Freevo, a membership-based mobile app offering free food and drinks throughout the city, is officially launching Thursday in Chicago. The app, which began beta testing earlier this year, has since attained thousands of satisfied users and over 150 partner restaurants covering the greater Chicago area, including Sayat Nova (Streeterville), Mama Milano’s Pizza Bar (Old Town) and Milt’s Barbecue for the Perplexed (Lakeview). The Freevo team’s goal is to give locals a new reason to explore and support independent restaurants around Chicago.

“We’re thrilled to be launching Freevo for the first time in a city so renowned for its culinary scene,” says Anthony Miller, CEO of Freevo. “Chicago residents are already using their membership to discover new restaurants in their own neighborhoods, and the best part is they are trying them out for free.”

Freevo is a membership-based mobile app designed to help attract consumers to new local businesses by offering free food and beverage items.

Membership costs $20 per year for unlimited usage and all food and drinks offered on the app are 100 percent free on redemption. Freevo members get access to an easy-to-use mobile app for satisfying a coffee craving, grabbing breakfast or lunch with a co-worker, going out to dinner or finding a late-night snack. The app uses GPS to present members a variety of choices within their immediate vicinity, so no matter where someone is in Chicago, there are Freevo offers nearby. With Freevo there are no sneaky gimmicks, advertising, in-app purchases or exaggerated discounts, and the average member is saving over $8.50 per redemption.

To celebrate the launch, Freevo is offering Chicagoans their first year’s membership free for a limited time. The offer is valid until July 31—new members can simply register within the app or online at www.freevo-app.com.

The Freevo app provides independent restaurants with the ability to offer members select menu items for free to draw in customers and drive earnings when they need it most. Beta testing has shown that the average Freevo member brings a friend or two along and buys more than just redeeming their free item. In addition, after a positive dining experience using Freevo, members are more likely to become repeat customers.

With thousands of users already taking advantage of Freevo, restaurants are already reaping the benefits, including Chicago staple, The Original Gino’s East.

“As a well-established restaurant in Chicago, we’re grateful to have a loyal customer base. Being a part of the Freevo app has given us the opportunity to attract new patrons during the times we need them most,” says Chris McKinney, franchise owner of The Original Gino’s East, “We’ve loved serving Freevo users and can’t wait to see the continued success the app brings us in the future.”

Freevo was developed in partnership with Restaurant Depot LLC, the nation’s leading restaurant supply source.

“Our shared values made the partnership with Freevo a natural fit. We both believe in the importance of providing people with savings and supporting independent food businesses,” says senior vice president Larry Cohen from Restaurant Depot LLC. “When it comes to choosing a restaurant, Chicagoans have many options, but the Freevo App can help expand their dining choices by making it more affordable for people to try a new neighborhood spot.”