BiteSight, a new, app-based food delivery service, is changing the game in culinary tech. Its innovative design allows customers to view video clips of meals prior to ordering. Lucious McDaniel IV, 24, chief eating officer, and Zac Schulwolf, 25, co-founders of Chewse, were inspired by their experiences in college when they created Chewse. Together, they aimed to create a paradigm shift in how consumers find and interact with restaurants. In addition to his work struggles, McDaniel had a personal stake in the appeal of takeout options. This frustration led him to find a better way to discover food.
The app is only available so far in New York City. Users in other cities are calling for a national release! McDaniel and Schulwolf were members of Y Combinator’s Winter 2024 startup accelerator. That experience has allowed them to sharpen their vision and grow at an impressive pace. Their initial prototype of BiteSight released in mid-May and immediately took off with laser-focused social media advertising campaigns.
Just weeks after launching, BiteSight gained more than 100,000 new users. This surge can largely be attributed to a viral video featuring McDaniel presenting the app’s unique proposition on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Our corresponding TikTok video has almost 4 million likes! In the background, though, the Instagram post has gone on to get more than a quarter-million likes.
“What made our video stand out was that what we are building resonates,” said McDaniel.
BiteSight’s functionality includes tracking actual reviews and displaying friends’ opinions about various restaurants. This feature addresses a common frustration shared by many users: the overwhelming number of identical-looking restaurants with stock photos and inflated ratings.
I’d just run into this wall of the same looking restaurants with the same looking stock photos, and somehow every single one had 4.6 stars, McDaniel explained. “When I realized other people were doing the exact same thing, my co-founder Zac and I decided to build something better: an app that actually reflects how we discover food today.”
The app aims to reach a generation that responds to social cues. It extends beyond short-form video content to shape their decisions. McDaniel thinks this trend is just what the future of consumerism is turning towards.
“We’re trying to be the go-to app for the generation that discovers everything through social recommendations and short-form video,” he stated.
Beyond its user-friendly interface, BiteSight utilizes AI technology to help streamline business operations, saving time and money. McDaniel stressed the importance of leaning into AI, in achieving their core business model and survival in the current competitive environment.
“By using AI to avoid massive overhead and infrastructure costs, we can do much more with much less and pass on the savings to the small business owners and customers who need it most while still maintaining healthy margins,” he asserted.
BiteSight offers a new and exciting approach to food discovery. By focusing on interactions with your social circles, it hopes to make the whole experience feel much more personal. Our founders couldn’t be more thrilled to take this step to grow beyond New York City. What’s more, they’re heartened by the enthusiastic reaction they’ve gotten thus far.
As they continue down the path to this exhilarating stage of expansion, McDaniel is hopeful that their new platform will connect with consumers. He pointed out that it’s clear that younger generations are looking for a new direction when it comes to food delivery apps.
“It’s clear that consumers, and especially Gen Z, are ready for something that feels fresh and built for the way they engage,” McDaniel concluded.
BiteSight is poised to take flight in the competitive food delivery market. The firm is looking to grow its creative services and leverage the best new technology available. It’s the only platform of its kind that emphasizes visually stunning content and active social participation. This positions it as a strong competitor to legacy food delivery apps.