You guys. I don't know why no thought of this idea sooner, but it's brilliant: Price Per Pint is a free app available in both the iTunes App Store and the Google Play Store… and it will hunt down the cheapest drinks for you at any time, on any day, and in any part of Manhattan, all at the click of a button. Or, y'know, the tap of a screen, since we now live in a post-button society. Whatever. It doesn't matter. What matters is that St. Patrick's Day just got a whooooooooole lot easier for pretty much everyone in the Big Apple.
According to the New York Post, Price Per Pint is the brainchild of Sean Proctor, who is currently a Macaulay Honors student studying economics at Baruch College. As is likely the case for many students in the city (and New Yorkers in general), Proctor got kind of sick of paying different prices for the exact same drink at bars located right next to each other — so he decided to do something about. The result is Price Per Pint, which is, per its FAQ, “a price aggregator of beverages from bars and pubs.” Basically, it's kind of like the Kayak of beer (and wine, and cocktails, and beer cocktails, and whatever other form of booze you feel like putting into your system right now): It lets you comparison shop for the cheapest prices of your drink of choice from the comfort of… wherever you happen to be at any given moment, as long as you happen to have your phone with you.
The map view looks like this:
With the red bottles denoting “shouts,” or ways for the bars they denote to let app users know about current happy hours, specials, and more.
But more exciting is the search function. Say you want to go out tonight when you get off from work. You're in the mood for cocktails, and you're located around Grand Central. All you need to do is plug in all that information:
Go back to the “Find” screen, and hit “Sort by distance”:
And voila! $4 well drinks at Wharf Bar & Grill between 4 PM and 7 PM.
Not too shabby, right?
Price Per Pint does have a few limitations:
- First, the app only has data from Manhattan. That means you can't use it if you don't live in New York, and even if you do live in New York, you can't use it to find the cheapest drinks in the waterholes within walking distance from your Queens apartment.
- Second, it doesn't have information for every single bar in Manhattan. It does have information for over 400 of them, though, and they're working to get as many in there as possible, as soon as possible. If your favorite place isn't currently listed, drop them a line via the comment function; they'll get on it as soon as they're able.
- Third, of the bars it does have, prices are only listed for about 12 drinks — not every single one on the menu. However, notes the app, “We will always include the cheapest options, some standard drinks, and then some bar specific selections.” Do with that what you will.
- And fourth, sometimes the prices are incorrect. It happens; menus change, supply and demand fluctuate, ingredients get more or less expensive, rent goes up, and so on and so forth. Use the comment function to let the makers of the app know and they'll remedy the situation as soon as they can.
I'll also admit that the app isn't the prettiest. But you know what? Whatever. It fills a void that other apps generally don't, and believe you me, if I a) still lived in New York and b) weren't a little old lady who goes to bed early every night now, I would definitely be making regular use of it. There are plans to include all five boroughs eventually — indeed, a handful of Brooklyn neighborhoods like Williamsburg just went live — so with luck, all your New York City boozing needs will be well taken care of eventually. In the meantime, enjoy your inexpensive drinks. Your wallet and your social life will thank you for it.
Images: Lucia Peters/Price Per Pint (5); Giphy (2)
