tabletalk - Plans-First Social Dining App

tabletalk turns restaurants into conversations—and conversations into plans.

tabletalk is a plans-first, social dining app where restaurants are conversation starters and plans are the core unit of value. It's not a restaurant rating or food logging app. The core value is: Turn "want to try" into "let's go."

Flow: Restaurants → Tables → People → Plans

Features

• Swipe & Discover: Swipe through restaurant recommendations powered by Yelp Fusion API
• AI-Powered Insights: Get personalized "Why This Table" explanations using Yelp AI and Groq
• Table Chat: Create and manage dining plans with friends
• Restaurant Assistant: Chat with an AI assistant that knows each restaurant intimately
• Plan Builder: Generate engaging invite messages and plan details with AI
• Smart Caching: AI responses are cached for 24 hours for better performance
• Location-Based: Find restaurants near you using device location

Tech Stack

• Framework: React Native with Expo (~54.0.29)
• Language: TypeScript (strict mode)
• Navigation: React Navigation (Stack & Bottom Tabs)
• APIs:
  • Yelp Fusion API (restaurant search & details)
  • Yelp AI API (restaurant insights & Q&A)
  • Groq API (LLM-powered conversations)
• Storage: AsyncStorage for local data persistence
• Location: Expo Location for geolocation services

Setup Instructions

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v18+ recommended, v20+ ideal)
• npm or yarn package manager
• Expo Go app installed on your phone (iOS or Android)
• API keys:
  • Yelp API key (Fusion API)
  • Groq API key (for AI features)

Installation

1. Install dependencies

   npm install

2. Set up environment variables

   Create a .env file in the root directory:

   YELP_API_KEY=your_yelp_api_key_here
   YELP_CLIENT_ID=your_yelp_client_id_here
   GROQ_API_KEY=your_groq_api_key_here

   Note: The .env file is gitignored and won't be committed to the repository.

3. Start the development server

   npm start

   This will:

   • Start the Metro bundler
   • Display a QR code in your terminal
   • Open Expo DevTools in your browser

4. Run on your device

   • Open Expo Go app on your phone
   • Scan the QR code from the terminal
   • The app will load on your device with live reload

## Code Standards

- **TypeScript**: Strict mode enabled for type safety
- **Components**: Functional components with React hooks
- **Error Handling**: Comprehensive error handling with user-friendly messages
- **API Calls**: Type-safe API calls with error handling
- **Code Organization**: Modular structure with separation of concerns
- **Performance**: AI response caching to reduce API calls

## Troubleshooting

### Environment Variables Not Loading
- Ensure `.env` file exists in the root directory
- Restart the Expo server after creating/updating `.env`
- Check that variable names match exactly (no spaces around `=`)

### API Errors
- **401 Unauthorized**: Verify your API keys are correct and active
- **Rate Limits**: Yelp and Groq APIs have rate limits; cached responses help mitigate this
- **Network Errors**: Check your internet connection and API service status

### Metro Bundler Issues
- Clear cache: `npx expo start -c`
- Reset: `rm -rf node_modules && npm install`