The InKind Restaurant App: How We Actually Use It (And Why It’s Worth Checking Out)

We originally tried InKind because of discounted gift cards available at Costco and Sam’s Club.

Deals we see regularly:

• $100 InKind gift card for $64.99
• $100 InKind gift card for $74.99 (still a solid deal)

Even at the higher price, you’re saving money before you ever step into a restaurant. Once we started using the app, we realized the real value comes from stacking — combining discounted gift cards with InKind’s built-in rewards.

Previously, one of the biggest advantages of InKind was the ability to combine:

• Discounted gift cards
• InKind promotions

That combination created some very strong savings.

That is no longer how the app works.

Today:

• You can still use InKind promotions
• You can still use InKind cash (gift cards)
• But you generally cannot combine both on the same transaction

This is an important distinction — and it means your savings will depend on which option you’re using for that visit.

Even without stacking, InKind still offers meaningful value through its built-in rewards.

You’ll commonly see:

• $15 off $30
• $25 off $50
• Restaurant-specific promotions
• Limited-time bonus credits

Most of these don’t require activation — they simply appear in your account.

Additionally, rewards are sometimes shared online that you can manually activate. When we come across those, we’ll share them on our socials.

These examples are from when stacking was available — and they show the kind of value that drew us to the app in the first place.

Black Angus Steakhouse

Late family Christmas dinner for five

• Food & drinks (including tax): $126.55
• InKind promotion: $25 off $125
• Pre-tip balance: $101.55
• Paid using discounted InKind gift cards (≈65% of face value): $66.01
• Tip charged to credit card: $25.31

Final cost: $91.32
What the total would have been: $151.86
Savings: $60.54 (≈40%)

Rosa Mexicano – Las Vegas

Lunch during our recent trip

• Food & drinks (including tax): $60.70
• InKind promotion: $25 off $50
• Pre-tip balance: $35.70
• Paid using discounted InKind gift cards (≈65% of face value): $23.21
• Tip charged to credit card: $11.20

Final cost: $34.41
What the total would have been: $71.90
Savings: $37.49 (≈52%)

Option 1: Use a Promotion

• Example: $25 off $50
• Strong upfront discount
• Best for one-off visits

Option 2: Use Discounted Gift Cards

• Pay ~65–75% of face value
• Consistent savings
• Best for repeat use

You’ll typically choose one or the other, depending on the situation.

A few practical details worth understanding upfront:

• Tips must be paid with a credit card — gift cards and rewards cannot be used toward tipping
• Rewards generally apply to the pre-tax amount
• Payment must be completed through the app (no splitting checks)

None of these have been deal-breakers for us, but they matter when calculating real savings.

The one real downside to InKind is restaurant coverage.

• Some cities have a lot of options
• Some neighborhoods have very few — or none

For example:

• There are no InKind restaurants in our immediate neighborhood
• We plan around it when we know we’ll be in other areas

That said, we consistently find value when:

• Meeting friends in different parts of town
• Planning dinners around events
• Traveling to larger cities

This is a good example of trip planning in real life — not forcing a deal but using one when it fits.

InKind isn’t flashy.
It’s not “free money.”
And it’s not for everyone.

But even with the recent changes, it can still reduce restaurant spending — just in a more straightforward way than before.

That’s exactly the kind of tool we like: simple, transparent, and grounded in real-world use.