Phyrefly: the new way to save money dining out in Charlotte

I first heard about Phyrefly through social media stalking, and then again on Charlotte Agenda.  Then I bumped into Phyrefly founders Kaitlin and Josh Krogh at a Piedmont Culinary Guild event, and then AGAIN at #weloveclt last month, which I took as a sign I needed to try out Phyrefly already.

So, what is Phyrefly?  It’s the self-dubbed Hotwire for restaurants.  Meaning you log into the site, check out the various deals available, and select one based on location and price range.  The specific restaurant is not revealed to you until after the offer is selected, just as Hotwire doesn’t reveal the specific hotel until you’ve committed to the deal.  You can browse Phyrefly deals by neighborhood, price point, food type, user rating, and ambiance.  Bonus:  these are all local restaurants.  No chains.

Double bonus:  unlike Hotwire, Phyrefly currently doesn’t charge you upfront—which means there is no fee if you decide to pass on the Phyrefly offer once the restaurant is revealed.  (Though this will likely change in the future, once the beta stage is complete.)

This concept is exciting for three reasons.  1.) it gets diners to step outside their usual routines, 2.) it helps restaurants fill tables during off-peak hours, and 3.) it saves you money.  Boom.

Here’s a play-by-play of my first Phyrefly experience:

Logged into website, browsed by neighborhood, settled on NoDa.

Saw there were two lunch deals available that day.  Settled on the Gastropub.  Selected my party size .  Confirmed my RSVP.  Done!

At this point the restaurant was revealed.  I got Heist Brewery!

The clock starts ticking.  You have 60 minutes to get to the restaurant and show your offer to the hostess.

Easy to use?  Check.

Dined at a restaurant I normally wouldn’t have picked?  Check.

Saved money?  Check.

Awesome concept, Phyrefly Team.  I cannot over-emphasize how easy this site was to use.  I definitely recommend giving Phyrefly a go, especially if you’re looking to shake up your dining routine or save some moolah.