What is every college student’s favorite word? Free.

That is why the University of Florida is now joining the 14 other campuses that are enjoying the app that encompasses every aspect of our favorite word: Hooked.

Hooked is a free promotional app that offers deals at local restaurants around Gainesville. With new deals every day at a wide variety of popular restaurants based on your location, Hooked is spreading quickly.

Hooked Campus Representative Jason Petusevsky said one of the great things about the app is that the variety of over 40 restaurants they partner with gives people the option of eating at places they might not normally go.

“Humans are creatures of habit, but Hooked allows people to get out of their comfort zone a little bit and maybe try somewhere new,” Petusevsky said.

Petusevsky said another thing he likes about Hooked is that it is easy to use and requires no credit or debit card information to download.

“It’s incredibly user-friendly,” Petusevsky said. “And it gives you the best deal that’s closest.”

As a campus representative, part of Petusevsky’s job description includes promoting Hooked on social media, tabling at Turlington and announcing to clubs and Greek organizations.

These promotional efforts must have paid off because this is how sophomore Hooked-user Emma Rutherford first found out about the app.

“A few guys from Hooked came and announced at my sorority house and gave us free smoothies for downloading the app,” Rutherford said. “At first I just did it for the Smoothie King, but now I actually use the app all the time.”

She said she checks it every day to see what the new deals are. She even entered a contest through Hooked to win free Blaze pizza for a year.

“The deals are really good,” Rutherford said. “Even though I didn’t win the pizza contest, I can still make up for it with all the other free stuff the app offers.”

Hooked might be just getting started at UF, but the app was launched almost three years ago at the University of Texas in Austin.

“We thought UT was the number one place for a brand launch,” said Michael Hernandez, sales manager of Hooked. “We came to Gainesville because we saw the same potential at UF.”

Hernandez got involved with Hooked when he became friends with some of the creators at an event he was managing in Austin, where he lived at the time.

Hooked launched about a month ago at UF. They’re currently focused on getting the word out and getting new businesses involved, but they haven’t lost sight of their future goals.

“We don’t want to be an app that just comes in and launches then leaves,” Hernandez said. “We want to be part of the community long term.”

They may have a ways to go before reaching their ultimate goal, but Hooked has already made a big impression here at UF by getting through to their target audience.

“There’s a certain language you need to connect with millennials, and that’s what hooked does well,” Hernandez said.

If he is referring to the language of free pizza, Emma Rutherford proved that is one dialect every college student is familiar with.

Free pizza may be more sought after on a college campus, but the offer of free food and drinks is something anyone can get excited about.

Petusevsky and Hernandez both agree that Hooked is not just for college students, but for everyone in the local community.

“Who doesn’t like saving money?” Hernandez said. “There’s something in this app for everyone.”

The real question is, with other apps out there promising similar deals, what makes Hooked so special?

“I believe customer service is what sets us apart,” Hernandez said. “We build close relationships with businesses, we make sure our staff is properly trained and comfortable, and we are always trying to innovate within the community.”

To learn more about Hooked, download the app on iPhone or Android from the App Store.