Instagram Co-Founder Launches Directory to Save Local Restaurants During Pandemic
Mike Krieger and his wife Kaitlyn create SaveOurFaves, a site that connects Bay Area residents with local restaurants selling gift certificates to survive coronavirus closures. The couple also open-sources the platform so other communities can build similar relief directories.
Instagram co-founder Mike Krieger and his wife Kaitlyn launch SaveOurFaves, a new directory designed to help Bay Area restaurants survive coronavirus shutdowns. The platform allows users to search for local eateries by neighborhood and purchase gift certificates directly from the businesses without any added fees. This initiative provides a vital lifeline for establishments that experience massive revenue losses due to mandatory "shelter in place" orders.
The Kriegers build the site after learning about the severe financial struggles facing local restaurant owners. They currently list 700 restaurants and coffee shops, and they receive about 50 new submissions every single day. Instead of relying on one-off donations, the couple sees gift card sales as a sustainable way for communities to inject immediate cash flow into their favorite spots.
SaveOurFaves focuses on the San Francisco Bay Area for now, but similar directories quickly appear in other cities like New York. To accelerate this grassroots movement, the Kriegers open-source their code so developers anywhere can easily spin up localized versions of the platform. They also plan to expand their own site to include other types of small businesses beyond the food industry.