Pool is a food deals app for UChicago students. The app is free right now.2-for-1 subs at Subway 53rd Street.2-for-1 jerk or honey wings at Ja' Grill.And twelve more around Hyde Park. Book a time in the app, show your pass at the counter and pay for one.
First deals went live Monday, September 28
1,890 free Founding Member spots open Oct 5 at 12 PM.
14 Hyde Park restaurantsSee every deal
Cedars
Palestinian. 53rd, east of Woodlawn.
2 FOR 1
Two shawarma wraps. Pay for one.
Order two Chicken Shawarma Wraps and the second one is free. Both come with fries.
Only 11 am to 8 pm.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Subway 53rd Street
Subs, open 24 hours. 53rd and Dorchester.
2 FOR 1
Two subs. Pay for one.
Order any two subs and the cheaper one is free. Every sub except 5 Meat Italian, Steak & Avocado and Chicken & Avocado. Paid extras not included.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
14 deals are set. You can use each one once every 30 days.
Açaí bowls and smoothies. Harper Court, off 53rd.
2 FOR 1
Two 12 oz bowls. Pay for one.
Order two 12 oz açaí bowls and the second one is free. Build them how you want.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Subs, open 24 hours. 53rd and Dorchester.
2 FOR 1
Two subs. Pay for one.
Order any two subs and the cheaper one is free. Every sub except 5 Meat Italian, Steak & Avocado and Chicken & Avocado. Paid extras not included.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken. 53rd Street.
2 FOR 1
Two half chickens. Pay for one.
Order two half chicken plates and the cheaper one is free. Any heat, any two sides.
Only Monday to Friday, 6 to 9 pm.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Comfort food. 57th, by the bookstores.
2 FOR 1
Two Philly sandwiches. Pay for one.
Order two Philly Sandwiches, chicken or mushroom, and the second one is free. They do not have to match, and both come with fried potatoes.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Jamaican. Harper Court.
2 FOR 1
Two orders of wings. Pay for one.
Get two orders of Jerk Wings or Honey Wings and the lower-priced order is free. Wings only, not the Jerk Chicken entrée.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Steakhouse. 51st and Harper.
2 FOR 1
Two steak frites. Pay for one.
Order two Steak Frites, the 10 oz wagyu bavette, and the second one is free. Dine in only.
Only 7 to 11 pm, Saturday to Thursday.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Bowls, wraps and salads. 53rd Street.
2 FOR 1
Two wraps, salads or bowls. Pay for one.
Order any two from the Wraps, Salads, Bowls menu, each as a wrap, a salad or a bowl, and the lower-priced one is free. Nothing else on the menu is included.
Only Sunday to Friday, 12 to 6 pm.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Palestinian. 53rd, east of Woodlawn.
2 FOR 1
Two shawarma wraps. Pay for one.
Order two Chicken Shawarma Wraps and the second one is free. Both come with fries.
Only 11 am to 8 pm.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Cookies, cupcakes and coffee. Harper Court.
FREE REFRESHER
Buy a treat. Get a free refresher.
Order any treat and get a refresher free, one of the four house-made lemonades.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Mexican, tacos and tortas. 53rd and Kimbark.
TACO PERK
Third taco free. Or a drink with dinner.
Pick one per visit. Buy two tacos and get a third taco free, or buy a Taco Dinner and get a drink free.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Indian and soul food. 53rd, west of Harper.
2 FOR 1
Two combo meals. Pay for one.
Order two Indian combo meals and the lower-priced one is free. Tandoori Chicken, Butter Chicken, Chicken Curry or the Vegetarian Meal. Not the Lamb Curry combo.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Southern brunch, all day. 56th and Cornell.
2 FOR 1
Two orders of chicken and waffle bites. Pay for one.
Order two Chicken & Waffle Bites and the second one is free. The appetizer, not the Vegan Chk'n Bites.
Only 8 am to 7:30 pm.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Waffles, crepes, gelato and coffee. 53rd and Hyde Park Boulevard.
2 FOR 1
Two lattes. Pay for one.
Order two lattes and the second one is free. Any latte, hot or iced, any flavor, matcha too. Oat or almond milk is extra.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Sushi, pizza and sandwiches. 53rd Street.
2 FOR 1
Order two. Pay for one.
Choose any two eligible menu items and the lower-priced item is free. Sushi, pizza, sandwiches, salads and more. Combos and lunch specials are excluded.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Every restaurant has its own page, and every 2-for-1 we run in Hyde Park is on one page. The food deals map sorts them by how far they are from your dorm or street. We add restaurants as they sign on, and you can suggest one in the app.
Staff at the counter check a live pass on your phone.
Live pass
Example
Maya R.
2-for-1 subs at Subway 53rd Street
The pass shows the current time, ticking every second.
Pass closes 0:00 PM. The clock keeps ticking, so a screenshot won't work.
Open the deal in Pool. At most restaurants you pick a time window, and each window has a set number of spots, so book before you walk over.
Your pass shows your name and a live clock. That is how staff know it is real, so a screenshot won't work.
Order two and pay for the pricier one. The cheaper one is free. You pay the restaurant for one, plus tax and any gratuity. Pool doesn't handle payment.
After you use a deal, it comes back 30 days later.
It's free. The first 1,890 students to join get a member number, like grabbing your username early on a new app.
To get one, download Pool now. On Monday, October 5, at 12 PM, open it and tap Become a Founding Member. You don't need a card, there is nothing to pay, and it is one per UChicago email.
Founding Member
No. 214
of 1,890
Add friends from your house or your classes. When they redeem a deal you see where, and when you redeem one they see it too, unless you turn it off. Nobody sees what you spent.
You can invite people from the app. The link opens Pool if they have it and the app store if they don't.
Friends
Example
Maya booked 2-for-1 chicken shawarma wraps at Cedars
Devin redeemed 2-for-1 subs at Subway 53rd Street
Priya joined from your invite
Dorms, dining halls and cheap food, written by a student who lives in Hyde Park.
All guidesSeptember 24, 2026, 5 min read
Banks recruit for the third-year internship in the fall of second year, consulting in spring and tech in late summer. Dates, clubs and first-year moves.
September 25, 2026, 3 min read
Career Advancement says Metcalfs are open to College students, with some limits by year and posting. The standard full-time stipend is $4,000, and the grant for unpaid internships opens February 1, 2027.
September 18, 2026, 3 min read
The Blue Chips runs a $200,000 portfolio. Maroon Capital does quant, with 200+ applicants a year. LTF, where I'm a general partner, is a student-run VC fund.
September 18, 2026, 4 min read
Prism and Eckhart recruit undergraduates every year, and campusCATALYST does nonprofit work. When each club recruits and when consulting firms hire.
September 21, 2026, 3 min read
The College New Venture Challenge's 2026 winner received $85,000 in investment. LTF, where I'm a general partner, gives non-equity grants to early student projects, and Polsky has separate terms.
September 16, 2026, 4 min read
Go to a Polsky event, join a club or two, then build something students use. Written by a UChicago student who shipped an app on this campus.
September 20, 2026, 3 min read
Kickoff is in October and applications close in November. How the CNVC and its Winter class work, and what Paytera won in 2026.
September 19, 2026, 3 min read
Slideflow Labs won the 30th New Venture Challenge and Paytera won the College track. What the 2026 winners won, and earlier ones like Grubhub and Braintree.
September 19, 2026, 4 min read
The UChicago startup and VC clubs undergrads can join. LTF, where I'm a general partner, writes non-equity checks, Edge and ILC are for founders, and Midway consults.
September 16, 2026, 3 min read
Your UChicago ID is the Arts Pass, so the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, the Art Institute and the MCA are free. Plus the walk to Promontory Point.
September 15, 2026, 5 min read
UChicago has more than 400 RSOs. Which ones take everyone, which run competitive applications and how to prepare, and how club sports and intramurals work.
September 15, 2026, 4 min read
Where to study near UChicago, with hours for the four student-run campus cafes and the libraries, and four places that have closed.
September 26, 2026, 3 min read
The UChicago pool is Myers-McLoraine in Ratner, 5530 S Ellis. Lap swim hours, autumn 2026 closings, who can swim, guest rules and membership prices.
June 30, 2026, 4 min read
UChicago dorms ranked: Campus North, South, Max P, Woodlawn, Snell-Hitchcock, B-J and I-House, with room types, all 48 houses, AC and the 2026-27 cost.
July 16, 2026, 5 min read
Cathey, Baker, Bartlett and Woodlawn Dining Commons ranked, with hours, the four 2026-27 meal plans and prices, fourth meal, and whether the food is good.
June 11, 2026, 3 min read
How UChicago students eat cheap in Hyde Park, with the meal plan math, the streets to learn first and the habits that save money.
August 13, 2026, 6 min read
Every O-Week event and its time, September 22 to 27, plus move-in, meal plans, U-Pass, the deadlines around it and where to eat.
September 20, 2026, 5 min read
Free food at UChicago starts with the events calendar, then the regular spots, five meal swipes from Student Support Services and four pantries.
September 3, 2026, 5 min read
The UCID discounts in Hyde Park as listed, the 2-for-1s on Pool and the university programs for students, each with the date it was last checked.
September 11, 2026, 4 min read
Late night food in Hyde Park, starting with Subway on 53rd (listed as open 24 hours, 2-for-1 on Pool), plus places whose own sites show them open after 9 pm and campus spots open until 1 am.
September 10, 2026, 4 min read
Pool, your UCID, Fourth Meal, the Grubhub student plan and 312Deals, side by side, with what each one gets you in Hyde Park and the catch on each.
August 26, 2026, 5 min read
Where students walk, what they already paid for, why a 2-for-1 draws more than 10 percent off, what it costs you, and the dates in the quarter that matter.
July 28, 2026, 4 min read
Move-in, O-Week, Family Weekend, Thanksgiving, finals and winter break on one page, with what each date means for a restaurant on 53rd, 55th or 57th.
September 17, 2026, 4 min read
Your own fridge or a combo fridge and microwave unit, never a standalone microwave. Which appliances are allowed, which are not, and the community kitchens.
September 17, 2026, 5 min read
Trader Joe's, Jewel, Target and Whole Foods with hours and walk times, which Hyde Park grocery stores have closed, and the dorm delivery rule.
Pool is a food deals app for University of Chicago students, with 2-for-1 deals at Hyde Park restaurants. The app is free right now. 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 (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). You book a time in the app, show your pass at the counter, and pay the restaurant for one.
Deep Purpl on Harper Court, off 53rd: Order two 12 oz açaí bowls and the second one is free. Build them how you want. Subway 53rd Street on 53rd and Dorchester: Order any two subs and the cheaper one is free. Every sub except 5 Meat Italian, Steak & Avocado and Chicken & Avocado. Paid extras not included. Nando's PERi-PERi on 53rd Street: Order two half chicken plates and the cheaper one is free. Any heat, any two sides. B'Gabs Comfort Cafe on 57th, by the bookstores: Order two Philly Sandwiches, chicken or mushroom, and the second one is free. They do not have to match, and both come with fried potatoes. Ja' Grill on Harper Court: Get two orders of Jerk Wings or Honey Wings and the lower-priced order is free. Wings only, not the Jerk Chicken entrée. Chemistry on 51st and Harper: Order two Steak Frites, the 10 oz wagyu bavette, and the second one is free. Dine in only. Litehouse Whole Food Grill on 53rd Street: Order any two from the Wraps, Salads, Bowls menu, each as a wrap, a salad or a bowl, and the lower-priced one is free. Nothing else on the menu is included. Cedars on 53rd, east of Woodlawn: Order two Chicken Shawarma Wraps and the second one is free. Both come with fries. StruggleBeard Bakery on Harper Court: Order any treat and get a refresher free, one of the four house-made lemonades. 5 Rabanitos on 53rd and Kimbark: Pick one per visit. Buy two tacos and get a third taco free, or buy a Taco Dinner and get a drink free. Rajun Cajun on 53rd, west of Harper: Order two Indian combo meals and the lower-priced one is free. Tandoori Chicken, Butter Chicken, Chicken Curry or the Vegetarian Meal. Not the Lamb Curry combo. Dawn A.M. Eatery on 56th and Cornell: Order two Chicken & Waffle Bites and the second one is free. The appetizer, not the Vegan Chk'n Bites. Sweet Drip on 53rd and Hyde Park Boulevard: Order two lattes and the second one is free. Any latte, hot or iced, any flavor, matcha too. Oat or almond milk is extra. The Sit Down Café & Sushi Bar on 53rd Street: Choose any two eligible menu items and the lower-priced item is free. Sushi, pizza, sandwiches, salads and more. Combos and lunch specials are excluded. The first deals went live Monday, September 28, the first day of fall quarter.
Order two eligible items and the cheaper one is free. You pay the restaurant at the counter. Pool does not handle payment. You can use each deal once every 30 days.
The first deals went live Monday, September 28, the first day of fall quarter. StruggleBeard Bakery starts Tuesday, September 29. B'Gabs Comfort Cafe starts Wednesday, September 30. Rajun Cajun, Dawn A.M. Eatery, Sweet Drip and The Sit Down Café & Sushi Bar start Thursday, October 1. Deep Purpl and Nando's PERi-PERi start Thursday, October 8. Booking opens the day a deal starts.
Yes. Pool is free right now for every verified UChicago student, through January 17, 2027. Every deal, every restaurant, no card. The first 1,890 students to become Founding Members in the app, from Monday, October 5, at 12 PM, keep their member number and get a founding price if Pool ever charges. You always pay the restaurant for the food, at the counter.
One of the first 1,890 students to tap Become a Founding Member in the app, from Monday, October 5, at 12 PM. It's free, and it works like grabbing your username early on a new app. Your member number stays yours, and no one else gets it. If Pool ever charges, Founding Members get a founding price while they're at UChicago. One per UChicago email, no card.
On a 2-for-1 the cheaper of the two items is free. At Deep Purpl that is a 12 oz açaí bowl, $12.95. Each deal works again every 30 days.
Yes. Pool checks your UChicago email so the deals go to students.
No. Pool is an independent app built and run by a UChicago student who lives in Hyde Park. It is not a university service, and it has nothing to do with the campus swimming pool.
Yes. It is free for restaurants right now, with no commission. No POS integration, no hardware. A Hyde Park restaurant sets a 2-for-1 or a free extra with a meal. Students book it and pay at the register. The form is on the Pool for Restaurants page.
Yes. Pool is on the App Store and Google Play, and it works the same on iPhone and Android.
Get Pool and book your first deal. You can also find us at our stand on Friday, October 2, 3 to 5 pm.
On Pool this quarter. The app is free right now.
Live Monday, September 28. StruggleBeard Bakery starts Tuesday, September 29. B'Gabs Comfort Cafe starts Wednesday, September 30. Rajun Cajun, Dawn A.M. Eatery, Sweet Drip and The Sit Down Café & Sushi Bar start Thursday, October 1. Deep Purpl and Nando's PERi-PERi start Thursday, October 8.
Download for iPhone
Get it on Google Play
