Veterans Day 2016 offered a wide array of complimentary meals, retail discounts, and service-based freebies for active duty military personnel, veterans, and their families. Businesses across the nation participated in honoring military service through various promotions, ranging from free food and beverages to discounted retail products, automotive services, and attraction admissions. The offers detailed below were compiled from national and local listings for the 2016 observance, with specific details regarding eligibility, required documentation, and participating locations.
Free Meals and Restaurant Offers
Many restaurant chains provided complimentary meals or specific menu items to veterans and active duty service members on November 11, 2016. Most of these offers required proof of service, such as a military ID or wearing a uniform, and many were valid for dine-in service only.
National Chain Offers: * Applebee’s: Offered free meals to veterans and active duty military. * BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse: Provided a free entrée valued at $12.95 or under to veterans and active duty military. This offer required military ID or proof of service. The restaurant also offered $5 craft beers for patrons aged 21 and older. * Black Angus Steakhouse: Covered a free top sirloin steak dinner for veterans, which included mashed potatoes, broccoli, and sweet molasses bread. * Buffalo Wild Wings: Provided one complementary small traditional or boneless wings (10-12 wings) with a small order of fries for veterans and active duty service members. * Denny’s: Offered free meals to veterans and active duty military. * Fatz Café: Offered one free ‘World Famous Calabash Chicken’ entrée, including a ‘Signature Sidekick’ and a choice of soup or salad. This offer was dine-in only. * Fazoli’s: Provided one free ‘Build Your Own Pasta Bowl’ for veterans and active duty members with ID or uniform. * Golden Corral: Held a Military Appreciation Night on Monday, November 14, 2016, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., where veterans received a free meal. * Hooters: Offered free meals to veterans and active duty military on November 11. Customers could choose from a specific Veterans Day Menu including 10-piece traditional wings, 10-piece boneless wings, a Hooters burger, a buffalo chicken salad, or a buffalo chicken sandwich. Military ID or proof of service was required. * IHOP: Offered free meals between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Veterans Day. * Logan’s: Provided free meals to veterans and active duty military. * McCormick & Schmick’s: Offered a free meal to veterans. Note that this offer was valid on the Sunday before Veterans Day, not November 11 itself. * Sonny’s Barbecue: Offered 50% off dine-in meals for veterans. * Wienerschnitzel: Provided a free Chili Dog Combo, which includes a chili dog, small fries, and a 20-ounce drink. This offer was valid with a military ID or if the service member wore their military uniform. * WingStop: Offered a free 6-piece boneless wings combo for all military members and veterans on November 11. The combo included wings, a regular side, dipping sauce, and a 20 oz. drink. No ID was required for this specific offer. * Yard House: Offered a free appetizer (dine-in only) on November 11 for veterans and active-duty military members. No purchase was necessary, but a valid military ID was required.
Regional and Local Offers: * Atlanta Bread Company: Provided 20% off menu items for veterans and active duty service members. * Cheddar’s: Offered free Chips-N-Queso to all veterans. * Dunkin’ Donuts: Provided one free medium hot coffee for all veterans. Additionally, a free doughnut was offered. * The Courtyard by Marriott: Offered one free Starbucks specialty coffee or regular coffee to all veterans from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The Bistro Restaurant also offered a half-price soup and sandwich meal from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. * The Curry Mantra: Offered 10% discount on menu items for all veterans. * Fazoli’s: (Also listed in national section) Provided one free pasta bowl. * Rigby’s Entertainment Complex: Provided one free hour of bowling from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for veterans and active duty service members. The offer included up to 4 guests per service member. Additionally, there was 10% off concession and food items. * Shane’s Ribshack: Offered 20% discount for all veterans and active duty military. * Smoothie King: Offered 50% off all smoothies to veterans with valid ID or uniform. * Uncle Maddio’s Pizza: Offered one free 9″ three-topping pizza for all veterans.
Retail, Service, and Automotive Discounts
Beyond dining, various retailers and service providers offered discounts and free services.
Retail and Shopping: * Lowe’s: Veterans and their families received 10% off their purchases on Friday (presumably November 11, 2016). * The Pound Cake Company: Offered free shipping on any gift from the Military Service Collection. A promo code "MILITARY" was required. * The UPS Store: Offered 10% off all products, including stamps, for veterans and active duty military. * Scottsdale Bullion & Coin: Offered an exclusive 1% discount on all purchases made between November 9 and November 11, 2016, for veterans and active military members. Additionally, they donated a portion of all profits in November to the American Service Animal Society (ASAS).
Automotive and Personal Services: * Fantastic Sams: Offered a free haircut on November 11 for active-duty military personnel and veterans with military ID. This could not be combined with other offers and was valid at participating locations only. * Great Clips: Offered a free haircut on November 11 or a free-haircut card for use on a later date for active-duty military personnel and veterans. Non-military members could purchase a service on Veterans Day and receive a free haircut card to gift to a veteran. Veterans could redeem their free haircut cards from November 12 to December 31. * Meineke: Offered a free basic oil change for active-duty military personnel and veterans with military ID. However, it was noted that many Meineke locations are independently owned and may not participate, so calling ahead was recommended. * Sport Clips: Offered a free haircut for active-duty military and veterans on November 11 with military ID. * Turtle Wax Car Wash: In the past, they have offered free car washes on Veterans Day. It was suggested they would likely do so again in 2016, but calling to verify was recommended. * Goo-Goo Express Wash: On behalf of the Grace for Vets Foundation, both Goo-Goo Express Wash locations offered a free $7 wash to veterans and active duty service members on Thursday, November 10, 2016. * UFC Gym: Offered free gym use from November 11 to November (date not specified in chunk).
Attractions and Events
Several museums and theme parks provided free admission or special events for veterans.
- USS Midway Museum: On November 11, active duty and veteran military members and their families enjoyed free admission. A Veterans Day celebration took place at the museum from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- SeaWorld San Diego: Through the Waves of Honor Veterans Salute, military veterans (and up to 3 guests) received free single-day admission into SeaWorld San Diego. This offer was online only with a valid ID and could not be redeemed at the park's front gate. The offer was available for use until December 31, 2016.
- Knott's Berry Farm: All U.S. veterans, retired and active military personnel and a guest received free admission. Discounts were available for up to 6 additional people for $27 until November 18. From November 28 to December 16, additional tickets were $30. Additional admission tickets had to be purchased by a military ID holder. The offer included military reserves and Department of Defense personnel.
- National Parks: Free admission was offered on November 11 at parks that normally charge an admission fee.
- 4ore Golf (Lubbock): Offered complimentary golf from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. for veterans and up to six guests.
Community and Miscellaneous Offers
- Georgia VECTR Center: Hosted a free continental breakfast for veterans and family on Thursday, November 10, 2016, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
- Warner Robins City Hall: The American Legion Post 594 gathered at City Hall at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 11, to honor veterans with a short ceremony.
- Georgia National Fair Grounds: Hosted a Veteran’s Health Fair at the Georgia Grown Building hosted by the Segami Healthcare Fund on Saturday, November 12, 2016, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., open to veterans and families.
- Dashlane: Offered a free 1-year subscription to Dashlane Premium for veterans and active duty military. Sign-up was available at Dashlane.com/Veterans.
Eligibility and Verification
Most offers were extended to active duty military personnel, veterans, and sometimes retirees and reserves. Documentation requirements varied by establishment: * Military ID: The most common form of verification requested. * Proof of Service: Some locations accepted other forms of proof, such as wearing a uniform or presenting a veteran organization membership card. * Uniform: Wearing a military uniform was often accepted in lieu of an ID. * Online Verification: Some offers, such as the SeaWorld Salute, required online registration and verification before visiting the venue. * Participating Locations: Many offers were valid only at participating locations. Consumers were advised to call ahead to confirm that a specific location was honoring the promotion, particularly for independently owned franchises like Meineke and some restaurant chains.
Conclusion
Veterans Day 2016 featured a diverse selection of freebies and discounts for military members. The promotions ranged from complimentary meals at major restaurant chains to free haircuts, oil changes, and admission to theme parks and museums. While the majority of offers were valid specifically on November 11, 2016, some extended into the surrounding days or offered redeemable cards for future use. Service members and veterans were generally required to present a military ID or other proof of service to redeem these offers, and it was recommended to verify participation with individual locations prior to visiting.