As the semester progresses and the wallets grow thinner with more books to buy and birthday parties to attend, NYU Spoon goes on the hunt for the best ways to get free food in the city.
Photo by Delissa Handoko
Georgetown Cupcake
Hailing from Washington DC and co-founded by the stars of hit TV series DC Cupcakes, Georgetown Cupcake opened its first Manhattan location in February 2012. Every day around 10am, Georgetown Cupcake announces the free (off-menu) flavor of the day via Facebook and Twitter (@GTownCupcake), with the first 100 customers to order it by name getting theirs for free. With the SoHo store right beside campus, grabbing a free cupcake on your way to class ought to be a daily morning routine.
Photo by Delissa Handoko
Location: 111 Mercer Street (between Spring and Prince)
Hours of Operation: Mon – Sat 10am – 9pm, Sun 10am – 8pm
Photo by Delissa Handoko
Godiva Chocolates
Join the Godiva Rewards Club online and you are entitled to a free chocolate treat at any Godiva store once a month starting the month after your enrollment. You are free to select any piece of chocolate (excluding seasonal items or special collections) as your monthly treat; this is the perfect opportunity to try out every single flavor of the exquisitely made chocolate pieces you often drool over in the display window by the register!
Photo by Delissa Handoko
Trader Joe’s
Almost considered an NYU staple (especially if you are living around Union Square), Trader Joe’s is known for its wide selection of fresh and microwaveable foods, budget-friendly prices and extremely long lines. Whether you are beating the crowd or stuck in the seemingly endless line to the register, don’t forget to grab a quick bite from the Sample Station. Samples range from seasonal dessert specials like pumpkin bread to more wholesome meals like risotto served hot from the (microwave) oven. This is a great way to taste new items or that variety of chips that you have always wanted to try but never got around to buying.
Photo by Delissa Handoko
Location: 142 E 14th St New York (between 4th and Irving)
Hours of Operation: Mon-Sun 8am – 10pm
Photo by Delissa Handoko
Pomme Frites
With over 20 different sauces to choose from, ordering at Pomme Frites is always a tough decision. Fret not, because the servers are always delighted to hand out free samples of sauces (and you even get a few fries to go with it!) – all you have to do is to ask for samples of the few sauces you would like to taste before making a purchase.
Photo by Delissa Handoko
Location: 123 3rd Ave. (between 7th and St. Mark’s)
Hours of Operation: Sun-Thu 11:30am-1am, Fri-Sat 11:30am-3:30am
CAS Bagel Fest
Looking for something closer to home? The CAS Student Council holds a Bagel Fest once (or sometimes twice) a month on the 2nd floor of Silver starting at 10:30am and lasting until supplies run out. Bagels from Bagel Bob’s are served alongside coffee and tea, and there is often a variety of cream cheese flavors to choose from. Be on the look out for email updates from the CAS Student Council for the dates of the next Bagel Fest!