How to build a website like EatWith

EatWith has carved out a unique niche in the crowded online marketplace by tapping into the global fascination with authentic culinary experiences. Its success can largely be attributed to its innovative platform that connects travelers and locals with passionate chefs and home cooks around the world, offering a chance to enjoy homemade meals and cooking classes. This not only caters to the growing trend of experiential travel but also fosters a sense of community and cultural exchange, setting it apart from traditional dining or cooking class options. By focusing on unique, personal, and immersive dining experiences, EatWith has managed to capture the hearts (and appetites) of food enthusiasts worldwide, making it a standout example of how understanding and meeting consumer desires for authentic and memorable experiences can drive success in the online marketplace.

For buyers, EatWith offers a unique dining experience by connecting them with local hosts who open their homes for meals. This platform allows guests to explore authentic, home-cooked dishes and enjoy cultural exchanges. Buyers can browse different culinary events, read reviews, and book their spot for an unforgettable meal.

For sellers, EatWith offers a unique platform to showcase culinary skills and host dining experiences. Chefs and home cooks can list their events, set prices, and manage bookings directly. This model empowers them to reach a broader audience, turning their passion for cooking into a profitable venture, all while retaining creative control over their menus and event styles.

EatWith operates on a unique business model that connects local chefs and food enthusiasts with guests looking for authentic dining experiences in private settings or unique venues. This online marketplace allows hosts to offer meals, cooking classes, and food tours, thereby monetizing their culinary skills and passion for hosting. Guests, on the other hand, can browse the platform to find and book these unique dining events, immersing themselves in local cultures and cuisines. EatWith generates revenue by taking a commission from the bookings, facilitating a platform where culinary experiences go beyond the traditional restaurant visit, offering a more intimate and personalized connection between hosts and guests.

EatWith operates as a unique online platform that connects hosts who offer dining experiences with guests looking to enjoy homemade meals in different locales. The company generates revenue by taking a percentage of the fees charged by hosts for each dining event booked through the platform. This commission-based model incentivizes EatWith to continuously attract and retain a diverse range of hosts and guests, ensuring a wide variety of dining experiences are available. This structure not only supports the operational costs of maintaining the platform but also allows EatWith to invest in marketing, customer service, and technology enhancements to improve user experience and expand its market presence.

The most important functionality of a marketplace like EatWith, which connects guests with local hosts for unique dining experiences, is to facilitate seamless interactions between hosts and guests. This includes a robust booking system, clear communication channels, and reliable payment processing. Additionally, ensuring the quality and safety of experiences through reviews, ratings, and host verification processes is crucial for maintaining trust within the community.

Developing a marketplace similar to EatWith from scratch involves various costs, including design, development, hosting, and maintenance. Initial development could range from $30,000 to $100,000 or more, depending on the complexity, features, and region of the development team. This estimate covers user interface design, backend server setup, database management, payment processing integration, and initial marketing efforts. Ongoing costs for updates, hosting, and customer support will also need to be considered, potentially adding thousands per month. The final cost can vary widely based on the desired level of customization and scalability.

Identify a unique value proposition that differentiates your platform from EatWith, focusing on an unmet need in the market.

Conduct thorough market research to understand your target audience, including their preferences, behaviors, and dining habits.

Develop a user-friendly website and mobile app with an attractive, intuitive interface that makes browsing, booking, and paying for experiences seamless.

Offer a wide range of dining experiences, from casual meals to gourmet dinners, to cater to different tastes and budgets.

Recruit a diverse group of hosts from various culinary backgrounds to offer authentic and unique dining experiences.

Implement a robust vetting process for hosts to ensure quality, safety, and consistency across all experiences.

Create a strong brand identity that resonates with your target audience and differentiates your platform in the market.

Leverage social media and influencer marketing to build awareness and attract users to your platform.

Provide exceptional customer service to both guests and hosts, addressing any issues promptly and efficiently.

Incorporate user reviews and ratings to build trust and credibility among potential customers.

Offer competitive pricing for both guests and hosts, ensuring value for money while maintaining a sustainable business model.

Explore partnerships with local tourism boards, travel agencies, and event planners to reach a wider audience.

Regularly update and innovate the platform based on user feedback and technological advancements to stay relevant in the market.

1. Airbnb Experiences offers a broad array of dining experiences, similar to EatWith, where hosts can offer meals along with cultural experiences. Unlike EatWith, which is primarily focused on dining, Airbnb Experiences expands its offerings to include a wide range of activities, making it a more versatile platform. However, EatWith maintains a more intimate and food-centric approach, appealing to those specifically seeking culinary adventures.

2. VizEat (now part of Eatwith) was a direct competitor, offering similar services by connecting travelers with local hosts for unique dining experiences. Before merging, VizEat competed on equal footing with EatWith, providing guests the chance to enjoy home-cooked meals around the world. Post-merger, the combined entity has become the largest platform for dining experiences, reducing direct competition and expanding their global reach.

3. Feastly (which has since pivoted or ceased operations in its original form) was another competitor, offering a platform for chefs to host meals in unique spaces. Feastly focused on pop-up events with professional chefs, rather than EatWith's approach of dining in a host's home, which provided a different angle on the dining experience market. While Feastly's model was more event-driven, EatWith's emphasis on personal, home-based experiences offers a more intimate setting.

4. BookaLokal, before ceasing operations, served as a competitor by offering a platform for dining experiences and cooking classes, much like EatWith. It provided a similar service by connecting guests with hosts and chefs for private meals, cooking classes, and food tours. Although BookaLokal had a diverse range of offerings, EatWith's broader international presence and larger community of hosts and guests provided it with a competitive edge.

5. Cozymeal is a competitor that differs from EatWith by focusing more on cooking classes and team-building culinary experiences, in addition to offering private dining experiences. Cozymeal caters to both individuals and larger groups, including corporate teams, making it a go-to for professional events as well as personal culinary education. While EatWith emphasizes the communal and cultural aspects of dining with locals, Cozymeal offers a more educational and team-oriented approach to culinary experiences.

Launching an EatWith-style online marketplace from scratch is a significant, costly endeavor. However, nowadays, there are numerous ways to create a marketplace that don’t necessitate a large budget.

The option you should select depends on:

• The functionalities you envision your marketplace requires
• Your technical abilities (or those present in your team)
• Your financial plan
• The time you have at your disposal.

The various methods to create a marketplace include:

• Utilizing WordPress and plugins
• Constructing atop open-source software
• Employing a mix of no-code instruments
• Using a specialized no-code marketplace SaaS service
• Creating atop an API-based marketplace SaaS service

Besides your limitations in terms of abilities and finances, you should also consider the velocity of learning. Launching your EatWith-style platform swiftly means you begin to understand your audience rapidly. These insights assist you in crafting the type of platform that users prefer over any other existing solution.

Sharetribe’s marketplace software is designed with this iterative learning cycle in mind.

With Sharetribe, you can establish a platform akin to EatWith in a single day without any programming. (Although you receive a 14-day free trial, allowing you to also take slightly longer). Afterward, you can subscribe to either continue crafting or launch your marketplace and go live.

Once you’ve launched, you discover what types of additional functionalities and capabilities your platform requires to cater to your audience. You might decide to alter the design and workflow entirely, incorporate numerous third-party services, or develop a mobile application. With Sharetribe, you can effortlessly custom-code all these modifications and much more, either on your own or with assistance from our Expert partners.

At Sharetribe, we’ve been creating marketplaces for over ten years. Our knowledge and expertise are at your service through our content resources, which you are free to access and utilize regardless of your chosen method to build your platform.

Best of luck with your EatWith-style venture!

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