too, and Seated will reward you on the joint total. If you dine out with a  business account, you can even double-dip by claiming rewards along with your expenses. Sweet!

While hubby and I don’t usually need any incentive to dine out, it is lovely to be rewarded just for going to dinner. Since signing up for Seated, I’ve achieved “Elite” status  within my first month, earned tons of gift cards and received several $20 bonus rewards too. For our latest dinner date, we enjoyed a free Uber ride there and back, thanks to Seated. 

As if getting paid to eat out is not rewarding enough, Seated will donate one meal to a child in need via the UN World Food charity in return for every reservation. How great is that?

Update: my end of 2019 Seated statement
shows I earned $330 in rewards this year!

Special offer: 
click this link to join Seated and get a
$5 bonus on your first reservation ​

Our Seated restaurant recommendations in ATL:
​

• Anis Bistro: Wonderful French food in Buckhead (our review coming soon). Seated reward up to 20% depending on date/time.
• Eclipse Di Luna: Sunday brunch with live flamenco music and bottomless mimosas. 19% reward.
• Divan Persian Restaurant: A great new discovery for us, thanks to Seated. 11% reward.
• Emidio's: Read our review here 2% Seated reward.
• Twelve Eighty: Trendy farm-to-table eatery at the High Museum. 2% Seated reward.​​