Comparison

First Table vs QMSU Perks

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

First Table

Discover and book the first table of the night at top restaurants to receive 50% off your food bill. Explore new dining venues and save money on meals across the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

Highlights
  • 50% off food bill
  • Book first table of the night
  • Discover new restaurants
  • Save money on dining
  • Browse 3,000+ restaurants
  • Support local venues
Features
Read full description

Enjoy exceptional dining with 50% off food. First Table rewards you for booking the first table of the night at incredible restaurants near you. Discover new favourites and save every time you dine. With First Table, food lovers get 50% off their food bill when they book the first table of the evening, the perfect way to explore new restaurants and enjoy your favourites, all at a fraction of the price. Discover over 4,500 incredible restaurants across the UK, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand. Whether you're after a midweek meal or a memorable night out, First Table helps you dine smarter. How it works: • Browse top-rated restaurants in your area • Book the first table of the night, lock in with a booking fee • Enjoy 50% off the food bill for up to 6 diners Why diners love First Table: • Save money while eating out more • Explore new cuisines and venues • Support local restaurants • Easy, seamless booking experience Discover new restaurants in your own backyard, and get an extra perk for dining off-peak. How does First Table work? Participating restaurants list their first tables for breakfast, lunch or dinner on First Table, showing up to fourteen days of availability on our platform. Diners are then rewarded with 50% off the food bill for dining at an off-peak time. To secure 50% off the food bill, select your city and search through the available restaurants near you. Then select your date and time and lock in your First Table for a booking fee. What’s in it for the restaurant? Restaurants choose to join at their own discretion, to help fill empty tables and to create a buzz early into their service. That means what while you’re tucking into a sunny brunch or an elevated dinner for half the price, you're also helping restaurants start service strong. Discover new restaurants! Browse nearby restaurants to discover a hidden gem in your own backyard or lock in top-rated restaurants you’ve always wanted to try. Craving a particular meal? Restaurants are also searchable by restaurant name or cuisine. What’s the catch? There isn’t one - that’s the best part! First Table is a win-win for restaurants and diners alike. Restaurants get early customers through the door and diners get rewarded for dining at times that restaurants need them most. By dining on First Table, you'll not only have a great excuse to connect with mates, dates and fellow foodies, but you'll also be supporting hospitality venues by dining at the times that they need you the most. Have friends you’d love to dine with? You can even earn credit by sharing First Table with other foodies! Just grab your promo code from your profile, and you’ll both get your next restaurant booking fee half price.

About

QMSU Perks

Features
Read full description

QMSU Perks - your go-to app for food, points, and rewards. Want to save time, earn points, and get rewarded just for grabbing a coffee or lunch on campus? QMSU Perks is here - and it’s especially for Queen Mary students! With QMSU Perks, you can… Order ahead: Skip the queue and order food or drinks straight from your phone. Eat in, take away, or get it brought right to your table at all our venues like Ground, Drapers and The Griff. Earn points: Every time you spend at SU outlets (yep, that includes the Union Shop and Village Shop), you’ll rack up points as a thank you for supporting your Students’ Union. Unlock rewards: Fancy random giveaways, birthday treats and thank you gifts? The more you get involved at QMSU, the more bonus rewards we’ll send your way. Get a sign-up bonus: Download the app and watch a little something drop into your rewards, just to get you started.

Screenshots

First Table4 screens
QMSU Perks4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: First Table at fortnightly against QMSU Perks's every 12 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

First Table ships an update fortnightly, QMSU Perks every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
First Table versus QMSU Perks: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFirst TableQMSU Perks
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (100 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews91.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings100 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 12 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.4 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size134 MB33 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperfirsttableQueen Mary University of London Students' Union Limited

Bugs and requests

First Table

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Login and booking issues
  • Crashes and freezes when navigating the app
  • Inconsistent application of discounts

Requested features

5 requests
  • Favorite/saved restaurants feature
  • More flexible dining time options
  • Improved app performance and stability
  • Expanded restaurant selection
  • Clearer display of deal conditions

QMSU Perks

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

First Table

No in-app purchases

None

QMSU Perks

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is First Table free?
First Table is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is QMSU Perks free?
QMSU Perks is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do First Table or QMSU Perks have ads?
Both First Table and QMSU Perks show ads.
Which is updated more often, First Table or QMSU Perks?
First Table ships an update fortnightly, and QMSU Perks every 12 months. Most recently, First Table was updated on October 2, 2026 and QMSU Perks on September 18, 2026.

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