Comparison

First Table vs Mean Pies

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

Mean Pies

Discover and share reviews of pies from local establishments. Find highly-rated pies near you with location-based discovery and rich media sharing. Engage with a community of pie enthusiasts and build your reputation as a pie critic.

Highlights
  • Real-time pie reviews
  • Location-based discovery
  • Rich media sharing
  • Interactive community
  • Push notifications
  • User profiles
Read full description

Mean Pies - Your Ultimate Pie Review Community Discover and share the best (and worst) pies in your area with Mean Pies, the dedicated social platform for pie enthusiasts! Whether you're a casual pie eater or a serious connoisseur, Mean Pies helps you make informed decisions about your next pie purchase. KEY FEATURES: • Real-time Pie Reviews: Share your honest opinions about pies from local bakeries, cafes, and shops • Location-Based Discovery: Find pie reviews near you with our integrated location services • Rich Media Sharing: Upload photos or videos of your pie experiences • Interactive Community: Comment on reviews, engage with other pie lovers • Push Notifications: Stay updated with instant notifications about new reviews and comments • User Profiles: Build your reputation as a trusted pie critic • Moderation System: Ensures high-quality, reliable content WHAT MAKES MEAN PIES SPECIAL: • New Zealand made, owned and operated. • Proper pies that Kiwi's know and love. • Focused solely on pie reviews - no other food noise • Real-time location-based recommendations • Active community of pie enthusiasts • Clean, modern dark-mode interface • Smooth user experience • Regular updates and new features Whether you're hunting for the perfect pie for lunch, or want to warn others about a disappointing pastry experience, Mean Pies is your go-to app for all things pie-related. Join our growing community of pie lovers today and never eat a disappointing pie again! Download Mean Pies now because life is too short to eat a bad pie. Terms of Use (EULA): https://meanpies.co.nz/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://meanpies.co.nz/privacy/

Screenshots

First Table4 screens
Mean Pies4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: First Table at none against Mean Pies's 4. First Table also leads on review sentiment (91% vs 83%). Mean Pies's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly). On price and iOS requirement 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. Mean Pies sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. First Table asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

First Table ships an update fortnightly, Mean Pies every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
First Table versus Mean Pies: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFirst TableMean Pies
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (101 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews91.5% of reviews — better83.3% of reviews
Number of ratings101 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 6 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size135 MB57 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperfirsttableMatthew Carkeek

Customer experience

First Table

All ratings101 ratings
Positive97.0%
Neutral2.0%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews811 reviews
Positive91.5%
Neutral2.3%
Negative6.2%

Mean Pies

Written reviews18 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral11.1%
Negative5.6%

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

Mean Pies

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

First Table

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Mean Pies

Subscriptions2
  • Pieness Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Pieness Yearly$39.991 Year
One-time2
  • 2,000 Pastry Points$5.99
  • 10,000 Pastry Points$9.99

Questions

Is First Table free?
First Table is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mean Pies free?
Mean Pies is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do First Table or Mean Pies have ads?
First Table shows ads; Mean Pies does not.
Which is updated more often, First Table or Mean Pies?
First Table ships an update fortnightly, and Mean Pies every 6 days. Most recently, First Table was updated on October 14, 2026 and Mean Pies on October 7, 2026.

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