APK Pure
APK Pure

This week, Tilman Fertitta meets with Matt and Mike of SeatNinja.

SeatNinja is an app for restaurant reservations, and as mentioned in the episode description, the founders think their software will “change the game.” Their app claims to be the quickest way to find a table by checking live wait times and distances. Their website states that you can filter results by Instagram feeds, menu items, Google reviews, photos, and types of cuisine. After selecting a restaurant, you can arrive when your phone notifies you that your table is ready or set up a reservation for a later time.

Fertitta is interested in the idea and thinks it could help his restaurants run better if done right. He is worried, though, that there was no revenue last year. They also hit a problem right away when Fertitta tries to test the app and keeps getting unknown error messages. After a restart, the app finally works.

He challenges them to test the system at Claim Jumper in downtown Sacramento, which fails to outperform the restaurant’s current iPad system, while the test with the customer app doesn’t perform much better. The employees say the systems are very similar, but SeatNinja is much quicker. They see the main problems in the app, which still contains access issues with reservation and line jumping errors.

Fertitta is frustrated over the less-than-functional app but, despite initially saying he will not purchase anything, decides to give them a month to fix up their app. They were ultimately able to get the app fully functioning (or so they thought) but given another test, still does not fully meet the expectations. Fertitta becomes even more frustrated when they fail to take accountability for the issues.

Given the failure of the second test, Fertitta decides not to invite them to the boardroom in order to make an offer.

According to CNBC, the reality television show “introduces promising companies across the country to one of America’s most successful businessmen: billionaire hospitality mogul Tilman Fertitta, Chairman, CEO, and sole shareholder of Landry’s, Inc.” Featured entrepreneurs present their small business to Fertitta in the hopes that he will place a large purchase order. But before they make their pitch, they must prove to the hospitality mogul that their product is worth it through challenges and customer feedback.

Social Media Reacts to SeatNinja’s Appearance on “Billion Dollar Buyer”

What are your thoughts on the SeatNinja issues? Do you think Fertitta made the right decision? Sound off in the comments section below!