**Beli App: The New Frontier in Dining Experiences for Gen Z**
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A young couple, Judy Thelen and Eliot Frost, have transformed their passion for dining out into a thriving restaurant rating application, Beli, aimed predominantly at the Gen Z demographic. Their journey from a shared love of culinary exploration to entrepreneurship at the forefront of the restaurant industry illustrates the power of personal connections forged over meals.
The couple, who met while working at McKinsey & Company in New York City, appreciated the profound bond that dining can create. “Like many people, we really built our relationship around trying new restaurants in the city,” recalls Frost. Their first date unfolded at Angel Share, a cocktail bar, followed by a memorable dinner at the now-closed David’s Cafe in the city’s East Village.
Frost’s lifelong fascination with restaurants began at an early age; his birthday wishes circled around visiting new culinary destinations. Thelen, hailing from Michigan, fondly recalls her upbringing surrounded by chain restaurants due to her father’s investments. Their mutual affinity for dining became apparent as they collaborated and exchanged notable experiences during their professional and academic time together.
However, as their relationship blossomed, they recognised a significant gap in existing restaurant rating systems. “We had this massive Google Map of everywhere that we were eating together,” Frost describes, noting that while it was organized by rankings and notes, it still lacked purpose. Even after selecting highly rated dining spots, the couple often found themselves underwhelmed by the experience.
Amid their time studying at Harvard Business School from 2018 to 2020, Thelen and Frost observed an additional pattern. Many fellow food enthusiasts tended to document their culinary journeys through informal lists on their smartphones, but rarely engaged in writing official reviews online. This revelation catalysed the inception of Beli in 2019, a platform designed to foster social connections through curated dining experiences.
Beli empowers users to maintain personalised lists, documenting their restaurant visits alongside photos, notes, and rankings. The app further encourages interaction among friends, presenting a social feed of recommendations tailored to individual tastes. Integral partnerships with platforms such as OpenTable and Grubhub enhance the user experience by facilitating reservations and food orders directly through the app.
The couple’s vision is anchored in a belief that dining preferences are deeply personal. They strive to move beyond traditional rating systems that often rely on arbitrary scores. “Taste is personal, and online reviews should reflect that,” says Thelen, emphasizing their desire to provide a more nuanced depiction of culinary experiences without the potential for online backlash against restaurants.
Interestingly, Thelen and Frost’s partnership extends beyond the app; their marriage enriches their collaboration. “When you’re starting a company, doing it with someone that you completely trust is kind of everything,” states Thelen. They have discovered that their close relationship enables them to challenge each other’s ideas and work together seamlessly, enhancing both their productivity and creativity.
Since its launch, Beli has amassed over 120 million ratings across 50,000 cities globally, a feat that Frost takes immense pride in. “We’re just thrilled to see it out in the real world, getting people to explore restaurants,” he shares. Their aim remains clear: to inspire users to engage with the world around them, countering the trend of solitary social media consumption.
The couples’ ambitions have not gone unnoticed by the media. Recent endorsements from celebrities, including Tom Holland, have further propelled the app’s visibility. Holland mentioned Beli in an episode of The Dish podcast, praising its efficacy in discovering eateries while travelling. “It’s really amazing,” he said, highlighting how his wife, Zendaya, has relied on the app during their tours.
For Thelen and Frost, witnessing users explore the culinary landscape together echoes their own relationship journey. “We built Beli because of our relationship,” Thelen remarked, pointing out the satisfaction that comes from others finding joy through shared dining experiences.
As they continue to refine Beli, the couple remains grounded in their original vision. Their passion for connecting people through food not only transforms the way users experience dining but also fosters deeper relationships among friends and family, affirming the idea that some of life’s most rewarding moments happen around the table.