Election Day 2024 offered U.S. consumers a variety of complimentary offers and discounts as a reward for participating in the democratic process. Brands across the food, beverage, transportation, and entertainment sectors provided incentives for voters on November 5, 2024. These promotions ranged from free food items and beverages to discounted ride-share services and fitness access. The availability of these offers generally required specific actions, such as presenting an "I Voted" sticker, making a purchase, or signing up for a brand's mobile application. The following guide details the verified freebies and deals available to voters on Election Day, based on information from multiple consumer deal outlets.
Food and Beverage Freebies
Numerous restaurant and food brands offered free items to voters on Election Day. These promotions were largely designed to provide a quick treat or meal before or after visiting the polls.
Donuts and Pastries
Krispy Kreme was a prominent participant, offering a free Original Glazed doughnut at participating locations on November 5, 2024. According to reports, this offer did not require a purchase or an "I Voted" sticker. The brand also reportedly provided "I Voted" stickers at participating shops for voters who may have voted early or absentee. Auntie Anne's also participated, offering a free pretzel to customers who ordered through the Auntie Anne's app.
Coffee and Beverages
Several coffee and beverage chains provided complimentary items. Dunkin' offered a free medium hot or iced coffee to customers who presented an "I Voted" sticker. Similarly, Wendy's provided a free coffee with any breakfast purchase via the Wendy's app. Starbucks did not offer a direct freebie but provided a $5 gift card to new Rewards members who signed up on Election Day.
Fast Food and Casual Dining
A variety of fast-food and casual dining restaurants offered free items or significant discounts. - Taco Bell: Provided a free taco with any purchase. - Chipotle: Offered $4 burritos through the Chipotle app. - Shake Shack: Gave away free fries with any purchase when an "I Voted" sticker was presented. - Johnny Rockets: Customers who mentioned "Free Shake" at the counter received a complimentary shake with any in-store purchase. This offer excluded Craig’s Vegan Shakes. - Potbelly Sandwich Shop: Offered a $3 discount on any sandwich with an "I Voted" sticker. - Buffalo Wild Wings: Provided free wings with any $10 purchase.
Pizza
Multiple pizza chains offered promotions. California Pizza Kitchen featured a buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO) deal on pizzas. MOD Pizza also offered a BOGO pizza deal. Blaze Pizza provided a free upgrade to a large pizza when ordering in-store. Round Table Pizza offered $6 off any large or extra-large pizza for dine-in, carry-out, or delivery.
Frozen Treats
For those seeking dessert, Yogurtland offered a 15% discount on frozen yogurt for customers showing their "I Voted" sticker. Van Leeuwen provided a $3 scoop of ice cream on November 5 with an "I Voted" sticker, which could be combined with their Topping Tuesday deal for a free topping. Insomnia Cookies offered a free cookie with an "I Voted" sticker.
Sit-Down Restaurants
Red Lobster offered $10 off any order of $40 or more. Boston Market provided a buy-one-get-one-free deal on individual meals.
Transportation and Ride-Share Offers
To assist voters in getting to the polls, major ride-share companies offered discounted rides on Election Day.
- Lyft: Provided 50% off rides (up to $10) with a promo code in the app. This discount also applied to bike and scooter rides in select cities.
- Uber: Offered 50% off rides (up to $10) to the polls for riders in the United States who selected the 'Go Vote' tile in the app to book their ride.
- Hertz: Offered renters a free day when booking a vehicle for two or more days between October 21 and November 5, 2024, to facilitate travel to the polls.
Health and Fitness
Planet Fitness offered free access to its fitness centers on Election Day, allowing individuals to stay active before or after voting. This promotion was available to non-members as well as current members.
General Deals and App-Based Discounts
In addition to specific freebies, several brands offered discounts that required a purchase or app usage.
- Smoothie King: App users received $1 off any smoothie.
- Jersey Mike’s Subs: App users received $2 off any sub.
- Starbucks: As noted, new Rewards members received a $5 gift card.
How to Redeem Election Day Offers
Redeeming these offers generally involved one or more of the following steps:
- Presenting an "I Voted" Sticker: Many food and beverage offers required customers to show a physical "I Voted" sticker at the point of sale. This was the primary verification method for brands like Dunkin', Shake Shack, Potbelly, and Van Leeuwen.
- Using a Mobile App: Several promotions were exclusively available through a brand's mobile application. Customers needed to have the app (e.g., Auntie Anne's, Chipotle, Wendy's, Smoothie King, Jersey Mike’s) and often had to be logged in or sign up as a new member to access the deal.
- Making a Purchase: A number of "free" items were actually free-with-purchase offers. For example, Taco Bell offered a free taco with any purchase, and Buffalo Wild Wings provided free wings with a $10 minimum purchase.
- Using a Promo Code: Ride-share discounts from Lyft and Uber required users to apply a specific promo code or select a designated "Go Vote" option within the app when booking their ride.
- Booking a Rental: The Hertz promotion required booking a rental for two or more days through their system during the specified dates.
Important Considerations
While the offers listed were widely reported, consumers were advised to take certain precautions: - Participating Locations: Not all franchise locations participate in every promotion. It was recommended to call ahead to confirm that a specific store was honoring the offer. - Availability: Many freebies were available "while supplies last," which could lead to early sell-outs at popular locations. - Terms and Conditions: Specific exclusions applied to certain offers, such as the exclusion of vegan shakes at Johnny Rockets. Users should review the specific terms for each deal.
Conclusion
Election Day 2024 provided a diverse array of freebies and deals as a reward for civic participation. The promotions spanned multiple sectors, with a heavy emphasis on food and beverage rewards that required an "I Voted" sticker or app usage. Transportation discounts were also a key feature, aimed at removing barriers to getting to the polls. While these offers provided added incentive, their availability was often contingent on specific conditions such as location participation, supply, and adherence to redemption procedures.