Your birthday is a day to be spoiled by loved ones, and many restaurants and retailers will spoil you, too. Numerous companies offer birthday freebies or discounts to celebrate their customers’ special days. This comprehensive guide details the best birthday freebies available from national restaurant chains, including free food, drinks, desserts, and other perks. To ensure you don’t miss out on any of these incredible offers, we have compiled a list of the top spots for free food and discounted drinks on your birthday. From free pancakes and ice cream to pretzels and burritos, there are plenty of opportunities to feast without charge.
Many of these offers require joining a rewards program, e-club, or downloading an app. It is a good idea to join the rewards programs for your favorite restaurants and brands well in advance, as many require at least 30 days of membership before you can reap your birthday benefits. Some offers are available on your actual birthday, while others are valid during your birthday month or even for a few days after. Always check the specific terms, as some rewards require a minimum purchase or have specific redemption windows.
How to Secure Your Birthday Rewards
To get the most out of birthday freebies, planning is essential. Many of these offers require trading your email or downloading an app for the freebies, usually one birthday entry per e-mail address. If the birthday honoree is a grown-up, don’t forget to bring ID. Nothing is worse than expecting free donuts and having to leave empty-handed.
- Join Rewards Programs Early: Sign up for loyalty programs at least 30 days before your birthday to ensure eligibility.
- Use a Dedicated Email Address: Consider using a specific email address for rewards programs to keep your main inbox clean.
- Download Necessary Apps: Many freebies are delivered through brand apps. Download them in advance and ensure you are logged in.
- Check Terms and Conditions: Offerings are always subject to change, so verify the details before heading out. Some offers require a minimum purchase or have specific blackout dates.
- Bring Identification: Have your ID ready to prove your birth date if required.
Free Birthday Breakfast and Morning Treats
Start your birthday morning with a free breakfast or coffee. Several national chains offer complimentary items to help you celebrate.
- Dutch Bros. Coffee: Offers a free drink on your birthday when you sign up for their app.
- IHOP: Provides free pancakes on your birthday when you join their rewards program. IHOP is a national chain, so you can access this offer even if you are traveling.
- Krispy Kreme: Gives a free treat during your birthday month when you sign up for Krispy Kreme rewards. The reward is available on your birthday and is valid for 30 days.
- Pip’s Donuts: Offers a dozen completely free donuts on the actual birthday for adults. For kids, the dozen can be picked up on the birthday or up to seven days after. Note that they are closed on Tuesdays, so if a birthday falls on a Tuesday, pickup is allowed on Wednesday.
- Biggby Coffee: Members of the Biggby Coffee e-wards program can get a free drink up to 24 ounces, available up to 30 days after your birthday.
- Caribou Coffee: Offers a free beverage during your birthday week for Caribou Perks members.
- Peet’s Coffee: Provides a free beverage reward for Peetnik Rewards members. To qualify, you must be a member for at least seven days before your birthday and have made a purchase using Peetnik Rewards in the past 180 days.
- Scooter’s Coffee: Gives a free drink on your birthday for Scooter’s Coffee Rewards members.
- Starbucks: Offers a free drink of any size on your birthday for Starbucks Rewards members.
Free Birthday Desserts and Sweet Treats
If you have a sweet tooth, many restaurants offer free desserts or ice cream on your birthday.
- Baskin-Robbins: Provides a free scoop of ice cream on your birthday when you create an account and opt into the Birthday Club.
- Auntie Anne’s: Offers a free pretzel on your first birthday when you spend more than $10 annually. You must sign up for Pretzel Perks.
- Applebee’s: Gives a free dessert on your birthday with a minimum purchase of $15 when you join Applebee's Club.
- Friendly’s: Join Friendly’s Sweet Rewards and get a FREE medium sundae for your birthday.
- Graeter’s Ice Cream: Join Graeter's Sweet Rewards and get a birthday treat if you have made at least one purchase during the 12 months prior to your birthday.
- Great American Cookies: Download the Great American Cookies rewards app to get a birthday reward on your birthday.
- Hard Rock Cafe: Join Unity by Hard Rock and enjoy a FREE dessert for your birthday each year.
- Benihana: Register for The Chef's Table email program, and Benihana will send you a $30 Benihana birthday certificate during your birthday month.
- Crumbl Cookies: Check for birthday offers at Crumbl Cookies.
- Planet Smoothie: Offers a $6 birthday reward, loaded onto your account seven days before your birthday. Join Planet VIP.
- Smoothie King: Provides a free smoothie on your birthday for Smoothie King Healthy Rewards members.
- Tropical Smoothie Cafe: Offers a free birthday reward for members.
- Jamba Juice: Gives a free small smoothie; you must have spent over $10 at Jamba Juice in the past 12 months. Join Jamba Rewards.
- Smashburger: Offers a free shake of any flavor, valid within seven days of your birthday. Sign up for SmashRewards.
- Del Taco: Provides a free regular-sized shake for Del Yeah! Rewards members. Members with 1,000+ points can get any shake or dessert. Join Del Yeah! Rewards.
- Juice It Up!: Offers a special birthday reward for Juice It Up! Rewards members.
Free Birthday Meals and Savory Items
Several restaurants offer free meals or savory items on your birthday, ranging from breakfast to dinner.
- AMC Theatres: Offers a free large popcorn during your birthday month for AMC Stubs members. Higher tiers also include a large fountain drink.
- Denny’s: Offers free breakfast deals for your birthday. Denny’s is a national chain, so you can get free or discounted grub even if you are traveling.
- Freebirds World Burrito: Become a member of Freebirds Rewards to get a free birthday burrito.
- Frisch's Big Boy: Enjoy a FREE sandwich on your big day when you join Big Boy Rewards.
- Golden Corral: As a member of the Good as Gold Club, you will receive special birthday offers.
- Green Mill: Enjoy a free small 1-topping deep dish pizza on your birthday when you join Green Mill Rewards.
- Grimaldi's Pizzeria: Receive a FREE pizza on the first day of your birthday month when you join Grimaldi's Pizzeria Rewards and make a food or drink purchase and earn points within the 11 months before your birthday month.
- Habit Burger & Grill: Sign up for Habit Burger & Grill Rewards and receive a complimentary Habit burger for your birthday.
- Happy Joe's Pizza: Receive an offer seven days before your birthday for a free 1-topping Little Joe Pizza of your choice when you join Happy Joe's Rewards.
- Honey Baked Ham: As a Honey Baked Ham Rewards member, you will get $9 HoneyBaked Cash to use toward your birthday.
- Abuelo’s: Sign up for the Mi Abuelo's Rewards program to receive a special reward on your birthday.
- Arby’s: As a member of Arby's Rewards, customers can earn free curly fries and a small milkshake on their birthday.
- Au Bon Pain: Celebrate your big day with free coffee and a bakery item at Au Bon Pain when you sign up for the bakery's e-club.
- A&W: Join the A&W Mug Club for a free root beer float on your birthday.
- Baja Fresh: Join Club Baja Rewards for a special birthday reward.
- BurgerFi: Join BurgerFi Rewards for a free frozen custard shake on your birthday.
- Chick-fil-A: When you become a member at Chick-fil-A, you receive a birthday reward. At the lowest tier, you will get a chocolate chunk cookie or chocolate fudge brownie.
- Big Boy: Join Big Boy Rewards to receive an email on your birthday with potential rewards. There is even a free birthday meal reward for children aged 10 and under who enroll in the restaurant’s kids’ club (with guardian permission).
Best Drink Birthday Freebies
Many coffee shops and beverage chains offer free drinks on your birthday.
- A&W: Free root beer float on your birthday when you join the A&W Mug Club.
- Biggby Coffee: Free drink up to 24 ounces, available up to 30 days after your birthday, when you join Biggby Coffee e-wards.
- BurgerFi: Free frozen custard shake on your birthday when you join BurgerFi Rewards.
- Caribou Coffee: Free beverage during your birthday week when you join Caribou Perks.
- Del Taco: Free regular-sized shake for Del Yeah! Rewards members; any shake or dessert for members with 1,000+ points.
- Dutch Bros. Coffee: Free drink on your birthday when you sign up for their app.
- Jamba Juice: Free small smoothie; must have spent over $10 at Jamba Juice in the past 12 months.
- Juice It Up!: Special birthday reward for members.
- Peet’s Coffee: Free beverage reward; must be a Peetnik Rewards member for at least seven days before your birthday and have made a purchase using Peetnik Rewards in the past 180 days.
- Planet Smoothie: $6 birthday reward, loaded onto your account seven days before your birthday.
- Scooter’s Coffee: Free drink on your birthday.
- Smashburger: Free shake, any flavor; valid within seven days of your birthday.
- Smoothie King: Free smoothie on your birthday.
- Starbucks: Free drink on your birthday, any size.
- Tropical Smoothie Cafe: Free birthday reward.
Other Birthday Perks
In addition to food and drinks, some brands offer other types of birthday rewards.
- AMC Theatres: Free large popcorn (and a large fountain drink for higher tiers) during your birthday month.
- Ulta and Sephora: These makeup stores offer special birthday gifts for rewards members.
Important Tips for Redemption
- ID Requirements: Always bring a valid ID to prove your birth date.
- Minimum Purchases: Some offers require a minimum purchase (e.g., Applebee's requires a $15 purchase for a free dessert).
- Membership Duration: Ensure you have been a member for the required duration (e.g., Peet’s Coffee requires membership for at least seven days before your birthday).
- Purchase History: Some rewards require a purchase within a specific timeframe (e.g., Jamba Juice requires $10 spent in the past 12 months; Graeter’s requires one purchase in the past 12 months).
- Redemption Windows: Be aware of the redemption window. Some offers are valid only on your birthday, while others are valid for your entire birthday month or a specific number of days before or after.
- App Usage: Many rewards are delivered through apps. Ensure you have the app installed and are logged in to receive the offer.
- Email Verification: Check your email for birthday rewards. Some brands send offers via email.
- Call Ahead: Offerings are always subject to change, so calling ahead to confirm availability is a good idea.
Conclusion
Birthday freebies are a fantastic way to celebrate your special day without spending a lot of money. By planning ahead and joining rewards programs for your favorite restaurants and brands, you can enjoy a variety of free food, drinks, desserts, and other perks. From free pancakes at IHOP to a free burrito at Freebirds World Burrito, there is something for everyone. Remember to check the specific terms and conditions for each offer, bring your ID, and enjoy your birthday feast.