Teacher Appreciation Week 2025 is scheduled for May 5 through May 9, providing a dedicated timeframe for retailers, restaurants, and brands to offer exclusive deals and freebies to educators. According to the National Parent Teacher Association, this annual observance has taken place in May since 1984. Teacher Appreciation Day, which falls on the first Tuesday of the week, is set for May 6 in 2025. The theme for this year, as designated by the National PTA, is "Teachers are Shining Stars." The week serves as an opportunity for students, parents, and the community to acknowledge the contributions of teachers through various gestures, ranging from handwritten notes and classroom donations to utilizing corporate-sponsored discounts.
The scope of offers available during this period is extensive, covering categories such as food and beverage, technology, classroom supplies, and apparel. While many deals are specific to the week of May 5-9, others extend through June or are available year-round. Most participating brands require verification of educator status, typically through a valid school ID or an online verification service such as ID.me. The following guide details the verified deals and freebies available to educators for Teacher Appreciation Week 2025.
Food and Beverage Deals
A significant portion of Teacher Appreciation Week offers focuses on the food and beverage sector, with major fast-food chains and casual dining restaurants providing free meals, discounted items, and bonus rewards. These offers generally require in-store verification via a school ID or enrollment in specific rewards programs.
Whataburger Whataburger is offering a free breakfast entree to teachers and school staff during Teacher Appreciation Week. The offer is valid from Monday, May 5, through Friday, May 9, during breakfast hours, specifically from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. The deal is available exclusively in-restaurant and requires the presentation of a valid school ID.
Chipotle Chipotle is running a sweepstakes-style promotion for Teacher Appreciation Week. Teachers are invited to visit teacherthanks.chipotle.com to enter for a chance to win a free entrée e-card. At the conclusion of the week, 100,000 teachers will be randomly selected to receive an email prompting them to verify their employment status via ID.me. Once verified, selected winners receive a free burrito e-gift card. This offer extends through May 13. It is noted that this promotion is also running concurrently with National Nurse Appreciation Week, targeting both educators and healthcare workers.
Buffalo Wild Wings Buffalo Wild Wings is providing a 20% discount on the bill for teachers and school staff. While some sources indicate the offer is valid from May 2 to May 6, others suggest availability through May 12. The discount requires a valid school ID. Additionally, Insomnia Cookies, which is often associated with similar promotional periods, is offering a free classic cookie to teachers (and nurses) with proof of employment from May 6 to May 13.
Sonic Drive-In Sonic Drive-In offers deals specifically for members of its "Sonic Teachers’ Circle" rewards program. To access these deals, teachers must download the Sonic app, create an account, navigate to Settings, tap the profile icon, select "Account," and designate themselves as a teacher. Once enrolled, members can access three specific deals during Teacher Appreciation Week: a free Sonic Snack or side with purchase, buy one Sonic Blast get one free, and a $1.99 Quarter Pound Double Cheeseburger.
Burger King Burger King is offering free fries with any purchase to all customers, including teachers, during Teacher Appreciation Week. This offer does not specifically require teacher verification but is promoted as part of the week’s festivities.
Smoothie King Smoothie King is offering a 20% discount on in-store orders placed between May 6 and May 8. To redeem, teachers must present a valid working ID.
Tijuana Flats Tijuana Flats offers a 20% discount on entire dine-in or carryout orders on Wednesday, May 7. To secure the deal, teachers must show a valid ID and use the discount code "NURTEA25" at checkout.
Einstein Bros. Bagels While not limited strictly to the May 5-9 window, Einstein Bros. Bagels is offering 20% off all gift card purchases through June 24. This promotion is available exclusively online.
Retail and Technology Discounts
Beyond food, several technology and retail brands offer significant savings on products and services relevant to the teaching profession.
Apple Apple offers special savings and pricing for faculty, staff, and homeschool teachers of all grade levels. These savings apply to a range of products, including Macs, iPads, Apple Music, and select accessories. Apple is cited as a participant in Teacher Appreciation Week deals by multiple sources, highlighting its ongoing commitment to educator pricing.
Adidas Adidas is offering teachers a 30% discount on shoes. This offer is available during the appreciation period and requires verification of teacher status.
J.Crew J.Crew offers a 15% discount to both students and teachers on their purchases. This discount is typically available in-store with valid identification.
L.L. Bean L.L. Bean is listed as offering a discount to teachers, though specific percentage details or redemption instructions were not provided in the source data.
Office Depot / Office Max Office Depot and Office Max are offering teachers 25% back in bonus rewards on qualifying purchases. This offer is valid in-store only and runs from now until June 29. A valid teacher ID is required to redeem the rewards.
Avid Avid, known for industry-leading software used in video mixing, sound engineering, and music writing, is listed as offering deals for Teacher Appreciation Week. Specific details on the nature of the discount were not elaborated upon in the provided text.
Classroom and Educational Resources
Educators often spend personal funds on classroom supplies. During Teacher Appreciation Week, specific deals target these needs.
DoodleFace Crayon Boards DoodleFace Crayon Boards are available on Amazon with a 20% discount from May 5 through May 9. The discount is applied using the code "20LOVETEACH." These boards are described as reusable, mess-free surfaces paired with jumbo, non-toxic crayons, designed for classroom use.
School Supply Donations The National PTA suggests that parents and community members support teachers by donating school supplies. The PTA provides a toolkit to assist in creating cards, certificates, fliers, and social media graphics to thank teachers.
Community and Recognition Initiatives
In addition to commercial offers, there are organized initiatives to recognize educators through storytelling and public acknowledgment.
National Education Association (NEA) The NEA is soliciting stories of extraordinary educators. These stories can be submitted online or shared on social media by tagging @NEAToday and using the hashtag #ThankATeacher.
Teach for America Teach for America maintains a long list of deals available for Teacher Appreciation Week, which includes the offers from Apple and Avid mentioned previously.
National PTA The National PTA plays a central role in organizing the week, designating the dates and theme annually. They encourage parents to volunteer, write letters, create social media posts, or help decorate classrooms to show appreciation.
General Eligibility and Verification
For the majority of food and retail deals listed, eligibility is restricted to teachers and school staff. Verification is a standard requirement. Most brands require a valid school ID for in-person redemption. For online offers, such as the Chipotle sweepstakes or the Sonic rewards program, digital verification through an app or third-party service (ID.me) is necessary. While most offers are available to K-12 teachers, Apple explicitly extends its savings to homeschool teachers and faculty of all grade levels.
Conclusion
Teacher Appreciation Week 2025 offers a diverse array of opportunities for educators to receive discounts and freebies from major brands. The event runs from May 5 to May 9, with specific deals varying by date and location. Key highlights include free breakfast from Whataburger, sweepstakes entries for free burritos from Chipotle, and significant discounts on technology from Apple and apparel from Adidas. Educators are advised to check specific terms regarding valid identification and expiration dates to ensure successful redemption of these offers.