The Ohio Union offers many discounts to restaurants and various events, but despite advertising, some students remain unaware.

Money for the discount ticket program, D-Tix, comes out of a percentage of the $25 Student Activity Fee that students pay each quarter, said Katie Tumblin, the program’s coordinator.

The discount ticket program is advertised on the Union’s website, at the Student Involvement Fair, on screens and signs at the Union and RPAC and on a list-serve students can sign up for at the Union ticket desk or online, Tumblin said.

Between summer 2009 and summer 2010, the program sold 20,040 general discount tickets. It is unclear how many students used the discount program because OSU employees only track how many tickets are sold, Tumblin said.

Tim Reynolds, a third-year in biology, said he had no idea the Union offered these discounts.

“I’ve never heard about (the discounts) but I would use them, especially for restaurants,” Reynolds said.

Twice per quarter, students can go to the Union’s ticket desk with their BuckIDs and pay $15 for $25 gift cards to restaurants, such as Marcella’s, Champps, Bravo, Olive Garden and more than 40 other places.

“The restaurant gift cards are good for date ideas because sometimes you want to take a girl to a nicer dinner and try to impress her, but a nicer restaurant is going to cost more money, so obviously only having to pay $15 is going to help a lot,” said Joseph DeRosa, a first-year in accounting, who also did not know about the discounts before speaking with The Lantern.

Gift cards are not limited to restaurants. Students can buy tickets to places such as the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium for $5, the Gateway Film Center for $4 and Funny Bone for $3.

Tawni Shaffer, a second-year in medical technology, knew about the restaurant gift cards but did not know the discounts extended to places such as the zoo.

“If there are discounted tickets at the Union, I guess people don’t really know what kind of tickets or gift cards they really need and what’s all included,” Shaffer said.

The program also offers discounts to places outside of Columbus, such as Cedar Point in Sandusky and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

“If there’s discounts to trips to Cedar Point and stuff, me and my friends are always looking for stuff to do at home,” said Katerina Hazimihalis, a second-year in English, who was surprised to hear about the discounts.

But the program is not only helpful to students. It seems to benefit the businesses involved, as well.

“Being able to reach out to students and offer them the ability to come to the zoo coincides with our education mission,” said Patty Peters, vice president of community relations at the Columbus Zoo.

Marcella’s general manager Jenn Rossi also viewed the program as good for business.

“For us, specifically, it’s huge,” Rossi said. “Anytime that you can get more people into the restaurant, it’s worth it.”

A full list of discounted tickets can be found at ohiounion.osu.edu/things_to_do/dtix.