I’ve had enough of Entertainer.

I subscribed to the Entertainer Singapore for two and a half consecutive years. Writing from experience, the first year is a novelty. As you continue to use the app however, little things will start to annoy you and ultimately stop you from renewing your subscription.

You can’t use the deals on PH, Eve of PH, and on special occasions like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and F1.

Really? After forking out a hefty $95 for it, I can’t use the deals anytime I like? And what is this thing about not using it during F1 period? I bought the Entertainer for a very fundamental reason — to eat good food with my loved ones for a fraction of the cost. If I am not allowed to do that, then the Entertainer has lost its purpose.

Restaurants can turn you down for no good reason.

Legit true story below.

I walked into Saveur at The Cathay and Jewel Cafe at Rangoon Road on two separate occasions sometime in 2018, wanting to use the Entertainer. To my surprise, I was told that the Entertainer could not be used because the restaurant (Saveur and Jewel Cafe respectively) had recently changed their menu and the Entertainer was no longer applicable.

Actually, this took the cake when I was still sitting on the fence for the Entertainer 2019. I was embarrassed, and I felt apologetic to my date. I felt the whole Entertainer experience to be unpredictable and unpleasant. There was no way to send feedback against these merchants who did things their way. What could the Entertainer do at the exact point in time?

Listings on the Entertainer are mediocre.

In my two and a half years on the Entertainer, I’ve seen very good listings drop out — Adventure Cove, Pepperoni Pizza, Boost Juice, COCA.

Then there are plenty of establishments you’ve never even heard of, and they’re usually super out of the way. I lack the confidence to jio my friends out to eat. When I do take the trouble to travel down, more often than not they are misses and I really regret wasting my time and effort.

The Entertainer has a serious lack of Chinese cuisine. My family who only eats Chinese food are definitely not at the receiving end when I still had the Entertainer. Come on, if Fave, credit card and Chope deals are able to offer Chinese cuisines like Tunglok and Uncle Leong Seafood, something must be really off in the team running the Entertainer.

Sure, there are pretty good listings such as Bedrock Bar and Grill, Fat Cow, and Harry’s Bar. However, more often than not, I am also able to get the same good deal if I used Chope, or paid with a specific credit card (see below).

Some eateries are really inflexible.

You know how some eateries are take away counters? I’ve met really flexible ones like Plain Vanilla at Ion in which they allowed me to redeem 2 vouchers at a go even though I was the only there (technically to redeem 2 vouchers you need 4 pax to dine but it’s so silly for take away counters to strictly implement that). I’ve also met some ridiculous ones that didn’t allow me to do so. Know what I did? I went out after redeeming my first voucher and went back into the shop again to redeem the second one. How silly was that!

In another unpleasant encounter, I had dined at Soi 47 but was told that paying via Fave was not allowed because I was already using the Entertainer. I felt penalised for using an app that I had paid a hefty pricetag for.

You can get the same deals (and even more) elsewhere without paying a single cent.

For starters, Chope offers so much more, and you certainly don’t have to pay them $95. 1 for 1 and cash vouchers off a variety of cuisines and dishes — Just to name a few, Lawry’s Prime Ribs, Pince & Pints, Clinton Street, Tunglok, Dancing Crab, Udders… You name it, they’ve got it. Get even more discount if you use Chope points or purchase these vouchers during a sale! And may I stress upon you again — all these for free! I felt silly paying $95 for the Entertainer in 2018. And may I add that the Entertainer is no longer purely 1-for-1? Many of the deals are only going at 25% off!

There are also many credit card deals around and some even match up to highly coverted restaurants on the Entertainer. For example, I remember using the Entertainer for Fat Cow and when I got there I realised I could have gotten the same deal if I had used UOB card to pay. I honestly felt a little cheated back then.

HSBC has a curated Entertainer for $5.

It’s easy to apply for a credit card these days. For just $5, you get to use a curated Entertainer app. From what I’m seeing online, the selection seem pretty good actually. Tell me again why someone should pay $95 for the app?

So there. I’ve had enough of the Entertainer. Not going to waste a single cent on it, ever.