The 2019 holiday season featured a variety of promotional offers and freebies aimed at consumers navigating rising inflation and competitive retail environments. Supermarket chains and wholesale clubs structured promotions to provide value on Thanksgiving staples, while select retailers offered immediate discounts and free products on Black Friday. Additionally, several national brands and restaurant chains distributed free items during specific seasonal events throughout the year. The following analysis details these offers based on verified reports and promotional data from 2019.
Thanksgiving Meal Promotions
In response to surging inflation in 2019, several supermarket chains adjusted their pricing strategies to maintain affordability for Thanksgiving staples. Aldi announced a specific initiative to discount Thanksgiving items so they would match 2019 price levels. This move was designed to help consumers manage costs during the holiday period.
Wholesale clubs and regional supermarkets also offered free turkey programs, typically requiring a minimum purchase of groceries to qualify. These promotions generally required customers to hold a store membership or loyalty account.
- BJ’s Wholesale Club: Through November 10, members who spent $150 either online or in-store received a digital coupon for a free Butterball whole turkey, while supplies lasted. To qualify, members were required to create a digital account on BJs.com.
- ShopRite: Shoppers could receive a free turkey by spending $300 on groceries from now through Thanksgiving. This offer required membership in the Price Plus program, which is free to join. The spending requirement did not need to be met in a single visit. ShopRite offered several options for the free protein, including ShopRite All Natural Frozen Turkey, ShopRite Grade “A,” or Shady Brook Frozen Turkey Breast. For customers not interested in turkey, the store provided alternatives such as ham (Cook’s Shank Half Smoked Ham and Hormel Black Label Canned Ham), chicken (Kosher Frozen Roasting Chicken), lasagna (Stouffer’s Party Size Lasagna), and Tofurky.
- Weis Markets: To receive a Weis Quality Frozen Turkey for free, customers had to be members of the store's free Preferred Shopper's Club and spend $400 before Thanksgiving. Customers were required to sign up for the program by October 10. This deal was available through November 28.
Black Friday Retail Freebies and Doorbusters
Black Friday 2019 saw retailers offering a mix of immediate free products and gift cards to attract early shoppers. Some offers were available to all customers, while others were restricted to loyalty program members or the first customers to arrive at the store.
- Big Lots: Big Lots offered a free 20 oz Coke or Pepsi product to Big Lots rewards members. Members could scan their rewards card or enter their phone number on their rewards account to have a 100% discount applied at checkout. This freebie was available on Black Friday.
- C-A-L Ranch Stores: The first 100 customers on Friday morning received a gift card worth up to $100.
- Craft Warehouse: On Saturday, November 30, the store gave a free Santa’s Helper apron to the first 100 customers.
- Cumberland Farms: This chain offered free coffee all day on Thanksgiving. This offer was verified on Facebook, and stores were open 24 hours.
- EXCHANGE: The EXCHANGE provided free coffee on Friday, any size, all day. They also ran a “Your Holiday Bill Is On Us” Sweepstakes from November 1 to December 31.
- Fred Meyer: On Friday at 5 am, the store offered free donuts and coffee. The first 100 customers received a gift card.
- Fry’s Electronics: Fry’s Electronics ran a weekly deal from November 18 to November 18 featuring select items free after rebate, such as Rhino video card bridge cables and Fix-It Ulities Professional 12 – 5 PCs ($39.99 – $40 mail-in rebate = -$0.01). Their Turkey Day 4-Day Sale (November 28 to December 1) featured items like the Rhino AS-104-W Soda Can Safe and Rhino Soda Can Diversion Safe – Beer ($14.99 – $8.49 instant savings – $6.50 mail-in rebate = Free After Rebate, limit 3 per household). These deals were in-store only, though available online, and the store was closed on Thanksgiving Day.
- CVS: CVS offered free Colgate Toothpaste (priced at $3.50) by combining a $3 instant coupon (available at the CVS membership coupon kiosk) and a $0.50 coupon from the CVS app, resulting in a $0 cost after coupons.
- Gordmans: The store opened at 3 pm on Thursday and 6 am on Friday. The first 75 guests on Thursday and Friday had a chance to win a giant FAO Schwarz bear, a scratch-off card worth $5-$100, or a free holiday tote bag.
- Half Price Books: On Friday at 9 am, the first 100 customers received a free tote bag and a $5 gift card.
Seasonal and Event-Based Freebies
Throughout 2019, various restaurants and brands offered free products tied to specific calendar dates and holidays. These ranged from food giveaways to service discounts.
- Valentine’s Day (February 14): Promotions included BOGO offers on beverages from Starbucks, heart-shaped pretzels from Auntie Anne’s, and kids-eat-free deals at participating McAlister’s Delis. California Tortilla gave away Love Chips, and Mimi’s Cafe offered a free entrée for users who posted that they loved someone on the restaurant's Facebook page.
- Free Pancake Day (February 25): IHOP distributed free short stacks of Original Buttermilk Pancakes as part of a charity fundraiser.
- Leap Day (February 29): Several restaurants offered free items with proof of a birthday, including Great American Cookies (free cookie cake), Hard Rock Cafe (free entrée), Houlihan’s (free entrée with ID), McAlister’s Deli (free cookie), Olive Garden (free “Dolcini” desserts with a coupon from the website), participating Pizza Huts (free one-topping personal pizza), and Villa Italian Kitchen (free slice of pizza).
- National Park Week (April 18-26): Entrance fees were waived at national parks, and special events were held to celebrate the occasion.
- Earth Day (April 22): Brands offered various eco-friendly incentives. Target previously handed out free recyclable bags; Starbucks provided free coffee refills for customers using refillable mugs; participating EVOS locations offered free organic milkshakes; and the Citi Bike app offered a free pass for unlimited 30-minute rides.
- National Pretzel Day (April 26): Auntie Anne’s distributed free pretzels, often requiring customers to visit websites to download a coupon or sign up for an app.
General Promotional Trends
Reports from 2019 indicated that retailers were pushing promotions earlier in the calendar year, with Black Friday sales often beginning as early as the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Major retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Target offered free shipping on all orders during the holiday season, encouraging consumers to shop online for high-ticket items like electronics.
Conclusion
The 2019 promotional landscape was characterized by strategic pricing adjustments by supermarkets like Aldi to combat inflation, alongside traditional loyalty-based free turkey programs from ShopRite, Weis Markets, and BJ’s Wholesale Club. Black Friday featured immediate value through free products and gift cards at retailers including Big Lots, CVS, and Half Price Brands. Furthermore, a recurring schedule of seasonal freebies from brands like IHOP, Auntie Anne’s, and national park services provided consumers with opportunities for free food and experiences throughout the year.