Mother's Day 2019 presented U.S. consumers with a wide array of complimentary offers, promotional deals, and special incentives designed to honor mothers across the nation. Based on compiled information from multiple consumer-focused sources, restaurants, retailers, and service providers offered various no-cost benefits including free meals, desserts, gift cards, photo services, and even babysitting reimbursements. These offers were primarily concentrated around Mother's Day weekend, specifically May 11 and May 12, 2019, with some extending to May 13.
The promotional landscape included both national chains and regional establishments, with offers varying significantly by location and requiring specific redemption methods such as in-person dining, coupon presentation, or online registration. Key categories of freebies encompassed food and beverage establishments, entertainment venues, retail photo services, and unique service-based offerings like babysitting coverage.
Restaurant and Dining Freebies
Numerous restaurant chains participated in Mother's Day promotions, offering complimentary meals, desserts, and beverages to mothers dining with their families.
National Restaurant Chains
Wienerschnitzel offered mothers a free meal on Mother's Day, May 12, 2019. This promotion allowed mothers to eat at no cost when visiting participating locations.
Primanti Bros. provided free meals to mothers on May 12, 2019, at all locations. To qualify, mothers were required to dine in and make a purchase of at least $3.99, which is the price of a kids meal. Additionally, mothers received a $5 coupon for a future visit in May.
Hooters offered a variety of complimentary meal options for mothers on Mother's Day, including wings, chicken sandwiches, salads, and burgers.
Chili's featured a Mother's Day dinner special for two priced at $25, providing a cost-effective dining option for families.
Eat'n Park gave all mothers who dined in a free Smiley Cookie.
P.F. Chang's provided a complimentary dessert with all dine-in meals on Mother's Day.
Texas de Brazil offered a free non-alcoholic drink and dessert with the purchase of a full meal on Mother's Day.
TGI Friday's gave a free dessert with online purchases of $30 or more.
Olive Garden promoted a $10 bonus gift card for every $50 gift card purchased and opened at 10:30 a.m. on Mother's Day.
Ruth's Chris Steak House distributed $25 dining cards to mothers who ordered an entree on May 12, 2019. These cards were valid for use from May 13 through June 30, 2019, with a limit of one per table and restrictions on takeout and drink purchases.
Fogo De Chao offered mothers a complimentary dining card when dining in on Mother's Day. This promotion was specifically noted at the Boston, Massachusetts location.
Quaker Steak & Lube provided free meals for mothers up to a value of $15 at participating restaurants.
California Pizza Kitchen featured heart-shaped pizzas available in any favorite variety on a heart-shaped crispy thin crust at no additional charge. The restaurant also donated 20% of food and non-alcoholic beverage purchases to March of Dimes when customers mentioned supporting the fundraiser.
BJ's Brewhouse gave mothers a free commemorative wine glass on May 11 and May 12, 2019.
Another Broken Egg Cafe provided mothers with a free $10 brunch buck when dining in on Mother's Day, May 12.
Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant offered mothers a free gift when visiting on Mother's Day.
Even Stevens at the Sugar House location gave mothers a free entree during lunchtime on Mother's Day.
Spaghetti Warehouse provided a printable coupon for mothers to redeem at local locations.
Regional and Specialized Dining Offers
Baskin-Robbins offered a free 1-ounce ice cream with a waffle cone chip dipped in and sprinkles on May 12 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Additionally, a promo code provided $3 off a cake priced at $15 or more.
TCBY gave mothers free frozen yogurt on May 12, 2019.
Orange Leaf provided free frozen yogurt for mothers on May 13, 2019, redeemable by printing or showing a coupon on a mobile device.
LaMar's Donuts offered a free 4x6 Mother's Day photo at Bass Pro Shops on May 11 from 12-5 p.m. and May 12 from 12-4 p.m. The first 75 people to have their photo taken on Sunday, May 12, also received a free plaid tote for mom.
Freshii allowed mothers to eat free at any Freshii location in San Diego, CA, on May 12, 2019.
KFC offered free delivery through GrubHub on Mother's Day.
Einstein Bros was noted as a participating location in Florida's Mother's Day deals, though specific offer details were not provided in the source material.
Retail and Photo Service Freebies
Bass Pro Shops provided free 4x6 Mother's Day photos on both Saturday, May 11, from 12-5 p.m. and Sunday, May 12, from 12-4 p.m. The first 75 customers to have photos taken on Sunday also received a free plaid tote bag.
Cabela's offered identical photo services as Bass Pro Shops, with free 4x6 Mother's Day photos on May 11 and May 12 during the same hours, plus the same plaid tote promotion for the first 75 on Sunday.
Service-Based Freebies and Reimbursements
Kraft offered a unique Mother's Day Away program that reimbursed the cost of a babysitter up to $100, allowing mothers to take the day off. This promotion required visiting the Kraft link for details on how to take advantage of the offer.
Entertainment and Cultural Venues
Bonnet House Museum and Gardens in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, offered mothers free admission on Mother's Day, May 12, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Geographic Considerations and Variations
The availability of Mother's Day freebies varied significantly by location. Many offers were specifically tied to participating locations only, requiring customers to call ahead to confirm deal availability before visiting. For example, the Fogo De Chao complimentary dining card promotion was specifically noted as available at the Boston, Massachusetts location. Freshii's free meal offer was restricted to San Diego, California locations.
Florida-specific deals included participation from Baskin-Robbins, California Pizza Kitchen, and Einstein Bros, among others. The Patch compilation focused on Tampa and Miami metro areas, indicating regional variations in offer availability.
Redemption Requirements and Restrictions
Most free offers required specific actions to redeem:
- In-person dining: Most restaurant freebies required mothers to dine in at participating locations
- Purchase requirements: Some offers, like Primanti Bros., required a minimum purchase ($3.99) to qualify for the free meal
- Coupon presentation: Several offers required printing coupons or showing mobile coupons, such as Orange Leaf's frozen yogurt promotion
- Time restrictions: Many offers were valid only on Mother's Day itself (May 12), while others extended to May 11 or May 13
- Quantity limits: The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's tote bag promotion was limited to the first 75 customers on Sunday
- Geographic restrictions: Some offers were limited to specific cities or regions
- Table limits: Ruth's Chris Steak House limited their $25 dining card to one per table
Important Considerations for Consumers
Verification Requirements
Consumers were advised to call participating locations to confirm deal availability before arrival, as participation and pricing could vary by location and franchise. The sources repeatedly emphasized the importance of verification due to potential variations in franchise participation.
Expiration Dates
Gift cards and promotional items had specific validity periods. For example, Ruth's Chris Steak House $25 dining cards were valid until June 30, 2019.
Purchase Restrictions
Some offers had specific restrictions, such as the Ruth's Chris promotion limiting the dining card to one per table and excluding takeout and drink purchases.
Timing
Offers were available during specific time windows, such as Baskin-Robbins' 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. promotion, requiring customers to plan accordingly.
Special Promotional Programs
The Kraft Mother's Day Away program represented a unique category of service-based freebies, offering reimbursement for babysitting services rather than direct product or meal benefits. This type of promotion allowed mothers to receive financial coverage for childcare expenses, effectively providing a no-cost service that enabled them to enjoy personal time.
Conclusion
The Mother's Day 2019 promotional landscape offered U.S. consumers diverse opportunities to honor mothers through complimentary meals, desserts, photo services, and unique service reimbursements. The majority of offers were concentrated on May 11 and May 12, 2019, with participating restaurants providing free entrees, desserts, and beverages to mothers dining with families. Retail establishments like Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's offered complimentary photo services and promotional items. Service-based freebies, such as Kraft's babysitting reimbursement program, provided innovative ways to give mothers time off.
Success in redeeming these offers required attention to specific requirements including in-person dining, minimum purchases, coupon presentation, and geographic restrictions. Consumers needed to verify participation with individual locations due to franchise variations and should confirm offer details before visiting. The variety of available freebies demonstrated how businesses across multiple sectors participated in honoring mothers, creating opportunities for families to celebrate without significant expense while accessing quality dining experiences and services.