Our Story
It began during a mid-afternoon coffee break between two co-workers and long-time friends - turned co-founders. Mundane office-talk aside, the conversation turned to a shared frustration: finding good places to eat in Hong Kong was harder than it should be.
"Look at this—five stars, but the review is clearly fake. Half of these are paid promotions or bots. I hate ads masquerading as honest opinions. And even when reviews are real, they’re outdated. Restaurants open and close so fast here. Last week, I picked a new place for a client lunch, only to find the menu had changed along with the management, and the environment was overly loud.” …
…and they were not alone. Across Hong Kong, restaurant owners lamented how high commission fees from delivery apps and vendor platforms ate into their margins. Meanwhile, diners complained about misleading promotions and unreliable search results.
Hong Kong’s F&B scene is vibrant but volatile—consumers can’t trust reviews, and businesses struggle with high costs, stiff competition, and fragmented solutions for marketing, payments, and analytics.
What if there was a platform where:
✅ Reviews came from people you knew or trusted—no bots, no fake ratings.
✅ Customers are rewarded for leaving genuine feedback.
✅ Businesses had one integrated tool for marketing, payments, and insights—without any upfront or fixed fees.
Our mission with Bonfire is more than a review app—it’s a movement to support the entire F&B ecosystem. By cutting out the noise of fake reviews and predatory fees, Bonfire aims to help people discover great food through real recommendations, while giving businesses the tools to succeed—without being squeezed by middlemen.
Culture, Values & Ethics Statement
With Bonfire, we believe that trust is the foundation of every meaningful interaction—between users, businesses, and our team. We are committed to fostering a platform built on integrity, accountability, and respect, ensuring that our actions align with our principles rather than short-term gains.
Our Firestarters
Integrity Above All Else
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We prioritize honesty, transparency, and fairness in everything we do—even when it’s not the easiest or most profitable path. The world has enough questionable business practices, and we refuse to contribute to them. Our reviews are authentic, our data practices are ethical, and our decisions are guided by what’s morally right—not just what maximizes shareholder value.
Accountability in Action
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We take full ownership of our impact—on users, businesses, and our team. We empower our employees to act decisively, avoiding bureaucracy and internal politics. When we make mistakes (and we will), we’ll acknowledge them, learn from them, and do better—because accountability isn’t just about responsibility; it’s about continuous improvement.
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Protecting Users, Not Exploiting Them
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We do not sell ads, and we do not monetize your personal data. While many platforms profit from invasive advertising and data harvesting, we find that approach unethical and downright annoying. User privacy is non-negotiable—your data will only be used in anonymized, aggregated form to help F&B businesses improve, never for third-party tracking or ads.
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Supporting F&B Businesses, Not Burdening Them
The food and beverage industry is tough enough without exploitative middlemen. Instead of adding to their struggles, we focus on solving real problems—providing actionable insights, fair feedback, and tools that help them thrive. We succeed when they do.​
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Our Ethical Commitments
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No fake reviews, no paid promotions – Every rating must reflect genuine customer experiences.
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No hidden agendas – Our business model will never compromise user trust for profit.
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No unnecessary data collection – We gather only what’s essential and protect it fiercely.
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No exploitation of businesses – We charge fairly and transparently. Pure revenue-share, zero fixed fees.
We’re building more than an app—we’re building a community where transparency, fairness, and respect define every interaction. Welcome to a better way to review.