This New App Is Like Venmo For Drinks

Imagine you’re rushing to meet friends for dinner when the subway screeches to a halt. Instead of panicking about being late, you send drinks via an app along with the message, “Omg, so sorry. Be there soon! First round’s on me!”

This is one of the many uses of Dion, a social networking app that soft-launched in September 2024 and has been gaining traction in New York, Miami, and Dubai.

Co-founded by software engineer Revekka Palaiologou and hospitality expert Miltos A. Kambourides, it allows you to initiate a chat, then send vouchers to friends, crushes, and colleagues that can be redeemed at participating bars. Picture yourself celebrating a promotion thanks to your sister across the country or inviting someone in your industry out to coffee.

“We want to become the Venmo of beverages,” Palaiologou tells Bustle. Instead of settling up after a get-together, you could say, “Dion me a drink.”

The app can be used for meeting new people — romantically, platonically, and professionally — as well as with people you already know. She says 60% of users are women sending beverages to their friends. If you’re not already connected to another user, they can accept or decline your message request.

When you arrive at a restaurant or bar, you can check in and see if other Dion members are there. “It’s like Foursquare in the old days,” she says. “You can see their profile and break the ice with a drink.”

Palaiologou, a New York-based Greek native, came up with the idea in 2020 when she wasn’t able to fly out to London for a friend’s birthday dinner. In an effort to send a little surprise, she called the restaurant, shared her card info, and asked for a bottle of sake to be delivered to the table. It never arrived.

She thought there had to be a better way to send drinks — something she views as a universal sign of connection and warmth — and brainstormed Dion, named for Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and revelry. “We wanted something bold, timeless, and deeply connected to our roots,” she says.

Coincidentally, Palaiologou received a Dion from a friend during our Zoom interview. Turning her phone toward her laptop, she pointed to the notification. “It says, ‘Hi, someone sent you a matcha.’” The next day, she went to Casa Tua Cucina in Miami to redeem it. “It was the perfect little treat and a great excuse to get out,” she says.

The app also uses AI as a virtual concierge to help you choose restaurants and bars. “Sometimes people will ask, ‘Oh, it’s my friend’s birthday. What should I get them? They are celebrating in New York, and I don’t know New York that well.’ So we help users with [those types of decisions],” she says.

Right now, 70 venues accept Dion. They plan to add hotspots in other cities soon, including Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The app is free and invite-only with 2,000 members, more than 5,500 drinks sent, and a Raya-esque 15,000 person waiting list.

That said, you can also send drinks to people who don’t have the app. Palaiologou says she hopes it encourages people to get out there, socialize and connect. As Dion’s tagline says, treat and be treated.