Degusta

What Degusta does

Degusta Panamá, S.A. operates a restaurant discovery and reservation platform headquartered in Panama City, Panama. Founded in 2009, the platform serves as a two-sided marketplace connecting Panamanian diners with foodservice businesses through a directory of 1,878+ restaurants searchable by cuisine type, neighborhood, price range, and amenities. The service is accessible via the web (degustapanama.com) and native iOS and Android mobile applications. Sister Degusta brands extend to Colombia, Venezuela, and Guatemala via regional domain extensions, though the Panamanian entity is the most developed operation.

The core technology stack combines a map-based search interface built on OpenStreetMap and Leaflet.js with a community-driven review and rating system, an online reservation module, and a gamified loyalty program called Degusta Coins. Users earn coins through reservations, reviews, and photo uploads; these are redeemable for restaurant vouchers. Additional product surfaces include curated thematic collections (e.g., 'Best Burgers', 'Pet Friendly', 'Coffee Lovers'), daily 'Super Deal' promotional placements, and a verified restaurant-owner portal for managing listings, responding to reviews, and analyzing performance. The platform integrates with Copa Airlines' ConnectMiles loyalty program (allowing diners to earn airline miles at partner restaurants) and Banco BAC (co-branded restaurant routes).

Revenue is generated through two primary streams: restaurant-side listing fees and promotional/advertising placements (including featured spots, Super Deal daily deals, and discount coupons), and transaction-related activity through Degusta Coins redemptions. The platform is free to diners; restaurant-side pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, venture funding rounds, or parent company ownership structures, suggesting a bootstrapped or closely-held operating model. No headcount, revenue figures, or financial statements are publicly available.

Name

Degusta

Legal name

Degusta Panamá, S.A.

Website

https://degustapanama.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Degusta operates a restaurant discovery and reservation marketplace in Panama with 1,878+ listings, serving diners via web and mobile apps and restaurants through paid listings, promotions, and a gamified Degusta Coins loyalty program. Sister sites exist in Colombia, Venezuela, and Guatemala.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Restaurant Discovery Marketplace

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAMAIAK

Restaurant Reservations & Dining Booking Platforms

Business & Public Services/Web, Mobile & Digital Platforms/Travel, Mobility & Booking Platforms

SECONDARYHSACALAF

Dining Reservations & Restaurant Booking

Home & Personal Services/Event & Personal Concierge Services/Ticketing & Reservations Services

SECONDARYTHALADAH

Restaurant/Table Reservation & Booking Engines

Travel & Hospitality/Travel Technology & Distribution Services/Central Reservation Systems (CRS) & Booking Engines

Keywords

• Restaurant discovery platform
• Online restaurant reservations
• Restaurant review platform
• Food discovery marketplace
• Loyalty rewards program

Headquarters

HQ city

Ciudad De Panamá

HQ country

Panama

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Listings and Promotions: Restaurants pay to list on the platform and promote special offers, discounts, and featured placements. The platform offers Super Deal daily promotions and ConnectMiles partnership integrations.
2. Degusta Coins Redemption: Users earn Degusta Coins through reservations and can redeem them for restaurant vouchers. The platform facilitates transactions between users and restaurants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Degusta operates a restaurant discovery and reservation marketplace serving Panama, where diners can search, browse, read reviews, make reservations, and access promotional discounts at 1,878+ listed restaurants. The platform monetizes through restaurant listings and promotions while offering diners a gamified loyalty program (Degusta Coins) redeemable for restaurant vouchers.

Product overview

Degusta is a restaurant discovery and reservation platform operating in Panama (with sister sites in Colombia, Venezuela, and Guatemala). The core product is a directory of 1,878 restaurants with search/filter capabilities, complemented by an online reservation system for participating establishments. The platform includes a gamified loyalty program called Degusta Coins where users earn points for reservations, reviews, and photos which can be redeemed for restaurant vouchers. Additional offerings include curated thematic collections, promotional discount coupons, and a verified restaurant owner platform for managing listings and responding to reviews. The platform is accessible via web and mobile applications for iOS and Android.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Degusta Coins: Points and rewards system where users earn coins through reservations that can be redeemed for vouchers at partner restaurants
• Degusta Points System

Products and services

• Restaurant Discovery Platform Comprehensive restaurant directory and discovery platform enabling users to search, browse, and explore restaurants across Panama with filtering by cuisine type, location, price range, and amenities.
• Online Restaurant Reservations Table reservation system allowing diners to book tables at participating restaurants directly through the platform.
• Degusta Coins Loyalty Program Gamified rewards system where users earn coins by making reservations, writing reviews, and uploading photos. Coins can be redeemed for restaurant vouchers and discounts at partner restaurants.
• User Reviews & Ratings System Community-driven review platform where users rate and review restaurants on food, service, and ambiance dimensions, with a points-based ranking system for contributors.
• Mobile Applications (iOS and Android) Native mobile applications for iOS and Android devices enabling restaurant discovery, reservations, and photo uploads on-the-go.
• Verified Restaurant Platform Administrative platform for restaurant owners to manage their establishment profile, view usage statistics, respond to reviews, and update operational information.
• Restaurant Discount Coupons Digital coupon program featuring promotional discounts from partner restaurants, including daily Super Deal promotions and percentage-off offers redeemable through the platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1878+ restaurants listed
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Copa Airlines ConnectMilescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerIntegration with Copa Airlines' frequent flyer program allowing ConnectMiles members to earn airline miles when dining at participating Degusta partner restaurants. Restaurants display the ConnectMiles badge and offer mile-earning on qualifying purchases.
• BAC (Banco de Ahorro y Fianza)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-branded restaurant route promotion 'Ruta futbolera by BAC' featuring curated restaurant collections for sports enthusiasts. BAC customers can access exclusive dining promotions and deals.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Zomato: Restaurant discovery, review, and reservation platform with growing LATAM presence (acquired Uruguay-based platforms); comparable two-sided marketplace model and a useful benchmark for Degusta's regional expansion path.
• Quandoo: Restaurant reservation marketplace active across Europe and parts of Asia; comparable reservation-centric model and useful comp for Degusta's potential international expansion playbook.

Direct peers

• OpenTable: Global restaurant reservation and discovery platform; directly competes with Degusta's core reservation and discovery functionality, though OpenTable operates at significantly larger scale across many countries.
• Resy: Restaurant reservation platform owned by American Express with a strong loyalty/reservation focus — directly comparable to Degusta's reservation-plus-loyalty (Coins) positioning, particularly in how it integrates with a financial ecosystem.
• Tripadvisor / TheFork: Restaurant discovery and reservation marketplace (TheFork is Tripadvisor's reservation brand) competing head-to-head with Degusta on diner discovery, reviews, and table booking; comparable two-sided marketplace business model.

Broad incumbents

• Yelp: Established user-generated review and discovery platform with restaurant listings and advertising products; competes with Degusta for diner attention and restaurant advertising dollars, but covers many categories beyond restaurants.
• TripAdvisor: Global travel and restaurant review platform with massive SEO authority and diner mind-share; overlaps with Degusta on restaurant discovery and reviews, especially for travelers using Degusta's ConnectMiles partnership.
• Meituan / Dianping: Super-app combining restaurant discovery, reviews, reservations, deals, and loyalty at massive scale; illustrates the upside potential of a vertically integrated local services platform and the long-run competitive benchmark for Degusta.
• Google Maps: Default discovery and mapping platform with restaurant listings, reviews, and increasingly reservation integrations; the most significant indirect competitor for diner-side traffic and restaurant visibility in any local market.

Regional players

• Guía Leo: Latin American restaurant guide and discovery platform operating across multiple Spanish-speaking markets; most directly comparable regional peer given Degusta's Panama + LATAM footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/degustapanama
• Facebookfacebook.com/degustapanama
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/degusta-panama

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Degusta