Bites
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Bites is a free South African app that shows what food really costs at restaurants near you. Here are the facts, the coverage so far, and how to reach us.

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The facts

What it is
A free app for iPhone and Android. Search a dish and see what it costs at restaurants near you, cheapest first.
Founder
Dylan Steiner, 20, a first-year Business Science student at the University of Cape Town. He built the app himself.
Launched
2 October 2026 in Cape Town. On Google Play since 13 October 2026.
Where
Most major South African cities, including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Gqeberha and Bloemfontein.
How big
More than 3 900 restaurants and 360 000 prices (November 2026). 3 500 downloads in its first month.
Where prices come from
Restaurants' own menus, restaurants that manage their own page, and people who post what they paid. Each price shows its source and date. None is estimated.
What it costs
Nothing.
Name in the app stores
Bites - Price Compare. Plain “Bites” brings up other apps, so please give readers the full name.

The story

Bites started with one overpriced meal. Dylan Steiner wanted to know why you can't see what food costs before you sit down, so he walked into about 200 Cape Town restaurants, photographed their menus and taught himself to build an app around them.

He paid for it with money saved from two years of working overseas, as a chef, a waiter and a barman. Bites launched in Cape Town in October 2026 and spread to most major South African cities within a month.

  1. 25 September 2026Bites goes live on the App Store.
  2. 2 October 2026Public launch in Cape Town.
  3. 13 October 2026Bites launches on Google Play.
  4. Late October 2026Menus go up in most major South African cities.
  5. 2 November 2026One month in: 3 500 downloads.

Coverage so far

On the radio

  • CapeTalk: interview with Lester Kiewit, 3 November 2026.
  • 919FM: news bulletin, 5 October 2026.

Logo and colours

  • Cream#F4EADB
  • Red#B0201C
  • Gold#EBC232
  • Ink#3A1512
  • Navy#101B30

The mascot is Mr Bite. Please don't redraw, recolour or stretch the logo. Need screenshots, a demo video or a different file? Ask below.

Writing about Bites?

Tell us what you need: an interview, numbers, screenshots or a demo. Dylan answers these himself.

Rather email? bites.snacking@gmail.com

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