New App Turns Online Food Finds Into Real-World Dining
Troodie, a new AI-powered social commerce platform, is using AI to bridge the gap between viral food content and real-world diner behavior, helping diners discover food spots, influencers earn, and restaurants grow.
“That place you saw on TikTok? Save it on Troodie, keep scrolling, and know that you’ll be reminded to stop by,” the company states on its website.
Founded by Charlotte-based entrepreneur Taylor Davis, Troodie officially launched last month during National Black Business Month.
Helping Diners Save, Organize, and Visit Food Finds
Between social media, word of mouth, and food blogs, most diners are constantly discovering new spots to try but struggle to keep track of them.
Troodie solves that by providing a centralized, easy-to-use platform where users can save and organize food recommendations, build interactive maps, and join Communities to share curated lists.
Unlike mainstream food review-based apps, Troodie focuses on community and discovery. “Troodie makes discovery more personal, easy to filter, and collaborative,” Davis said. “One of my favorite features is how users can join Communities and share and curate recommendations together.”
Restaurants Get Real Insights and Creators Get Paid
Restaurants in the US spend billions on influencer partnerships and promotions, but often lack tools to see what actually drives foot traffic.
Troodie changes that by linking content directly to diner behavior. The platform offers sales-based attribution, first-party diner data, and a curated creator marketplace that helps restaurants match with the right influencers based on audience fit and performance.
“We connect [restaurants] with the right influencers, track ROI, and deliver diner insights—turning partnerships into real sales and customer engagement,” Troodie’s website notes.
Black Woman Founder Leads the Way in Food-Tech Innovation
Davis, a Howard University and Cornell MBA graduate, is a two-time founder, investment banker, and venture capital fellow.
“As an avid traveler and foodie, I’ve explored cuisines across multiple continents, including cooking lessons in Italy and dining undersea in the Maldives,” told Bold Journey. “My travel experiences, along with those of my community, inspired me to launch Troodie, a food and travel app designed to connect foodies, empower creators, and support small businesses.”
Launching Troodie in Charlotte was a strategic move. “Charlotte offers the perfect mix of a vibrant dining scene, a growing tech ecosystem, and a community that supports innovation — especially from Black founders,” she said in a press release.
In August, Davis won $4,000 at the Baddies in Tech AI Pitch Competition at BaddieCon in New York. The award will help support Troodie’s current $500,000 pre-seed funding round.
Troodie has already onboarded over 70 restaurants and 30 creators. It partnered with University City Partners as part of its pilot to spotlight local restaurants, cafés, and bars across Charlotte.
Image credit: Alex Haney
