For visitors taking a car hire in the United States, finding a good place to eat is usually a top priority. With so many restaurants to pick from, it can be difficult for tourists to choose where to eat at a price that will fit their budget. One handy smartphone application that can make this choice a little easier is UrbanSpoon.

Available for Apple and Android platforms, UrbanSpoon is an app that enables users to search for places to eat based on GPS location data. The app currently covers destinations in the U.K., U.S., Canada and Australia. In addition to being one of the most popular food applications in the App Store, it is also available for free download, making it a must-have for frugal travellers.

Users can begin their search by bringing up a list of restaurants in their vicinity. For example, visitors taking a car hire in New York can access the application's extensive list of eateries when they are visiting well-known landmarks such as the Empire State Building or Central Park. The app will provide users with several options based on their location. Tourists using UrbanSpoon can then expand or refine their search criteria to include certain types of restaurants, and the distance from their present location.

One of the major advantages of using UrbanSpoon when travelling is the time tourists could save when looking for a specific kind of restaurant. For travellers who want to experience everything a city has to offer in a limited time frame, UrbanSpoon could be invaluable.

In addition to allowing users to search by the type of food an eatery serves, the app can also help visitors find the perfect spot for lunch by narrowing search results by price. Whereas some apps provide lists of restaurants based on type, UrbanSpoon could be an ideal tool for discovering charming Italian bistros or the best burritos in New York at a price that won't break the bank.

However, UrbanSpoon doesn't just present users with a list of places to grab a bite. Tourists using UrbanSpoon can also view a restaurant's full menu, allowing users to look over the lunch specials or soup of the day before they make any decisions. This functionality could be especially useful for tourists with specific dietary requirements. Features like this may prove handy for vegetarian or vegan tourists, or individuals with allergies to nuts or gluten. For travellers taking a car hire in New York, this could save valuable time driving around trying to find somewhere suitable to grab some chow.

The developers of UrbanSpoon know that, even with all this information at users' fingertips, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. To make it even easier for travellers to find the perfect restaurant, the app also includes extensive social features such as user reviews. This allows tourists to see what other visitors have to say about an eatery, as well as find out if the service is up to par or whether a restaurant is child-friendly.

For travellers who want to sample more high-end places, UrbanSpoon even takes the headache out of securing a table. After searching for restaurants based on type, location and price, the app also enables tourists to make reservations right from their smartphone or tablet. With a few taps of the screen, visitors can find, review and make reservations at many restaurants in hundreds of cities around the world.

UrbanSpoon's range of functionality and ease of use make it an ideal choice for visitors taking a car hire in the United States. The app is available to download for free at the Apple App Store, Android Market and Urban Spoon website.