The scene plays out daily across Des Moines: college students and young professionals opening their phones not to scroll Instagram, but to swipe through international dishes that might otherwise remain undiscovered in America’s heartland. Welcome to the EatFuti effect—a homegrown Iowa app operating like a dating platform for international cuisine.
From Rice Fields to Cornfields
When Tin Lam abandoned Vietnam’s lush landscapes for Iowa’s endless corn rows in 2014, cultural whiplash was inevitable. Like many immigrants, he found authentic cuisine from his homeland difficult to locate in his new Midwestern setting.
With his IT background, Lam began helping local restaurants build websites—a digital lifeline that became critical when COVID swept through Iowa’s restaurant scene. According to local business reports, many international restaurants saw dramatic sales declines, with some owners reporting drops exceeding 50% in the early pandemic months.
That crisis sparked EatFuti . What began with just seven restaurants now serves approximately 2,500 orders daily across Iowa, according to co-founder statements to the press—a remarkable jump in an industry dominated by tech giants.
Swipe Right for Culinary Adventure
For the chronically indecisive (you know, the friends who make choosing a restaurant feel like negotiating nuclear treaties), EatFuti offers salvation through technology.
While DoorDash extracts a substantial 30% commission from already paper-thin restaurant margins, EatFuti charges just 14%—less than half what the Silicon Valley giants demand, according to verified Iowa Restaurant Association data and EatFuti’s public rate information.
Students across Des Moines colleges have gravitated toward the app’s standout features, which the company prominently promotes on its website and social media:
- Bite Match – The “Tinder for tacos” system where users swipe through potential meals, encouraging culinary exploration
- Spin – A food roulette that introduces diners to random participating restaurants
- Rewards Program – Points redeemable for gift cards and, bizarrely, capybara plushies (which, like the app itself, makes absolutely no sense on paper but has become a distinctive brand marker)
Cultural Diplomacy Through Delivery
In today’s polarized America, finding common ground can feel like searching for parking at a Taylor Swift concert. Yet EatFuti creates cultural bridges through the universal language of flavor.
Restaurant owners report that professional photography and detailed descriptions have transformed customer willingness to try unfamiliar dishes. The visual presentation of international cuisine—from Turkish flatbreads to Ethiopian stews—removes the intimidation factor for Midwestern diners exploring global flavors.
According to EatFuti’s founders, the app has particularly resonated in Des Moines’ growing immigrant neighborhoods, though precise adoption metrics remain proprietary. The company’s marketing emphasizes how immigrant-owned restaurants have found digital visibility they previously lacked. Apps are improving our eating habits all the time, just as travel apps can help solo female travelers. Imagine having to plan your trip or meal with a paper map!
David vs. Goliath in the Digital Restaurant Wars
With $1.2 million in seed funding freshly secured from Midwest Venture Partners, as reported in Tech Midwest Daily this March, EatFuti plans expansion into Nebraska and Minnesota by late 2025.
The battle against tech giants presents formidable challenges. Major delivery platforms routinely slash fees temporarily to maintain market dominance, a practice smaller competitors struggle to counter. EatFuti’s strategy focuses on cultural authenticity and community connection—elements the founders argue algorithms can’t replicate.
In a state better known for pork tenderloins than international cuisine, EatFuti has accomplished something remarkable—turning cultural food education into entertainment as addictive as scrolling through social media, just with far more satisfying results.
