Since launching in February, Foodie Card has donated more than 6,000 meals to the hungry by selling membership cards that offer discounts at nearly 200 restaurants and growing across Long Island and beyond.
Eateries ranging from Matteo’s to Kyma to Bagel Boss offer 10 percent discounts to members of Foodie Card, which costs $29.99 annually. In turn, participating restaurants help Foodie Card donate to food banks such as Island Harvest.
“We believe that Foodie Card can grow into a national brand that fosters a sense of community, whether it’s the less fortunate we help feed, the members we help save money, or the local businesses we help drive traffic to,” says Foodie Card cofounder Neil Foster, of East Hills. “It should be something you’re proud to have in your wallet.”
Foster and his partner, Ryan Alovis, CEO of Garden City-based The Stella Group, were inspired to launch Foodie Card after seeing the engagement of their Tri-State Restaurant Club Facebook group, which has more than 62,000 members who share dining recommendations.
“Our initial strategy was to build a company that had a moral compass,” Foster says. “It made a ton of sense to build a real membership program that drives business to restaurants with a discount while helping those that are struggling within our community.”
Besides founding Foodie Card, Foster was a tastemaker at the World’s Fare, an event at Citi Field this spring created by Long Island Press co-owner Joshua Schneps that showcased the cuisine from more than 100 countries. Leading up to the 2019 World’s Fare, organizers will host the World’s Fare Passport Series at 525 46th Ave. in Long Island City, starting with a taste of The Americas (Aug. 11-12), Europe (Sept. 8-9) and Asia (Oct. 20-21). Visit theworldsfare.nyc for more info.
Eventually, Foster expects to help restaurants by providing insights into patrons’ dining habits.
“It has the potential to transform into a technology and data company,” he says. “One that knows much more about our audience, from what type of food they like, how often they go out … how much they spend, etc.”
In the meantime, he’s encouraged by frequent messages he receives about how much money people save, or how some restaurants have seen a major influx of business. The average member eats out two or three times weekly and pays off their card in three meals, he says.
“Foodie Card is all about people helping people,” he says.
For more information, visit foodiecard.com
