Buona vs Big Ed's BBQ
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Buona
This app allows users to join a loyalty program for a Chicago-based Italian beef restaurant. Earn points on purchases, redeem rewards for free food, and access exclusive member offers. Order and pay directly through the app for convenient pickup or delivery.
- Earn points on purchases
- Redeem rewards for free food
- Exclusive member offers
- Mobile order and pay
- Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Direct delivery
- Store and use gift cards
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Buona Rewards Join Chicago’s authentic family-owned Italian beef fanbase. Membership gives you access to great deals on some of Chicago’s most legendary foods, made using our family's recipes and old-school cooking methods. Loyalty Pays Off - Earn points with every purchase - Redeem rewards for free food - Unlock exclusive members-only offers and bonus point opportunities Mobile Order & Pay - Order and pay directly through the app - Apple Pay and Google Pay for fast, secure checkout - Get direct delivery through the app and save - Faster pick-ups with mobile order shelves Members-Only Exclusives - Special offers designed around you - Free delivery specials - Flash deals for SMS subscribers - Sneak peeks and specials on new menu items - Access to special events and foodie experiences Even More to Love - Redeem in-store with a quick scan and your reward applies automatically - Earn points and redeem in a single scan - Store, manage, and use gift cards directly in the app - Celebrate your birthday with a special reward - Find your nearest Buona location - Save your favorite orders for quick reordering - Track your points and rewards in one place - Missed points? Scan your receipt to claim them Download and registration required. Data rates may apply. Terms and conditions apply. See buona.com/rewards for details. Nutritional and allergen information available at buona.com/nutrition-allergens.
Big Ed's BBQ
Easily order your favorite meals with a few taps. Browse the menu, customize dishes, and pay securely. Receive notifications when your order is ready.
- Browse and customize menu items
- Secure payment system
- Save delivery addresses and payment methods
- Schedule orders up to seven days in advance
- Restaurant location and contact info
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Your ideal meal is just a few taps away. Download the Big Ed's BBQ app free for iPhone today. With the Big Ed's BBQ mobile app, ordering food has never been easier. Whether you're looking for a quick snack or a full meal, we've got you covered. Just browse our easy-to-use menu, customize it how you'd like, place your order using our secure payment system, and sit back! A push notification will alert you when your order will be ready. With the Big Ed's BBQ app, you can: - Browse our menu for your favorite dishes and customize them how you'd like - Save your delivery addresses and payment methods securely to check out in just a few taps - Place future food orders up to seven days in advance - Get restaurant location, hours, and contact information
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Buona at 4.8 against Big Ed's BBQ's 4.2. Buona also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 14 months). Big Ed's BBQ's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 14.0). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Buona holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Buona has 15K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Buona ships an update every 2 months, Big Ed's BBQ every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Buona | Big Ed's BBQ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (15K ratings) — better | 4.2 (6 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 58.4% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 15K — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 14 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 118 MB | 89 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The Buona Companies, LLC | ChowNow |
Customer experience
Buona
Big Ed's BBQ
Bugs and requests
Buona
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login and account migration issues
- Persistent notification bugs
- Unreliable app performance
- Incorrect order fulfillment
Requested features
4 requests- Add Apple Pay support
- Improve app UI and UX
- Streamline rewards program
- Enhance order tracking and status
Big Ed's BBQ
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Buona
No in-app purchases
Big Ed's BBQ
No in-app purchases
