TV star Greg Grunberg brings Yowza mobile coupons to LAX

By Andrea Chang

March 2, 2012 2:33 PM PT

Hate overpriced airport food?

TV star Greg Grunberg -- of “Heroes” and “Alias” fame -- is bringing his mobile couponing app, Yowza, to LAX through a partnership with HMSHost. The free app, available on iPhones and Android devices, targets travelers by pushing real-time coupons to their smartphones when they’re nearby.

Restaurants that have signed on include Pinkberry, California Pizza Kitchen and La Brea Bakery, and customers can expect to get 20% off a meal or $1 off a pastry when they purchase a coffee drink, Grunberg said in an interview.

Grunberg came up for the idea for Yowza about two years ago when he and his wife were shopping at a Bed Bath & Beyond store and realized that they’d forgotten to bring the retailer’s 20%-off coupon.

“We like to be frugal and save money, and I was like, ‘Why doesn’t someone harness the power of GPS on the phone?’ ” he said.

Beyond the airport, Yowza offers discounts for thousands of retail stores and restaurants around the country including McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, Big 5 Sporting Goods and Guitar Center. More than 1 million people use the app.

“The majority of people really are looking for a deal right now and looking to save money,” Grunberg said. “It’s a no-brainer -- the stigma [of couponing] is gone.”

Merchants pay a monthly fee to put their offers on the app.

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