Thanks to an innovative app called OpaLink, New Year’s resolutions to stay better connected to far-flung family and friends will be a lot less challenging. This first-of-its-kind virtual dining app launches in early 2022 at ten Orlando locations but already has over 500 user signups.
The idea behind the new virtual dining app
OpaLink’s story opens in the summer of 2020 as three brothers—Teddy, William, and Rohan Doodnauth—faced an extended Covid-19 quarantine. Unable to be with his best friend on his birthday, Teddy Doodnauth called the restaurant where his friend was celebrating in hopes of surprising him with a bottle of wine. For security reasons, the restaurant declined to receive Teddy’s credit card over the phone. Teddy’s disappointment at being barred from the celebration turned to determination as he and his brothers mulled over a new idea during the remainder of their quarantine.
Each of the brothers has shared a vital role in the app’s development and launch
William establishes OpaLink’s vision, mission, and competitive advantage. Teddy creates OpaLink’s product road map and leads the engineers toward a finished product. Finally, Rohan designs the monetization strategy and long-range financial plan for Opa.
First-ever peer-to-peer mobile app enabling long-distance dining
The brothers’ brainstorming promises to be a win-win for everyone involved. Teddy, Rohan, and William Doodnauth co-founded OpaLink after noticing how much millennials and Gen Zs desire to be emotionally connected while dining out. On the other side of the equation, the brothers saw restaurants looking for new ways to increase revenue while connecting people to their friends.
For anyone who can’t be present while friends and family are celebrating, OpaLink bridges the gap. It is the first-ever mobile app allowing users to gift drinks and food to friends without physically being at the restaurant.
OpaLink’s social timeline and check-in feature keep friends and family connected
At its core, OpaLink provides a social timeline where users let their friends know their current restaurant or bar location through a check-in feature. With OpaLink’s patented technology, friends thousands of miles away can instantly send each other drinks back and forth. OpaLink is a one-stop-shop mobile app allowing users to interact via social timeline and connect directly with a restaurant’s point of sale system.
“We are on a mission to make celebrations both fun and stress-free—a mission to inspire you to continue making those uniquely human connections and memories,” says Rohan Doodnauth. “We built this unique application from the heart. Our family was living in different parts of the world and determined to bring people back together to create memories despite the distance. No matter what part of the world you live in, you can use OpaLink to connect with the ones you love.
OpaLink launches at Orlando restaurants in first quarter of 2022
Couples navigating long-distance relationships, families living far apart, and individuals moving to new cities can soon take advantage of OpaLink to connect and share special memories with their loved ones, near or far. They will be sending gifts digitally across the Metaverse, swapping photos of drinks and dishes, and connecting via video and chat.
The Doodnauth brothers plan to celebrate OpaLink’s launch at one of the participating restaurants in Orlando. Each has a plan for his first gift through the app. Rohan will send drinks to the people who doubted the team. William will send a meal to his parents, and Teddy plans to purchase that bottle of wine he owes his best friend.
“Whether you’re a thousand miles apart or sharing a booth, distance shouldn’t matter,” says Rohan Doodnauth. “What matters is inspiring human connections.”
