When waiting for the bill at a restaurant or bar, you sometimes have to remind yourself that you’re not at the DMV. Too many fabulous meals have been ruined by a server who forgot about your table when it came time to pay – or the subsequent group math project that happens once the bill has arrived. Sometimes you’re in a Dash. One New York City-based startup (of the same name) allows diners to seamlessly split the bill, add a tip, and pay without physically handing over a credit card. Dash recently expanded to the Atlanta market and is being accepted at over 26 venues. We recently chatted with the Dash team to get the scoop.
Founded by Jeff McGregor and Gennady Spirin, “Dash is a new way to pay at bars and restaurants. Using your phone, you can check-in at a Dash enabled venue, view your bill in real time, split it with friends, and pay with one tap, all without waiting for your server to return with the check,” explains McGregor. “Dash eliminates the problem of fighting through a crowded bar or restaurant to close your tab, and keeps your credit card safe in your wallet. We offer a secure payment platform that simplifies the entire dining experience.”
On New Years Day 2011, Jeff was out to eat at a small cafe in Manhattan and got stuck waiting 20 minutes for the check. From that point on, he’s spent just about every waking minute building Dash. “Unlike some of our competitors, Dash is fully integrated with the leading POS systems. This allows for a really seamless on-boarding process on the merchant side and also provides an elevated user experience by facilitating features like real-time check updates and itemized bill splitting,” he continues. “Our ‘Venue Vibes’ feature allows real time crowd information and our integration into mobile apps like Facebook, Uber and Venmo make the whole payment process a breeze. You can feasibly order, pay and call an Uber all from the same platform.”
Screenshots of the Dash App
Atlanta is the fourth city to adopt Dash and more than 26 Atlanta venues, including Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, Concentrics Restaurants, Front Page News, and Rays on the River, now offer the app. “Atlanta is one of those rare cities on the cutting edge of culinary innovation, but maintains the warmth one would expect from the South where people enjoy good company as much as great food,” says McGregor. “Dash is here to ensure your night out is about making memories and not about waiting for checks. Atlanta also offers a growing array of nightlife venues, from posh clubs to classic dive bars, and we believe that Dash is perfect for those and everything in between.”
Dash has raised $1.9M over the course of two funding rounds, the most recent of which (a seed round) took place in February 2014.
Food-centric startups are all the rage and it’s interesting to see competition in this space – such as Atlanta-based Split – who we’ve been following since their pitch at Burning Plan. If you’re a foodie you should also check out these other Atlanta-based companies making waves in the grub market: CulinaryLocal, Local Roots, Orderly & triptap.
Download Dash on the App Store for iOS and on Google Play for Android.
Follow Dash on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paywithdash
Twitter: https://twitter.com/paywithdash
Instagram: https://instagram.com/paywithdash/
