Birthday celebrations often come with an opportunity to enjoy complimentary rewards from a wide array of restaurants, retailers, and service providers. Many companies offer special birthday freebies to members of their loyalty programs, rewards clubs, or email lists. These offers can range from free food and desserts to discounted merchandise and beauty products. Understanding the specific requirements, sign-up processes, and eligibility rules for these programs is essential for consumers seeking to maximize these benefits.
The availability of birthday freebies typically requires advance registration, often with an email address and birth date, and may involve conditions such as making a prior purchase or being an active member. The following information details the birthday reward programs offered by various national brands, based on publicly available promotional data.
Food and Beverage Birthday Freebies
A significant number of restaurant chains and food brands offer complimentary items or discounts during a customer's birthday month. These programs generally require joining a free rewards program, often via a mobile app or website sign-up.
Quick-Service and Casual Dining Restaurants
Several popular dining establishments provide birthday treats for enrolled members. For example, 7-Eleven offers a free Slurpee to customers during their birthday month. AMC Theatres provides a free large popcorn for AMC Stubs Insider members, while Premiere and A-List members receive a free large popcorn and a large fountain drink. Applebee’s offers a free birthday dessert with a minimum purchase of $15 or more. Arby’s provides a free order of small curly fries and a small shake with the purchase of any sandwich. Auntie Anne’s gives a free soft pretzel on a birthday to customers who spend more than $10 a year through the Auntie Anne's Rewards App.
Baskin-Robbins offers a free 2.5-ounce ice cream scoop to members of its Birthday Club. Buffalo Wild Wings provides six free wings during the birthday month. Burger King rewards members earn double reward points throughout their birthday month, which can be redeemed for free food and drink deals. California Pizza Kitchen offers a free birthday dessert for all rewards members, with Diamond members also receiving a free entrée. Carvel gives a free cone to members of the Fudgie Fanatic loyalty program.
Denny’s provides a free birthday gift each year through its reward program. In the past, this included a free Birthday Grand Slam (eggs, bacon, pancakes, and sausage). IHOP offers free pancakes on a birthday to members of its Bank of Pancakes Reward Program, along with year-round local discounts. Jamba Juice provides a free smoothie upon sign-up for the reward program, provided the member has accrued a minimum of 15 points. Krispy Kreme gives a free doughnut at sign-up and on a birthday to rewards members.
Olive Garden offers a free birthday dessert for members of its eClub who provide their birth date and dine in. Panera provides a free birthday goodie for MyPanera members. PF Chang’s offers a complimentary dessert for members of its free Gold Rewards program. Red Lobster provides a randomly selected birthday freebie for rewards program members. Ruby Tuesday adds a free dessert or a free add-on Garden Bar to a member's Ruby Rewards account within 7 days of their birthday.
Taco Bell offers a free meal on a birthday, provided the member has made at least one purchase within the last year. TCBY provides a free small fro-yo to registered rewards members. TGI Fridays offers a free birthday surprise through its Fridays Rewards program. Tim Hortons rewards members get a free item on their birthday. Waffle House Regulars Club members get a free order of hashbrowns upon signup and a free birthday waffle. Wingstop members of The Club receive a free birthday freebie (the specific item is not specified). Zaxby’s provides three free cookies through its app, either via in-app ordering or with a QR code scanned in-store.
Specialty Food and Beverage
Einstein Bagels members of the Shmear Rewards program get a free egg sandwich on their birthday with a separate purchase, and a free bagel with schmear upon sign-up after a purchase. The program uses a 2 points for $1 rewards system. Edible Arrangements offers a free 12-count chocolate-dipped fruit box during the birthday month for rewards program members. This requires inputting birth date information at least 24 hours prior to the 1st day of the birthday month and having made at least a $29.99 purchase (excluding discounts, delivery, and tax) within the calendar year of the birthday.
Beauty and Personal Care Birthday Freebies
Cosmetics and beauty retailers often include birthday gifts in their loyalty programs, sometimes requiring a purchase or specific membership tier.
Major Beauty Retailers and Brands
Anastasia Beverly Hills members of the ABH loyalty programs receive a birthday month gift in addition to other exclusive offers. Armani Beauty members of the Signature VIP Program get a special birthday reward or gift depending on their tier. Aveda offers a birthday gift and double points on purchases during the birthday month. Bath & Body Works provides a free gift of choice (valued up to $9.95) with any purchase.
BareMinerals rewards members are only eligible for a free birthday gift if they make an additional purchase online during their birthday month. Bobbi Brown offers a birthday gift of $10 off a $30 or more order, up to $50 off a $51 order. Smashbox provides a free birthday gift during the birthday month for rewards members at any level. Sol de Janeiro requires members to spend $75 per year to be eligible for a free birthday gift. Tarte offers free birthday gifts at any tier level.
The Body Shop gives a $10 Birthday Reward, valid for the birthday month, to members of the Love Your Body Club. Ulta Ultamate Rewards members can choose a free gift from a selection of products during their birthday month. To be eligible, the birth date must be added to the profile by the 8th of the birthday month. Urban Decay members of any UD Rewards tier can receive a free birthday gift. YSL Beauty offers a birthday gift to members of its loyalty club.
Major Beauty Retailers (Continued)
Sephora members of the Beauty Insider program can choose between several different birthday gift options. Macy’s Star Rewards program offers tiered rewards along with a free birthday surprise every year. Members with a Macy’s store card can also earn cash back on purchases.
Clothing and General Retail Birthday Freebies
Clothing and general merchandise retailers frequently offer birthday discounts or gifts through their loyalty programs.
Apparel and Footwear
Aerie and American Eagle offer a $5 birthday reward to members. Athleta loyalty members of any tier receive a free "birthday bonus." Banana Republic provides a free gift through its reward program. DSW offers up to $10 off a next purchase for VIP members, with a specific $5 off a pair of shoes for the birthday month.
Gymboree My Place Rewards members get a 20% coupon during their child's birthday month, and My Place Rewards Credit Cardholders receive a 25% off coupon. Kohl’s Yes2You Rewards Program members get a free surprise gift or discount on their birthday, but a purchase is required before the birthday month to receive the gift.
Kid and Family Birthday Freebies
Some brands offer specific rewards for children's birthdays, often requiring enrollment in a kids' club or rewards program.
Medieval Times has a Birthday Club where children can receive a "surprise," which in the past has been a free ticket to the dinner and tournament experience, though the specific offer is not guaranteed. The Children’s Place Birthday Club members get 20% off a purchase to celebrate a child's birthday. The program also allows earning 1 point for every dollar spent, with 100 points equating to a $5 reward.
Entertainment and Other Birthday Freebies
Beyond food and merchandise, some entertainment venues offer free birthday admission.
Redbox provides a code for $2 off a rental at a kiosk or On Demand for birthdays. Many zoos and aquariums nationwide offer free admission on a birthday, though availability varies by location. For example, Georgia residents can receive complimentary admission to the Georgia Aquarium on their birthday.
Key Considerations for Redeeming Birthday Freebies
To successfully redeem birthday freebies, consumers should note several common requirements:
- Advance Registration: Most programs require signing up well before the birthday, often with an email address and birth date. For instance, Edible Arrangements requires birth date input at least 24 hours before the first day of the birth month.
- Purchase Requirements: Many offers are contingent on a prior or accompanying purchase. Examples include Applebee's ($15 minimum), Auntie Anne's ($10 annual spend), BareMinerals (purchase during birthday month), and Edible Arrangements ($29.99 purchase in the calendar year).
- Membership Tiers: Some brands, like Armani Beauty and California Pizza Kitchen, offer different rewards based on loyalty program tier levels.
- Validity Period: Freebies are typically valid only during the birthday month. Some, like those from 7-Eleven, AMC, and Buffalo Wild Wings, are specifically for the birthday month. Others, like rewards from TGI Fridays, may be valid for up to two weeks after the birthday.
- App or Digital Account: Many rewards must be redeemed through a mobile app or online account, such as those for Zaxby's, Jamba Juice, and Ulta.
- In-Store vs. Online: Some offers are only valid in-store, while others can be redeemed online. For example, Smashbox's free birthday gift is free in-store but requires a $25 spend to redeem online.
Conclusion
Birthday freebies are a popular benefit offered by numerous national brands to reward customer loyalty. These programs are accessible through free sign-ups and can provide significant value in the form of food, beauty products, apparel discounts, and entertainment. However, each program has specific eligibility criteria, including registration deadlines, purchase requirements, and tier-based rewards. Consumers interested in these offers should research individual program terms, sign up in advance, and carefully review the conditions for redemption to ensure they can take full advantage of the available birthday rewards.