Comprehensive Guide to 2019 Halloween Freebies and Restaurant Deals

Halloween 2019 offered a wide array of freebies and promotional deals across the United States, particularly focused on restaurant offers, food items, and in-store events. These promotions were available on or around October 31, 2019, and often required specific actions such as wearing a costume or making a purchase. The following guide details the verified offers available during that period, categorized by establishment and offer type.

Restaurant Freebies Requiring a Costume

Several major restaurant chains provided free food items to customers who visited their locations in costume on October 31, 2019.

Insomnia Cookies: Customers could receive a free traditional cookie on October 31, 2019, simply by wearing a costume into a store location. No purchase was necessary to redeem this offer. Additionally, Insomnia Cookies ran a contest where customers could win a $100 gift card for the best costume by posting a selfie in-store, tagging the company, and using the hashtag #trickortreatyoself.
Krispy Kreme: The doughnut chain offered a free doughnut to anyone who appeared at their locations in costume on Halloween.
Chipotle: Chipotle ran their "Boorito" promotion, offering a "Boo-rito" for $3 (or $4 according to other reports) to customers in costume.
Baskin-Robbins: As part of their "Celebrate 31" deal, Baskin-Robbins offered scoops of ice cream for $1.31 on October 31, 2019. This deal is noted as being available on the 31st of every month, but was promoted specifically for Halloween.

Restaurant Freebies Requiring a Purchase

Other restaurants offered free items contingent on the purchase of an adult entrée or a minimum order amount.

McAlister's Deli: Kids in costumes received a free kids meal with the purchase of an adult entrée from October 26 to October 31, 2019. This offer was valid for dine-in and carry-out orders only, with a limit of two free kids meals per adult entrée purchase.
Joe's Crab Shack: Kids aged 13 and under could eat free with the purchase of an adult entrée if they were in costume.
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.: This establishment offered a free kid's meal with the purchase of an adult entrée.
Rainforest Cafe: Customers could receive a 99-cent kid's meal with the purchase of an adult entrée.
Mimi's Bistro and Bakery: Up to two children per adult could eat free with the purchase of an adult entrée.
Noodles & Co.: Rewards members could get a free kids meal with the purchase of a regular entrée from October 30 to November 3, 2019.

Kids Eat Free and Family Deals

Several locations offered free or heavily discounted meals for children, making Halloween a family-friendly dining occasion.

Applebee's: In Southern California, Applebee's offered free meals for children 12 and under all day. They also featured "Dollaritas" ($1 margaritas) for adults. Note that other reports mention a $1 cocktail for October called the "Vampire."
IHOP: Children 12 and under received a free spooky pancake from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM. The pancakes were topped with strawberries, Oreos, whipped cream, and candy corn.
Chuck E. Cheese: Children who played in costume received 50 free tickets.

Free Items with Food Orders and Purchases

Some offers provided free add-ons or desserts with the purchase of specific food items.

The Cheesecake Factory: Customers who placed an order of $30 or more through DoorDash using the promo code "TREATORTREAT" received a free slice of Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Cheesecake or Hershey's Chocolate Bar Cheesecake. This deal was valid for pick-up and delivery orders placed through DoorDash.
Potbelly Sandwich Shop: Orders placed via Grubhub from October 25 through October 31, 2019, received free delivery and a free cookie.
Red Lobster: Free delivery was available on to-go orders of $30 or more placed on RedLobster.com on October 31, 2019, using the promo code "LOBSTER62."

Discounted Food and Drink Items

Several chains offered significant discounts on specific menu items for Halloween.

Sonic: Sonic offered 50-cent corn dogs on October 31, 2019, at participating locations.
Boston Market: Customers could get $5 off a family meal on Halloween.
DoorDash: DoorDash offered $10 off a food item for customers who ordered food and answered their door in costume.
McDonald's: McDelivery orders via Uber Eats received a $0 delivery fee.
Amazon: Amazon coupons were available for 30% off bulk Halloween candy varieties, including REESE’S and KIT KAT, and HERSHEY’S Chocolate Candy Variety Mix.

In-Store Events and Non-Food Freebies

Beyond restaurants, other retailers participated in Halloween festivities.

Bass Pro Shops: Bass Pro Shops hosted the "Great Pumpkin Celebration" during October. While specific details of the freebies were not fully detailed in the provided text, the event was noted as a source of Halloween fun.
Edible Arrangements: This retailer offered a free spooky pineapple "eyeball" treat.
Krispy Kreme (Additional): In addition to free doughnuts for costumes, Krispy Kreme was noted for having Halloween-themed donuts.

Candy and Grocery Deals

For those preparing for trick-or-treaters or looking for candy deals, there were specific offers available.

Bulk Candy Discounts: Amazon offered coupons for 30% off bulk Halloween candy varieties, specifically mentioning REESE’S and KIT KAT Bulk Halloween Candy Variety Mix and HERSHEY’S Halloween Chocolate Candy Variety Mix.

Conclusion

The Halloween 2019 landscape was rich with opportunities for consumers to access free and discounted food and treats. The primary method for accessing these deals was through visiting restaurants in costume or making specific purchases. Offers ranged from completely free items with no purchase necessary (Insomnia Cookies, Krispy Kreme) to free kids meals with adult purchases (McAlister's Deli, Joe's Crab Shack) and significant discounts on family meals or specific items (Sonic, Boston Market). The promotion of these deals often occurred just days prior to Halloween, encouraging consumers to monitor news outlets and deal websites for the most current information.