EazyDiner, the restaurant reservation app for those with an appetite


EazyDiner is the latest service to hit the all encompassing mobile app market and caters to the foodie who likes dining out. Its goal is to offer users an experience that sets it apart from the herd and could just peak your interest enough to try it out. So in case you were wondering just how good this relatively new service really is, allow me to provide you with a review of the restaurant reviewing and booking facility that is EazyDiner (currently available for Delhi/NCR and Mumbai).

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The App for those with an Appetite
To kick things off, the means to the end i.e. the mobile app, is available for iOS and Android device and although chock full of delectable imagery, is no slouch in terms of overall functionality and speed. The ‘Explore’ section is akin to ‘Deals of the Day’ and highlights special offers for EazyDiner users. The ‘Nearby’ speaks for itself and provides options in and around your current location.

A tiny issue with the next tab i.e. the ‘Book’ section, is that it has a search feature but requires you to know the name of the restaurant. The generic Search box is not available here, nor is the Filter option. This tab can only be used for those who know exactly where they wish to dine. You’ll also find upcoming reservations listed here. A Trends tab, which is rather interesting, curates a list of food related articles from your city that make for good reads.
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Under the ‘Me’ tab that doubles as your profile, you have the amount of EazyRupees you’ve accumulated, your booking history, and app settings. The Upcoming Booking page doesn’t feature a ‘Call’ or in-app option in case you need to alter your booking or change the reservation time, but there is however a ‘Cancel’ button.

On the whole, the app is simple, colorful and quite well designed for most part. But like most good applications, there are always a few things that users would find lacking and this user also found a few. Let’s hope an app update is on the cards and soon. The PC browser website is just as feature rich as the app.
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The Service Provided
Using the service was fairly simple except when it came to any special requests. EazyDiner has what they call an EasyConcierge service; it’s more accurately a help-desk that is, in essence, a booking agent between customers and the restaurants. They’ll help make a booking and change reservation details but not much else. If you wish to have something organized like sending flowers or a cake, you’d need to speak to the restaurant directly. What they can do however, is get you reservations in that could be hard to get on your own at some of the city’s best eateries. For example, we managed to get bookings at Arola, the ultra swanky, 2 star Michelin, resto/tapas-bar, that has its base at Mumbai’s JW Marriott. This was on a Saturday night… I made the booking a day in advance.

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However there is a twofold issue here – one, calling it a ‘Concierge’ when it doesn’t live up to the term, and two, not having the restaurant’s number listed on the app forcing you to call the service and then take down the information (no, they can’t connect you either). It can get a bit complicated.
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What I also noticed was the rather substantial discrepancy in the approximate cost for meals that are listed. While matching them to other sites and our own real-life experiences, they seemed to be off by a few thousand. For example, we used EazyDiner a second time for a meal for two at one of Mumbai’s fine dining eateries that cost us about Rs. 4500 (not including taxes) and that was about the rate listed on Zomato. EazyDiner however, had the same location listed for Rs. 2500. The latter would be accurate if one only had water with their meals and a couple of salads. It was similar with other restaurant listings as well. While I’m not suggesting that the competition is correct, it is however, more realistic.

A few more bugs included, on occasion, errors while making a booking, like ‘tables have already been utilized’, which also requests you call the EasyConcierge for assistance which would complete the same booking in seconds. Currently the system only allows you to book a seating for up to 4 people via the app. If you’re a larger crowd, you’d need to call in.
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Just a quick digression, our experience at Arola was top notch. EazyDiner offered a couple of Gin based cocktails complimentary as per the listing and we tried a couple based on the manager’s recommendations. The club specializes in Gin and is home to over 30 varieties from all over the globe. Although Chef Sergi Arola was not running the kitchen that evening, his Sous Chef Ashley served up some mouth watering hot tapas (veg and non-veg). The term ‘melts in your mouth’ comes to mind.

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The ambiance of Arola is chic and modern with plenty of room even though the dining area might seem small. The music was great and a live percussionist plays on Saturdays lending an extra beat to the recorded music spun by the in-house DJ; it makes for a great blend. The general set up is a lounge, bar and seating areas that are comfortable and well lit to enjoy a pleasant conversation or dancing the night away. And although pricing on the EazyDiner app stated approximately Rs. 2000 for two, go prepared to cross the 4K mark with drinks that you’ll most assuredly want to try.
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The Final Say
EazyDiner’s ‘edge’ is to offer something more than the competition can and to a small extent, they do. While services like Zomato may simply be a host for information on dinning out, EazyDiner is a service that lets you actually make bookings from the same space, offers reward points and provides you with expert reviews from, the likes of Vir Sanghvi as well as regular users. The competition does however give you a direct line to the restaurant to call for reservations, information etc.

Don’t confuse this with a FoodPanda or TinyOwl; you can’t order take away with EazyDiner, this is purely for reservations, nothing more, nothing less. The perks like discounts and free stuff could make you a regular user, but they still have a little way to go when it comes to streamlining their overall repertoire of services. For now, I say give it whirl, there’s nothing to lose, just don’t go by their prices.

EazyDiner is available on iOS and Android. https://www.eazydiner.com/

Address: Arola
Lobby Level, JW Marriott,
Juhu Tara Road, Juhu,
Mumbai, Maharashtra 400049
Phone:022 6693 3000

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