The year 2020 presented unique challenges for graduating students, with traditional ceremonies disrupted by stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines. In response, several national brands and retailers launched promotional campaigns specifically designed to celebrate the Class of 2020. These initiatives ranged from free food items and discounted dining experiences to educational resources and classroom materials. While many of these offers were time-sensitive, they represent a significant trend in brand marketing strategies targeting specific demographic milestones. The following comprehensive overview details the various freebies and promotional offers available to students and graduates in 2020, based on verified reports and official announcements from that period.
Food and Beverage Freebies for Graduates
The food service industry led the charge in celebrating the Class of 2020, with several major chains offering free items and discounts to students. These promotions were designed to bring joy during a time of uncertainty and to compensate for missed in-person celebrations.
Krispy Kreme: Free Donuts for Dressed Grads
Krispy Kreme offered a particularly generous promotion on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Any high school or college graduate could receive a free dozen donuts at participating locations. The offer required students to be dressed in their graduation cap and gown, or to be wearing "Class of 2020" merchandise such as T-shirts or hats. Significantly, no purchase was necessary to redeem this offer, making it truly a no-cost celebration treat. This promotion was widely reported as a way to acknowledge graduates during a time when traditional celebrations were impossible.
Chipotle: Entree Coupons with Gift Card Purchases
Chipotle Mexican Grill implemented a multi-faceted promotion for the Class of 2020. Between May 21 and June 30, the first 5,000 customers who purchased a graduation-themed gift card received a coupon code for a free entree. This free entree required the purchase of another entree, effectively functioning as a buy-one-get-one offer. Additionally, Chipotle hosted a scholarship contest on Instagram, offering a $25,000 prize to help with educational expenses.
Jack in the Box: Free Tacos via Mobile App
Jack in the Box celebrated graduates with a mobile-exclusive offer. From May 20 through May 26, 2020, customers who made any purchase through the Jack in the Box mobile app received two free tacos in honor of the Class of 2020. This promotion encouraged app usage while providing a small celebratory treat.
Edible Arrangements: Video Contest and Discounts
Edible Arrangements took a unique approach to graduation celebrations. The company invited graduates to post videos on social media explaining how they were celebrating graduation, using the hashtag #EdibleMoments. A total of 2,020 graduates were selected to receive free "2020 Delicious Celebration - Dipped Fruit Delights." For those not selected, the company offered a 20% discount on all graduation-themed gifts purchased between May 14 and June 5.
Ruth's Chris Steak House: Filet Mignon Offer
Ruth's Chris Steak House provided an upscale dining option for graduates. The promotion allowed graduates to receive a free 11 oz. filet mignon with the purchase of two entrees. This offer was valid until June 28, 2020, providing an extended window for celebration dining.
Election Day 2020 Consumer Promotions
While not specifically graduation-focused, Election Day 2020 saw numerous brands offering freebies and discounts to encourage civic participation. These offers demonstrate how brands leverage national events for promotional purposes.
Food and Beverage Election Day Offers
Several major food chains provided incentives for voters. McDonald's offered a free pastry with any hot or iced coffee purchase through their app from Election Day through November 9. Customers could choose from apple fritters, cinnamon rolls, or blueberry muffins.
Wawa provided "Free Coffee Tuesdays" for Wawa Rewards members, extending through the end of December. New members needed to register by 8 p.m. on Election Day to qualify.
Wendy's offered a free Classic Chicken Sandwich with any purchase through November 8, available both in-person and through the Wendy's app.
White Castle provided tiered discounts through delivery services: $4 off orders of $20 or more, or $5 off orders of $30 or more in New Jersey and New York. These offers were available through Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Postmates on Election Day.
Transportation and Service Discounts
Uber offered discounted rides to and from polling locations, providing up to 50% off (up to $7 per ride, $14 for round trips) to facilitate voting access.
Educational Resources and Classroom Materials
The 2020-2021 school year presented unprecedented challenges for educators, leading to increased demand for flexible teaching resources. Several platforms offered free materials to support both in-person and distance learning.
Classroom Freebies and Lesson Plans
ClassroomFreebies.com provided resources for back-to-school preparation in July 2020. These materials emphasized three essential components for building classroom community: introductions, routines and procedures, and community building. The platform offered free back-to-school lesson plans designed to work for in-person, hybrid, or virtual learning environments.
Teachers Pay Teachers: Classroom Rules Resources
Teachers Pay Teachers, a marketplace for educator-created resources, offered various free materials for classroom management. One notable freebie included five posters with basic classroom rules suitable for all grade levels. The posters could be printed at full size or reduced ratio. Another resource provided three big rules: "Be kind," "Show respect," and "Work hard," available in both color and blackline masters.
Additionally, the platform featured classroom rules posters with specific guidelines such as: "Listen when your teacher is talking," "Follow directions quickly," "Respect others, respect yourself, respect your school," "Raise your hand to speak," and "Be safe, be honest." These resources often included editable contracts for students and parents to sign, establishing clear expectations for workload, tutoring, and behavior.
Student Discount Programs for College Life
College students face significant financial pressures, and many companies offer discounts to help manage expenses. While specific 2025 discount information was not fully detailed in the available sources, the pattern of student discount programs provides valuable insight into ongoing promotional strategies.
Entertainment and Cultural Discounts
AMC Theaters has historically offered discounted tickets to students with valid college identification, though specific discount amounts and participating locations may vary.
Cultural institutions such as the Art Institute of Chicago provide reduced admission rates for students. These types of discounts are common among museums, zoos, concert halls, and amusement parks located near college campuses.
Financial Considerations for Students
The availability of student discounts across entertainment, dining, and retail categories helps stretch limited budgets. Students are generally advised to carry valid college identification and to inquire about student pricing at point of purchase, as many discounts are not advertised but are available upon request.
Verification Requirements and Redemption Processes
Most promotional offers from 2020 required some form of verification to ensure eligibility. Understanding these requirements provides insight into how brands manage promotional costs while targeting specific audiences.
Graduation Verification Methods
Graduation-specific offers typically required proof of graduation status. Acceptable documentation included: - Student identification cards - Graduation cap and gown - Class of 2020 merchandise (T-shirts, hats, etc.) - Graduation gift card purchases (for Chipotle's offer)
App-Based Redemption
Mobile applications served as the primary redemption method for several promotions. Jack in the Box required purchases through their app to receive free tacos. Wendy's and McDonald's both emphasized app-based ordering for their Election Day offers. This strategy served dual purposes: it streamlined the redemption process and helped brands build their customer data bases.
Social Media Engagement
Edible Arrangements utilized social media engagement as both an entry method and a promotional tool. By requiring graduates to post videos with a specific hashtag, the company generated user content that served as organic marketing while identifying eligible recipients for free products.
Geographic and Temporal Limitations
All promotional offers described in the available sources had specific geographic and temporal constraints that consumers needed to understand before attempting to redeem them.
Time-Sensitive Nature
Most graduation offers were concentrated in a narrow window between mid-May and late June 2020, aligning with traditional graduation timelines. Krispy Kreme's single-day promotion on May 19 exemplifies the tight scheduling. Election Day offers were naturally limited to November 3, 2020, with some extending for several days afterward.
Location Variations
While national chains were involved, specific participation could vary by location. The sources indicate that some offers, such as White Castle's delivery discounts, had different terms in specific regions (New Jersey and New York). Students were advised to verify participation at their local establishments.
Impact on Brand Marketing Strategies
The proliferation of 2020 graduation and event-based freebies illustrates how brands adapted their marketing strategies during a year of disruption. These promotions served multiple business objectives: maintaining customer loyalty during store closures, generating social media engagement, driving app downloads, and creating positive brand associations during a difficult period.
The shift toward app-based redemption and social media participation represents a long-term trend in promotional marketing. Brands increasingly use freebies not just as goodwill gestures, but as data collection tools and engagement drivers. The requirement to download apps, follow social media accounts, or post content transforms a simple freebie into an interactive marketing experience.
Conclusion
The Class of 2020 faced unprecedented challenges, but the promotional response from various brands provided some compensation in the form of free food, discounts, and educational resources. These offers demonstrated the adaptability of marketing strategies and the value brands place on specific consumer segments. While most of these specific 2020 offers have expired, the patterns they established—app-based redemption, social media engagement, and event-specific promotions—continue to influence how brands structure promotional offers. Consumers seeking similar opportunities should monitor brand announcements around major life events and national holidays, as companies frequently replicate successful promotional frameworks for new occasions. For current offers, checking brand websites, mobile applications, and social media channels remains the most reliable method for discovering available freebies and discounts.