2018 Mother’s Day Freebies and Deals: A Guide to Restaurant Discounts, Food Specials, and Local Offers

Mother’s Day 2018, observed on Sunday, May 13, prompted a wide range of businesses across the United States to offer special discounts, free items, and promotional deals to honor mothers. These offers spanned various categories, with a significant focus on food and beverage specials, including restaurant meals, desserts, and drinks. Information regarding these promotions was aggregated from multiple local news sources and consumer deal sites, highlighting that offer terms, availability, and specific details often varied by location.

The promotions generally targeted dining experiences, offering complimentary entrees, discounted cakes, and special brunch menus. Some offers required specific actions, such as presenting a coupon, purchasing a minimum value item, or dining with another paying customer. Other deals included free admission to attractions or complimentary gifts upon visit. Consumers were advised to verify details with local establishments prior to visiting, as participation and specific terms could differ.

Food and Beverage Specials

A majority of the available promotions focused on treating mothers to meals and sweets. National restaurant chains and local eateries alike participated, offering incentives ranging from free entrees to discounted multi-course meals.

Restaurant Dining and Brunch

Several chains offered complimentary meals for mothers under specific conditions: * Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar: Mothers ate free with the purchase of a full-priced entrée at participating locations. * Beef 'O' Brady's: Participating locations allowed moms to eat free with a meal purchase of equal or greater value, typically up to a $10 limit. * Duffy's Sports Grill: Moms received a free glass of wine and a $10 MVP bonus added to their rewards account for future use. * Fogo de Chão: Dining mothers received a complimentary dining card for a future meal, valid for redemption between May 14 and July 12.

Other restaurants offered special menus or discounts rather than completely free meals: * Bertucci’s: This chain offered a weekend special featuring dinner for two, including a choice of any Kendall-Jackson bottle of wine and two entrees. * The Capital Grille: They provided a special Mother’s Day brunch menu priced at $49, which included a selection of starter, entree, and dessert choices. Endless mimosas were available as an add-on for $14. * Mimi's Cafe: Mothers could enjoy a three-course menu consisting of an appetizer, meal, and dessert, starting at 11 a.m. * Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: Select theaters offered a Mother’s Day experience that included movie tickets, brunch, and wine pairings. The price ranged from $27 to $70, and the event featured screenings of mom-friendly films such as "Mrs. Doubtfire," "The Sound of Music," and "Breakfast at Tiffany's."

Desserts and Sweet Treats

Discounts on cakes and complimentary donuts were prominent offers for the holiday: * Baskin-Robbins: The chain promoted a "Floral Stripe Cake" designed for Mother’s Day. Customers could get $3 off any ice cream cake purchase of $15 or more using a printable coupon or online code. * LaMar's Donuts and Coffee: This offer provided a free red velvet cake doughnut and a free small coffee to mothers on Mother’s Day. * TCBY: Moms received 6 ounces of frozen yogurt for free. * First Watch: Participating locations gave mothers a free box of chocolates while supplies lasted. * Burger 21: The chain offered a free shake to customers who shared a family photo or an embarrassing picture for Mother’s Day at participating locations.

Other Food and Drink Offers

Corner Bakery Cafe: A buy-one-get-one (BOGO) free offer was valid from May 10 through May 14. Customers who purchased any breakfast, lunch, or dinner item could get a second item of equal or lesser value for free.
Abuelo’s: This Mexican restaurant chain gave away gifts to mothers at all locations on Sunday. Gifts varied by region and included free shirts, flowers, or free entrée bounce-back cards.
Another Broken Egg Cafe: Mothers dining in on Saturday or Sunday received a free $10 Brunch Buck to redeem between May 14 and May 27.
BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse: Participating locations gave moms free wine glasses while supplies lasted on Saturday and Sunday.

Non-Food Promotions and Freebies

While food-related deals were the most common, several other types of freebies and discounts were available, primarily in the categories of entertainment and beauty.

Entertainment and Attractions

Cincinnati Zoo: The zoo offered free admission to mothers during the 2018 Mother’s Day period.
Krohn Conservatory: Located in Eden Park, the conservatory offered half-price admission for mothers to the butterfly exhibit.
Alexandria Museums: Three museums in Alexandria, Virginia—Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, and the Friendship Firehouse Museum—offered free admission for moms on Mother’s Day.
AMC Tysons Corner 16: This theater offered free tickets to a special "Mamma Mia! Sing-Along" movie screening on Mother’s Day morning. Tickets were distributed first-come, first-served starting at 9 a.m.

Retail and Beauty

Godiva: The chocolatier offered a 20 percent discount on a variety of chocolate boxes available at Godiva.com.
Massage Envy: Locations in Kenwood, Hyde Park, and Newport, KY, offered a promotion where purchasing $125 in gift cards for mom resulted in a free 60-minute facial service.
Hand and Stone: This massage and facial spa chain in Oakley and Eastgate offered Mother’s Day deals, though specific offers were dependent on the location.
Duffy's Sports Grill: In addition to the free wine, the restaurant added a $10 MVP bonus to the rewards accounts of dining mothers.

Important Considerations for Consumers

Based on the provided sources, consumers were urged to exercise caution and verify details before planning their Mother’s Day outings. Several key caveats were noted regarding the availability and terms of these offers:

Location Variability: Many of the deals, particularly those from national chains, were noted to vary by location. Consumers were advised to check with their local business to confirm participation.
Minimum Requirements: Some discounts required a minimum purchase. For example, the Baskin-Robbins $3 discount required a minimum cake purchase of $15.
Supply Limitations: Offers such as free doughnuts, chocolates, wine glasses, or movie tickets were often available "while supplies last."
Reservations and Timing: For dining establishments, it was recommended that consumers make reservations in advance due to high expected traffic. Specific timing was also critical for events like the AMC movie screening.
Specific Conditions: Some offers, such as the Arooga's and Beef 'O' Brady's free meals, required the purchase of another meal. Others, like the Burger 21 shake, required a specific action (sharing a photo).

Conclusion

The 2018 Mother’s Day celebration saw a diverse array of freebies and deals offered by businesses nationwide. The primary focus was on enhancing the dining experience, with significant discounts on full meals, brunches, and desserts. Non-food offers included free zoo admission, museum entry, and beauty service incentives. The availability of these promotions relied heavily on local participation, minimum purchase requirements, and supply limits, making it necessary for consumers to verify specific terms with individual businesses.