# Food deal apps and discounts at UChicago, compared

> Pool is built for UChicago, with 2-for-1 12 oz açaí bowls at Deep Purpl and 2-for-1 subs at Subway. The others are a 10 to 20 percent UCID discount you ask for at the register, meals on your meal plan, a delivery plan, and a city-wide directory.

By Victor Hardt. Published September 10, 2026, updated September 29, 2026. Canonical: https://pooluchicago.org/blog/food-deal-apps-uchicago

There are five ways to pay less for food around campus, and they don't overlap much. One is an app built for UChicago, one is your ID card, two come with your student account and one is a city-wide directory. The table shows what each one gets you and the catch on each. I built Pool, so keep that in mind when you read its row.

| What | What you get | Where it works | The catch |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pool | [2-for-1](https://pooluchicago.org/2-for-1-hyde-park) 12 oz açaí bowls at [Deep Purpl](https://pooluchicago.org/restaurants/deep-purpl), 2-for-1 subs at [Subway](https://pooluchicago.org/restaurants/subway), and deals at 12 more Hyde Park restaurants | Hyde Park only | Once every 30 days per deal, UChicago email required |
| Your UCID | 10 to 20 percent off at a short list of Hyde Park places | The register, some dine-in only | Confirm at the register |
| [Fourth Meal](https://pooluchicago.org/blog/uchicago-dining-halls-ranked) | A late meal on your meal plan, Monday to Thursday, 9 pm to midnight | On campus, from week 3 | Dine-in only, no to-go |
| Grubhub student plan | $0 delivery fee through graduation, Phoenix cASH accepted | Any Grubhub restaurant | The bursar's page says additional fees may apply |
| 312Deals | A city-wide directory of deals and specials | All of Chicago | Confirm each deal with the restaurant |

## 1. Pool

Pool is a food deals app for UChicago students. It is free right now, through January 17, 2027, and it checks your uchicago.edu email once. Most deals work the same way. You order two and the cheaper one is free. For most, you book a window in the app, show the pass at the counter and pay the restaurant for one. The deals are 2-for-1 12 oz açaí bowls at Deep Purpl (from October 8), 2-for-1 subs at Subway 53rd Street, 2-for-1 half chicken plates at [Nando's PERi-PERi](https://pooluchicago.org/restaurants/nandos) (from October 8), 2-for-1 Philly sandwiches at [B'Gabs Comfort Cafe](https://pooluchicago.org/restaurants/b-gabs) (from September 30), 2-for-1 jerk or honey wings at Ja' Grill, 2-for-1 Wagyu Steak Frites at Chemistry, 2-for-1 wraps, salads and bowls at Litehouse Whole Food Grill, 2-for-1 chicken shawarma wraps at Cedars, a free refresher with any treat at StruggleBeard Bakery (from September 29), a free third taco or a free drink with a Taco Dinner at 5 Rabanitos, 2-for-1 Indian combo meals at Rajun Cajun (from October 1), 2-for-1 chicken and waffle bites at Dawn A.M. Eatery (from October 1), 2-for-1 lattes at Sweet Drip (from October 1) and 2-for-1 sushi, pizza and more at The Sit Down Café & Sushi Bar (from October 1), from Monday, September 28.

The catch is that each deal works once every 30 days, so you can't use it every day.

## 2. Your UCID

A short list of Hyde Park places give 10 to 20 percent off when you show the card. Welcome to Hyde Park lists 10 percent at Ja' Grill, Saucy Porka and Kilwins, 20 percent at Sit Down, and a discount on handcrafted drinks at Capital One Café. Confirm at the register. The [discounts guide](https://pooluchicago.org/blog/uchicago-student-discounts-hyde-park) has every row with the date it was last checked.

Ten percent off a $12 lunch is $1.20, so it's worth asking.

## 3. Fourth Meal and Dining Dollars

Fourth Meal is the late dining hall service, Monday to Thursday from 9 pm to midnight, starting week 3. It's dine-in only. Dining's menu site shows which hall runs it. Dining Dollars replaced Maroon Dollars this year. They roll over by quarter and only work on campus, so use them at the campus cafés. They won't work on 53rd.

## 4. Grubhub's student plan

Through the university's deal with Grubhub, you get the student plan with a $0 delivery fee through graduation, and you can pay with Phoenix cASH. The bursar's page says additional fees may apply. It's useful on nights you don't want to leave your room.

## 5. 312Deals

312deals.com is a Chicago-wide deals directory. It's free and you don't need an account. Confirm each deal with the restaurant before you go.

## What about UNiDAYS, Student Beans, Yapa

UNiDAYS and Student Beans verify you are a student and list discounts from national brands. I use them when I'm buying a laptop or a pair of shoes. We haven't checked Yapa, so it isn't in the table.

## The order to use them in

If you're on a meal plan and it's Monday to Thursday before midnight, from week 3, start with Fourth Meal. Use Pool when you're going to Deep Purpl or Subway anyway, once a month each. Show your UCID at the places on the discounts guide. For the rest of the city, check 312Deals, and use Grubhub on nights you stay in.

## Questions people ask

**Which food deal apps work for UChicago students?**

Pool, which I built, has 2-for-1 12 oz açaí bowls at Deep Purpl (from October 8), 2-for-1 subs at Subway 53rd Street, 2-for-1 half chicken plates at Nando's PERi-PERi (from October 8), 2-for-1 Philly sandwiches at B'Gabs Comfort Cafe (from September 30), 2-for-1 jerk or honey wings at Ja' Grill, 2-for-1 Wagyu Steak Frites at Chemistry, 2-for-1 wraps, salads and bowls at Litehouse Whole Food Grill, 2-for-1 chicken shawarma wraps at Cedars, a free refresher with any treat at StruggleBeard Bakery (from September 29), a free third taco or a free drink with a Taco Dinner at 5 Rabanitos, 2-for-1 Indian combo meals at Rajun Cajun (from October 1), 2-for-1 chicken and waffle bites at Dawn A.M. Eatery (from October 1), 2-for-1 lattes at Sweet Drip (from October 1) and 2-for-1 sushi, pizza and more at The Sit Down Café & Sushi Bar (from October 1). It is free, verified with your uchicago.edu email, and each deal works once every 30 days. Your UCID gets 10 to 20 percent off at some Hyde Park places. Fourth Meal and Dining Dollars come with the meal plan, the Grubhub student plan has a $0 delivery fee, and 312Deals is a Chicago-wide deals directory.

**Is 312Deals good for Hyde Park?**

It is a Chicago-wide deals directory, free and with no account. Confirm deals with the restaurant.

**Do UNiDAYS or Student Beans work at Hyde Park restaurants?**

They list discounts for national brands. Use them for a laptop, not for dinner on 53rd. The Hyde Park restaurant discounts are the UCID rows on the discounts guide and the 2-for-1s on Pool.

**Does Grubhub give UChicago students a discount?**

A $0 delivery fee through the student plan, through graduation, and Phoenix cASH works as payment. The bursar's page says additional fees may apply.