Booky Is Back—and Hungry for More
Booky is a food discovery and delivery platform in the Philippines, letting users order from over 31,000 restaurants at exclusive prices with direct delivery instead of separate driver bookings.
What started in 2014 as a simple way to answer “Where should we eat?” is once again becoming one of the most trusted names in the Philippines’ food scene. Booky, the food discovery and deals app created by Ben Wintle and inspired by dinner-time decision fatigue with his wife, actress Iza Calzado, is staging a comeback—with renewed energy, fresh content, and bigger rewards for Filipino foodies.
From Phone Book to Prime
Booky was once a restaurant directory—its name a nod to the “phone book” of yore—with menus and contact info that could be downloaded for offline access. It later grew into a table reservation app, facilitating up to 40,000 monthly bookings at its peak. But the real breakthrough came when Booky leaned into its superpower: deals.
By 2019, Booky had become the #1 food and beverage app in the country, outperforming industry giants like McDonald’s and Foodpanda in user engagement for dining promos. “Most Filipinos are driven by discounts,” Wintle said in an interview with Rappler. “While some like to plan their meals, many make dining decisions based on the best deals available.” That insight turned Booky into a household name—until the pandemic turned dining out into staying in.
The COVID Pivot
When lockdowns hit, Booky’s dine-in model collapsed almost overnight. Instead of giving up, the team built new tools for restaurants: QR ordering systems, delivery options, and B2B platforms to help brands stay operational. But it wasn’t a perfect fit. As Wintle put it, “Restaurants don’t really feel the need to pay for B2B tools… it was a big distraction.” So Booky went back to what it did best—serving up food discovery and discounts—but this time, with a modern twist.
Introducing: Booky Prime
Today, Booky is once again at the center of the dining conversation thanks to Booky Prime, its revamped subscription model. For just P149/month, users get unlimited access to over 500 deals across 2,500+ restaurants—with no redemption caps and regular refreshes. The new app experience also makes browsing, reviewing, voting, and discovering restaurants easier than ever.
Plus, it speaks the language of its users—literally—with a playful mix of Taglish that makes scrolling through deals feel like chatting with a foodie friend. (“Sakto lang!” “Panalo talaga!”) And the deals? They’re better than ever. From buy-one-get-one offers to giveaways worth P100,000 or even a trip to Korea, Booky is pulling out all the stops to win back diners—and keep them coming back.
A Win-Win for Restaurants
What sets Booky apart is that it’s not just a consumer app—it’s a growth engine for local restaurants. Instead of paying upfront for ads, restaurants partner with Booky by offering exclusive deals, and in return receive up to P2 million worth of content and marketing support: videos, editorial features, app placement, and influencer collaborations.
“It’s not just about slashing prices,” Wintle explained. “We work with each restaurant to design deals that align with their business goals.” And that collaborative spirit is paying off. Booky’s latest campaigns, including one with Iza and viral chef Ninong Ry, have brought in a new wave of attention. A podcast featuring the couple is in the works, along with a P250,000 giveaway and exclusive dinner experiences for lucky users.
Food, Community, and the Power of Staying in the Game
Booky’s comeback is more than just a rebrand. It’s a case study in resilience—about knowing when to pivot, when to double down, and how to listen to your market. From TikTok reels to Prime memberships, everything the company is doing now is in service of its founding mission: helping people eat better, smarter, and more joyfully.
As Ben Wintle says, “You need to listen to the needs of Filipinos. We are an app by Filipinos, made for the joy of Filipinos.” And that joy is just getting started.
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