Upon first impression, Local Flavor is much like its obvious inspiration, coupon subscription site Groupon. Once you delve deeper, it offers much more.

The start-up offers a variety of options, from coupons, deals, and even features its own retail and auto sections. The coupons are easy and free to access, all one needs to do is simply click on the restaurant and a selection of coupons will appear.

As much as we at The Bugle love free stuff, Local Flavor’s “deals” are where they are truly innovative. Essentially, the site offers a limited amount of certificates with an attached value ranging from 20 up to 1200 dollars. The deals are then sold at a discounted price, such as $10 for $20 (you pay $10 for a $20 certificate).

Local Flavor has a range of different businesses that offer deals, from restaurants like Dick’s Wings to auto shops to nail salons. The options within these different categories ranges depending on what part of town you live in, as some businesses have been quicker to catch on than others. Also, high-class restaurants do not need advertising, so the likelihood of getting a cheap dinner while still impressing your girl is slim.

The discount can range anywhere from 25% to 75% of the certificate value depending on the category and popularity of the business. For example, Dick’s Wings and Grill has a $10 for $20 deal (50%), whereas Renaissance Center for Cosmetic Renewal has a $249 for $1200 deal (80%).

To buy a deal, one must first have an account. After making your account, all you must do is select the deal, enter the quantity of certificates you would like to purchase, and hit enter.

As for using the certificates, I tried using one at Dick’s Wings with success. Although it was simple enough to pull up the certificate with the Local Flavor app, some people may be uncomfortable with the fact that the waitress often must take your phone back to the register to enter the certificate in.

There are some issues that may be encountered when using a certificate. For one, the certificate must be used all at once, which means that a $20 certificate for $60 worth of food may not be a great choice if you are eating solo, but it can also give a great reason for a dinner out with friends.

Another is less of an issue and more of a warning: If you use a combination of a certificate and a credit or debit card, the receipt you receive will have only the remaining balance after the certificate. This can make it very easy to miscalculate your tip, as I myself accidentally shorted my waitress and had to return after I had realized my mistake to give her the rest. Don’t short your server on the tip!