The year 2017 offered a diverse array of freebies, samples, and promotional deals across various sectors, including food and beverage, entertainment, and military appreciation events. These offers ranged from free coffee on National Coffee Day to exclusive merchandise at San Diego Comic-Con and complimentary meals for veterans. Access to these freebies often required specific actions, such as visiting participating locations, downloading mobile applications, or presenting proof of eligibility, such as military identification. The availability of these offers was typically limited to specific dates, geographic locations, or participating franchises, requiring consumers to stay informed about the specific terms and conditions of each promotion.
National Coffee Day Freebies
On September 29, 2017, numerous brands participated in National Coffee Day by offering free or discounted coffee products. These promotions were available at various national chains and regional retailers, often requiring specific redemption methods.
Cinnabon provided a free 12 oz coffee to all customers on September 29. Chick-fil-A in Garner offered a free small hot or iced coffee, limited to one per person. Dunkin' Donuts offered a free Medium Hot Coffee with the purchase of a Medium or Larger Hot Coffee at participating locations. Krispy Kreme offered a more extended promotion, providing one free any-sized hot brewed or small iced premium blend coffee per day from September 29 through October 1 at participating shops.
Other retailers utilized digital platforms to distribute their offers. Sheetz required customers to order a hot Pumpkin Pie Latte through the Sheetz app to receive any size for free. Pilot Flying J offered a free cup of coffee to customers who displayed an online coupon available on their website or Facebook page at the time of purchase; this offer was valid for customers in the U.S. and Canada between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. EST on September 29.
Counter Culture Coffee offered both in-person and digital experiences. They hosted free "Tastings at Ten" events at their training centers, including the location in Durham, NC, open to the public. Additionally, they ran an Instagram contest where users who tagged the brand and used the hashtag #nationalcoffeeday could win a free three-month coffee subscription.
San Diego Comic-Con 2017 Exclusive Swag
San Diego Comic-Con 2017 featured several opportunities for attendees to acquire exclusive free merchandise, often referred to as "swag." These items were distributed at various locations and booths throughout the event.
Warner Bros. provided official SDCC 2017 bags to fans upon checking in at the show. These bags featured 20 bold designs and included a hidden surprise: an exclusive DC Super Hero pin. This marked the eighth consecutive year that Warner Bros. partnered with Comic-Con to produce the official bags.
While the provided documentation lists the WBTV bags as the first item in a "Top 15 Freebies" list, specific details regarding the other 14 freebies were not included in the source data. However, the documentation notes that freebies at the convention extended beyond promotional posters and that attendees often prioritized collecting free swag alongside pre-ordered exclusives.
Tax Day 2017 Deals and Freebies
Tax Day 2017 saw various restaurants and retailers offering free food items and discounts to consumers. These offers were generally valid on or around April 18, 2017.
Cinnabon offered two free Classic Bites without the need for a coupon. Great American Cookies provided a free Birthday Cake Cookie to all customers on April 18. Hot Dog on a Stick offered one free Original Turkey Dog to all customers.
Several pizza chains offered discounted deals. Cheese’s offered two large 1-topping pizzas for $22. Hungry Howie’s offered a medium one-topping pizza for 18 cents with the purchase of a large one-topping pizza at regular menu price. The promo code TAXDAY was required for the Hungry Howie’s offer, which was valid for online and carry-out purchases from April 17-19.
Other participating brands included Firehouse Subs, which offered a free medium sub with the purchase of an additional medium or large sub, chips, and a medium drink (coupon valid through April 20). Schlotzsky’s offered a free Original sandwich with the purchase of a medium drink and a bag of chips on April 18. Sonny’s BBQ offered its Irresistible Ribs Special (IRS), providing Sweet & Smokey or House Dry-Rubbed Rib Dinners with two sidekicks and homemade bread for half price.
McDonald’s participation varied by franchise location. Some locations offered BOGO Big Macs and Quarter Pounders with Cheese for a small fee (1, 15, or 25 cents), while others gave away free small French Fries or offered 59-cent hamburgers. Noodles & Company offered $4 off online orders of $10 or more using the promo code TAXDAY17.
Veterans Day 2017 Free Meals and Discounts
On Veterans Day 2017, November 11, numerous restaurants and retailers offered free meals, snacks, and discounts to active duty military personnel, veterans, and their families. These offers typically required proof of military service.
Restaurant Free Meals: * Applebee's: Free Meal * CiCi's Pizza: Free Pizza Buffet * Hooters: Free Meal with purchase of a beverage * Little Caesars Pizza: Free $5 Hot n Ready lunch combo * Outback Steakhouse: Free Bloomn' Onion and Drink * Red Robin: Free Red's Tavern Double Burger and Bottomless Steak Fries * Texas Roadhouse: Free lunch, beverage, and sides * Bonefish Grill: Free Bang-Bang Shrimp * Wife Saver: Free dine-in only meal from 11 am - 9 pm
Other Restaurant Offers: * Dunkin' Donuts: Free Donut * Menchie's Frozen Yogurt: Free 6-oz. frozen yogurt * Red Lobster: Free appetizer or dessert with dinner purchase * Starbucks: Free tall brewed coffee
Retail Discounts: * Target: Offered 10% off for all military personnel, veterans, and their families. * Outback Steakhouse: Also offered 20% off the check from November 12-16.
Audio and Digital Freebies
In December 2017, Mindful-Audio released a free library of field recordings for users who had purchased libraries from them previously. This library, available until January 31st, included new nature, wildlife, vehicle, and aircraft recordings collected from various locations including England, Romania, Sweden, Wales, Scotland, and Senegal.
Additionally, a March 2017 playlist titled "March 2017 Freebies" was released by Strictly Nuskool Blog on SoundCloud. This playlist contained 14 tracks and was available for listening on the platform.
Conclusion
The promotional landscape of 2017 provided significant opportunities for consumers to access free products and services across food, entertainment, and audio categories. Successful acquisition of these offers relied heavily on adhering to specific timeframes, such as National Coffee Day and Veterans Day, and following redemption instructions, which frequently involved digital engagement via apps or social media, or physical verification of eligibility. While specific offers varied by brand and location, the consistent availability of such promotions highlights the value of monitoring brand announcements and event-specific guides for no-cost opportunities.