Raise your hands if you like food that's delicious, close, and cheap. If both your hands are raised and your eyes are the size of pizzas, then we have the newest (and maybe greatest) app for you. Hooked is a new app that's sweeping its way across the nation's universities and can help you keep a little more money in your pocket, although it'll have you wishing that it worked on your college tuition.
What's App?
Hooked was founded by college students, for college students, by a man named Tim Rothwell. He and his friend were sick of eating Chipotle every day (um, what?) so they started looking around for restaurant deals that were close to them.
Word of mouth travels far, and that rings true for the popularity of the app. My very own roommate text bombed my phone with pizza deals one afternoon because, yes, there are THAT many deals.
Where They At Though?
The deals, often called “hooks,” that show up are always going to be in a location that’s near you. Clicking on the map in the top right corner of the main screen allows you to check out a map with pins of all of the restaurants which utilize the Hooked application. If you’re looking at a green pin, it means there’s a live deal at that location.
By allowing your phone to link up with your location, you are ensuring that you’re going to get the deals that are within a few miles, which means you can run right in or take a mini road trip and search for the best deals in your city. But make your road trip fast because nothing lasts forever.
The deals are time sensitive and typically don't last more than 5 hours. If you don't catch your hook in time, there's no need to panic because the deals are always changing and chances are there’s another "half off pizza" deal somewhere else in your area.
Teach Me How
So not only does this app help you get cheap food, but the actual app itself is, wait for it... FREE.
Okay, you’ve (obviously) downloaded the app, now all you have to do is log in with a Facebook account or email, and allow your phone to share your location with the app. Now you’re all ready to snatch up some deals. Scroll through the list, which often has size upgrades for pizza, 20% of a total bill, and, occasionally, food events that are totally free.
If one catches your eye, click on the ad and the green button that says “USE IT NOW” and head to your restaurant, as most hooks require you to redeem in person. Let the cashier or an employee know that you're using the Hooked app, get your food and pocket that extra change.
Maybe you eat Subway too often or are trying to cut back on pizza consumption. Hooked is still gonna hook you up. The app doesn’t just cater to chain restaurants; delis, coffee shops, and local eateries often also make an appearance on the app.
This helps the restaurant's connect with the college demographic and grow their sales and can get you more involved in your community and help you find that special hole in the wall place you’ve been searching for.
How to Bring Hooked to Your Campus
Maybe you’re a business owner and Hooked has your attention. You, too, can get your brand into a college audience by going to the website and selecting the “Advertisers” tab. From here, click “Request More Info” and let those hard workers at HQ know what’s on your mind.
Can't wait for Hooked to get on your campus? If you head to the website, you can find a button that says “Let Us Know.” Here, you can submit your college market, and the team will jump on making your greatest dreams a reality.
As of now, Hooked has found its home on 35 different college campuses, and has plans to expand to every major college town in the nation. If it hasn’t made it’s way to you quite yet, just sit back and relax, you be Hooked soon.