Category: Dining & Everyday Savings
Savings Potential: Up to 20% back on eligible dining purchases, plus special promotions
My Verdict: A simple way to get more value from restaurants you're already visiting.
Here is a link to download. Get $25 off your next $50+ purchase.
A lot of the apps I cover on Go Pick Up Pennies involve making extra money. inKind is a little different.
It's about saving money on something you're probably already doing: going out to eat.
inKind is a restaurant rewards app that lets you discover participating restaurants, pay through the app, and earn credit toward future meals. There are also additional promotions and special offers that can make dining out a little less expensive.
No games to play, no daily check-ins, and no complicated earning strategy.
It's just another way to make your money go a little further.
How Does inKind Work?
The concept is straightforward.
When you dine at a participating restaurant and pay through inKind, you can earn a percentage of your eligible bill back in dining credit.
Here's the basic process:
Find a participating restaurant through the inKind app.
Enjoy your meal as you normally would.
Open inKind when it's time to pay and select the restaurant.
Pay through the app and collect any eligible rewards.
The credits are stored in your inKind Wallet and can be used toward future meals at participating locations.
Importantly, you're earning restaurant credit rather than cash you can withdraw to your bank account.
But if you're already spending money at these restaurants, it's a pretty easy way to get something back.
Find Restaurants Near You With the inKind Map
One of my favorite features is the interactive restaurant map.
Rather than searching through a long list of restaurants, you can open the map and see participating locations around you.
The app uses pins to identify restaurants, bars, and other dining spots that accept inKind.
You can search for a particular restaurant, explore an area, or filter results by things like cuisine and operating hours.
For example, here's what the app shows around Cincinnati, Ohio.
The map includes recognizable local spots like City Bird, Pins Mechanical Co., Jefferson Social, and several others.
I like this feature because it makes checking for rewards part of the normal process of deciding where to eat.
If you're already planning dinner downtown, you can quickly see which nearby restaurants participate.
And if you're visiting another city, you can use the same map to find dining options there.
The restaurant selection will vary depending on your location, but it's worth checking the map before deciding where to go.
Discover New Restaurants and Cashback Offers
Beyond the map, inKind has a Home tab that makes exploring restaurants pretty easy.
It highlights newly added restaurants, nearby dining options, and locations offering additional rewards.
On my app, the New Places section currently features restaurants like HighGrain Brewing, Pins Mechanical Co., and Bourbon's Craft Kitchen & Bar.
There's also a section called Worth a Visit, which highlights restaurants and their available cashback offers.
One featured restaurant, The Davidson, is displaying a 25% cashback offer.
That's higher than the standard rate inKind advertises for many eligible purchases.
Of course, these offers can change, and not every restaurant will have the same reward percentage.
But I like being able to compare options before choosing where to eat.
If two restaurants sound equally appealing and one offers additional dining credit, that's something worth considering.
How Much Can You Save?
inKind advertises up to 20% back on eligible dining purchases, with occasional promotions offering higher percentages.
The actual percentage and eligible spending amount depend on the restaurant, offer, and payment method.
The key thing to remember is that the rewards can be used toward future dining.
You're not earning money that can be transferred into your checking account.
Still, if you're regularly going out to eat, even relatively small rewards can be useful.
The Rewards Tab: Where It Gets Interesting
This might be the most useful part of inKind beyond its regular cashback program.
The Rewards tab shows your available dining rewards, newly offered promotions, and any special offers you've claimed.
Here's an example from my account.
At the time of this screenshot, I have $15.19 in inKind Cash Back available to use, with 51 days remaining before that reward expires. This was earned from only dining at one restaurant.
The app is also showing a couple of additional restaurant promotions.
One offer is $20 off a $45 or greater purchase at The Cheesecakery, with six days remaining to claim it.
Another offer I've already claimed is $25 off a $75 or greater purchase at BrewRiver Creole Kitchen, with a listed use-by date of December 10, 2026.
These offers are separate from the standard cashback program and come with their own terms and expiration dates.
That's worth paying attention to.
A $20 or $25 discount could be meaningful if you're already planning to visit that restaurant.
But I wouldn't go out of my way to spend $75 just to use a $25 offer.
The goal is to save money on something you wanted to do anyway, not create an excuse to spend more.
Understanding Your inKind Wallet
The Wallet tab is where all your inKind credit is organized.
It separates two types of balances:
inKind Cash: Credit you've purchased in advance, which may include promotional bonuses.
inKind Cash Back: Rewards you've earned through eligible restaurant purchases and other qualifying activities.
For example, my wallet currently shows $15.19 in cashback rewards and $0 in prepaid inKind Cash.
I like that the app separates the balances because it makes it easy to see what you've earned versus what you've purchased.
The wallet also includes the option to add funds, connect a payment method, and access referral rewards.
One thing to watch is expiration dates.
Earned cashback credits generally have expiration rules, while purchased inKind Cash is treated differently.
It's worth checking your wallet regularly if you have a balance you plan to use.
You Can Also Get Bonuses for Adding Funds
Another feature worth mentioning is the option to purchase inKind Cash in advance.
Sometimes inKind offers a bonus when you add funds to your account.
For example, a promotion could offer $125 in dining credit for a $100 purchase.
That means you'd receive an additional $25 in dining value.
The concept is similar to purchasing a discounted gift card, except the credit can generally be used across participating inKind restaurants.
This can be a good deal if you already know you'll use the balance.
But I wouldn't recommend purchasing a large amount simply because the bonus looks attractive.
You're still committing money to a particular restaurant network, and the promotional portion of your balance may have different terms from the amount you paid.
My advice is to use these promotions when you have specific dining plans in mind.
Can You Earn Credit Card Rewards Too?
Potentially, yes.
You can link an eligible credit card or payment method to your inKind account.
Depending on your card's terms, purchases made through inKind may also qualify for credit card rewards.
For someone who uses a dining rewards credit card, that's another opportunity to get value from an ordinary purchase.
Of course, the credit card issuer ultimately determines how the transaction is classified and whether it qualifies for rewards.
I wouldn't spend more just to chase the extra cashback.
But if you're already going to dinner, getting rewards from more than one program is worth looking into.
What Are the Downsides?
There are a few things to keep in mind.
You're receiving restaurant credit, not cash. The rewards are only valuable if you actually use them.
Not every restaurant participates. The app is most useful if restaurants you already enjoy are part of the network.
Cashback rewards and special offers can expire. Pay attention to the dates shown in your account.
Offers have restrictions. Some discounts require minimum purchases, can't be combined with other promotions, or apply only to certain eligible charges.
Prepaid credit ties up your money. Buying more dining credit than you expect to use defeats the purpose of saving.
For me, the biggest consideration is simple: Am I saving money on a meal I was already planning to purchase?
If the answer is yes, then it's a worthwhile opportunity.
Is inKind Worth It?
I think inKind is one of the easier savings apps worth checking out, especially if you enjoy dining out.
It's not going to replace a paycheck or generate passive income.
But that isn't really its purpose.
The value comes from earning credit on restaurant purchases, finding additional discounts, and getting more out of the money you're already spending.
I especially like the restaurant map and special offers. They make it easy to discover participating restaurants without having to search for discount codes or hunt through multiple websites.
And having $15.19 in cashback sitting in my account is a nice reminder that small rewards can add up.
My Final Rating
Savings Potential: Good, especially when combining eligible dining rewards and special offers.
Ease of Use: Very Easy.
Best Feature: Restaurant discovery and special dining offers.
Biggest Drawback: Credits can only be used within the inKind network, and some rewards expire.
Would I Recommend It? Yes, particularly if you regularly visit participating restaurants.
Want to Try inKind?
You can download the app and browse participating restaurants at inkind.com.
Here is a link to download. Get $25 off your next $50+ purchase.
Be sure to check the current new-user offers and referral terms before signing up.
You don't need to go out of your way to spend more money.
Just check inKind before your next dinner out and see whether there's an opportunity to save a little.
That's what Go Pick Up Pennies is all about.
Disclosure: This article may contain referral links. I may receive a reward if you sign up through my link and meet the qualifying requirements.
Disclaimer: This article is based on my personal experience and is for informational purposes only. Restaurant availability, cashback rates, offers, expiration dates, and redemption requirements may change. Always review current terms before making a purchase.
