More than 26,000 people signed up for a special deal from LivingSocial Friday, forming long lines outside of participating restaurants.

Continue reading

Roughly 120 D.C. restaurants offered an entire lunch worth at least $10 for only $1. The company used the lunch deal to promote a new feature on its smartphone app called "Instant Deal." Using a phone's GPS, the app lets customers locate deals close to them, buying an instantly redeemable coupon code.

The offer was so popular -- and only valid between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., according to LivingSocial -- many restaurants had lines out the door.

LivingSocial did subsidize today's dollar deal. In the future, they will work with shops on special instant savings offers. Those without a smartphone can log on to the LivingSocial.com website and print out an actual voucher.

LivingSocial’s main competitor, Groupon, is also planning an instant deals service called Groupon Now, which is expected to launch sometime this month, reported the Washington Post.