inKind, Explained

The basics of the app that's quietly become one of the easiest ways to eat out for less.

inKind is a dining app that pays you back for eating at the restaurants, bars, and coffee shops that use it - no coupons, no subscriptions, just cash back that lands in your account after you pay. It's been a fixture of the New York food scene for years, and it's just getting started here in LA.

Two ways to use it

There are really two different ways to get value out of inKind, and they work differently.

Pay through the app with a linked card: open inKind, hit "Pay bill," and check out with a credit or debit card linked to your account. You earn cash back on the pre-tip amount - the rate varies by restaurant, and your card still earns its normal rewards on top, since inKind isn't a prepaid balance in this case. This is the simplest way to use it and doesn't require planning ahead.

Buy dining credit in advance: instead of paying full price later, you can preload your inKind wallet now at a bonus rate - put in $100 and get more than $100 to spend at inKind restaurants. This makes sense if you know you've got dining coming up and want to lock in the bonus, but there's no upside to preloading if you're not sure when you'll use it. Either way, credit earned through inKind expires at the end of the second calendar month after you earn it, so it's not something to stockpile indefinitely.

The deals show up whenever

Beyond the standard cash back, inKind regularly runs limited-time offers - a bonus for your first meal, a referral credit when a friend joins, birthday offers, or a few extra dollars back if you dine out again within a few days. These come and go and aren't guaranteed, so it's worth actually opening the app before you head out, rather than assuming the rate you remember is still the one on offer.

Huge in New York. Now exploding in LA.

inKind has been a fixture in New York for years - using it there is second nature for a lot of regulars. LA is newer to it, but it's catching on fast, with more of the city's best restaurants and bars signing on every month. That makes now a good time to download it, before it becomes as much of a habit here as it already is in New York.

This is a general guide, not a substitute for checking the app - cash back rates, bonus percentages, and promotions vary by restaurant and change over time.