Food is a central part of the college experience, and really, the life experience. Throughout our lives we are concerned with food and the older you get the more you think about where to get it.
MounTins solves this challenge in a fun and innovative way.
Founded by Aaron Dobron and Austin Scaccianoce, MounTins makes eating out fun. Dobron is majoring in material science and engineering with an emphasis in multidisciplinary design. Scaccianoce is majoring in entrepreneurship and multidisciplinary design. You can find their office in Lassonde Studios, where they are continuously working on improving the eating experience.
Here’s how it works: You purchase a tin for $20. Inside are 10 coasters, each uniquely designed by the two company founders, corresponding to 10 restaurants in Park City. Each coaster is good for $10 off at the restaurant it depicts. You can slip them in your pocket for a post-skiing snack or play a game of dinner roulette. They make great gifts, a fun adventure and a less expensive meal.
MounTins is a relatively inexpensive gift worth a $100 value. It takes the endless debate out of the age-old problem of where to go for dinner. Plus, you can branch out and try some local cuisine when your routine gets boring.
MounTins founders Aaron Dobron and Austin Scaccianoce
So when can you get your hands on one?
MounTins launched their 2019 Park City Edition in early January and are currently selling in stores around Park City and online. Be sure to get a few: they are perfect for first dates, a night out with friends, or the most difficult gift-giving task of all — pleasing your mom (if you really want to impress her, think about buying the dinner too).
Dobron talked about their original idea: “We wanted to promote all the locally owned and operated restaurants in Park City. There are over 160 different restaurants up there, but tourists tend to target Main Street and miss some of the other options.”
Even locals likely haven’t eaten at so many different places. MounTins enlightens people of all kinds, new and old, by offering a variety of choices in terms of price, cuisine and location, on and off Main Street. The only thing consistent about this product is the discount, $10 across the board everywhere you go.
Fun fact: Eating is more fun when you are saving money too. Dobron said, “Everyone loves saving money, so why not save money on things you already do and find some new favorite restaurants along the way.”
So, onto the real question: How do they decide which restaurants are best? Well, you haven’t left your taste in cuisine entirely in the hands of two college foodies trying to make a happier world. Actually, everything from the discounted amount to the restaurants selected is done through customer surveys. The food you are risking an adventure on is selected by a combination of locals and tourists, in other words normal people, just like you. So why not give it a shot and shake things up? You must just find a new place to love.
MounTins is a recipient of multiple Get Seeded grants as well as a participant in the Company Launch Program. Both programs are provided by the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute.
Learn more and purchase a set of MounTins at moun-tins.com.
