Locals Develop App To Buy Friends Drinks At A Distance

PHILADELPHIA, PA — A Philly area startup wants to change the way people buy drinks for friends, and local pubs are using the innovative app.

A few Philly establishments have joined BruYou app, including the Twisted Tail, Fergie's Pub, and O’Neals Pub. In Chesco, Suburban Brewing Company in Honey Brook and Stolen Sun Brewing Company in Exton are on the BruYou app.

Launched in 2020 as a way to buy someone a drink, the BruYou app quickly became a solution for businesses during the pandemic to gain additional revenue.

The group behind the app is Tim Grisillo, Jeff Grisillo, Ryan Perri, and Nick Mingone.

"With our current reality though, the app can be an added revenue stream for breweries, bars, and restaurants who can offer drinks, get paid now, and have a customer ready to come in when normalcy sets back in," said BruYou App co-owner Ryan Perri.

So, while the app was not created for the current environment, Perri said bars, breweries, and restaurants are partnering with BruYou as a way to stay connected to their patrons and allow them to continue buying drinks during the pandemic's limitations.

Most people are familiar with popular peer-to-peer apps that allow people to send money to friends and family. Instead of sending people money, BruYou sends drinks that can be redeemed contactless in person, all through the app.

Drinks purchased means instant revenue for the business, regardless of when that drink is redeemed.

Perri said the app is free to download, and the group has even built in a tip for each transaction, to ensure servers and bartenders are taken care of.

The team is expanding its outreach and looking to partner with local bars, breweries, and restaurants to offer innovative revenue solutions for both during and after COVID-19.

"The app is meant to connect people to a drinking experience that they may otherwise not be able to share in person. Can't make a 21st birthday? Send a drink! Can't make a graduation? Send a drink!" Perri said.

The team said the app is easy to use and intuitive for users as well as businesses. Users sign up for an account in a few minutes. Then, they can search for a friend to send a drink to, then see the available businesses to buy them a drink at.

Alternatively, the app tells users when they have been sent a drink, what establishment, and by whom. Then they head to that business and redeem the drink in person.

Businesses who are interested in using BruApp can get loaded in as little as 5 minutes, the team said.

The app team explained there are more features coming for owners, too, like reporting, and the ability to change their menu on the fly, in future releases of the app.

As the app grows, the BruYou group plans to expand to more and more cities and states, with the hope of helping even more businesses along the way.

Find more details about the app at www.bruyouapp.com.