Blackboard Eats to Charge Money For Access to Deals

Blackboard Eats, the daily email newsletter offering "exclusive deals at the best restaurants" (in LA, SF, NYC, and everywhere), announced today they'll be charging money for the service: "To keep up with our growing subscriber base, we will now be implementing a small service fee of $1 per passcode... Alternatively, you can purchase a BBE Annual Membership for $20, which covers a year's worth of service fees for specials in your city."

When things Groupon (and its many clones) are free, are Blackboard Eats' deals so good that you'd be willing to pay for them?

Here's the full email they sent:

Dear REDACTED,

Over the past year, we’ve really enjoyed bringing you the best handpicked deals at the top spots with reviews by our seasoned team of food editors. To keep up with our growing subscriber base, we will now be implementing a small service fee of $1 per passcode. Don't worry, you will only have to enter your credit card once and we will still send free specials your way from time to time.

Alternatively, you can purchase a BBE Annual Membership for $20, which covers a year's worth of service fees for specials in your city. Click here to upgrade to an Annual Membership.

As you have probably already discovered, you can save as much as $60 or even more with one passcode. Whether you choose the BBE Annual Membership or to pay-as-you-go, it's an unreal deal.

In other news, we have listened to all your feedback and will be introducing some convenient new features: Shiny new mobile apps are coming your way, and stay tuned for new specials called "Pop-Ups," popping into your inbox soon.

Thanks from everyone here at BBE for your continued loyalty and support.

See you at dinner,

BBE

· All Blackboard Eats Coverage on Eater [-E-]