National Cake Day Freebies and Promotional Offers

National Cake Day, celebrated annually on November 26, provides U.S. consumers with opportunities to enjoy free cake slices, discounts, and special promotions from various bakery chains and restaurant groups. The available source material identifies specific offers for National Cake Day as well as related food holidays, including National Chocolate Cake Day. The majority of verified deals require membership in brand-specific rewards programs or app sign-ups. Several brands, including Paris Baguette, Susie Cakes, and Cracker Barrel, have structured their promotions to reward loyalty program members with free items or "buy one, get one" (BOGO) offers.

National Cake Day Offers (November 26)

The primary National Cake Day offers documented in the source material center on bakery chains such as Paris Baguette and Baked by Melissa. These deals generally require digital engagement through rewards apps or email newsletters to redeem.

Paris Baguette

Paris Baguette offers National Cake Day promotions exclusively to members of their PB Rewards program. The specific offer varies slightly by year but consistently requires membership status.

2025 Offer: On November 26, 2025, PB Rewards members are eligible for a buy-one, get-one (BOGO) free offer on cake slices. This applies to various slices, including Strawberry Soft Cream Cake, Tiramisu Mascarpone Cheesecake, and Ganache Cream Cake.
2024 Offer: A similar BOGO free cake slice offer was available on November 24, 2024, exclusively for Paris Baguette Rewards members.
Additional Member Perks: New members joining PB Rewards in November are eligible to earn a free pastry with any purchase.
Product Context: The bakery introduced specific gourmet cake selections for the Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving timeframe, including a Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake, Maple Pecan Layer Cake, Chocolate Ganache New York-style Cheesecake, and a Crepe Cake.

Baked by Melissa

Baked by Melissa, a cupcake retailer, offers discounts rather than completely free items for the holiday.

Promotion: The brand offers 10 percent off the "Friendsgiving" 50-pack of cupcakes.
Redemption: The discount requires the use of a specific promotional code (TURKEYDAY10).
Timing: The promotion coincides with the Thanksgiving/National Cake Day timeframe, specifically noted as the "last day" to get the discount on November 26.

Susie Cakes

Susie Cakes incentivizes new app downloads with a free food item.

Offer: Consumers who sign up for the Susie Cakes rewards app receive two free cupcakes.
Flavor Options: The free cupcakes are available in Vanilla, Chocolate, and Red Velvet varieties.

Mrs. Fields

Mrs. Fields utilizes email newsletter sign-ups to provide discounts that can be applied to cake-related products.

Offer: Signing up for the Mrs. Fields newsletter grants a 15 percent discount.
Applicable Products: The discount can be used toward purchasing a coffee cake or a cookie cake.

Martha’s Country Bakery

Martha’s Country Bakery is listed as a participating location for National Cake Day deals, though specific offer details are not elaborated upon in the source material.

National Chocolate Cake Day Offers (January 27)

National Chocolate Cake Day is celebrated on January 27. Offers for this specific holiday are distinct from the general National Cake Day promotions and are primarily offered by sit-down restaurant chains such as Cracker Barrel and The Cheesecake Factory.

Cracker Barrel

Cracker Barrel offers a free dessert item contingent on a minimum food purchase.

Offer: A free slice of Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake.
Eligibility: The deal is available to dine-in customers only.
Requirement: Customers must spend a minimum of $10 to qualify for the free cake slice.

The Cheesecake Factory

The Cheesecake Factory promotes National Chocolate Cake Day with a gift card purchase incentive rather than an immediate free food item.

Offer: A $10 dining credit.
Eligibility: Cheesecake Rewards members.
Requirement: Members must purchase $50 worth of gift cards online through their rewards account.
Redemption: The $10 dining credit is issued by February 18. The credit is valid for use between February 19 and March 31.

Craveables Cafe

Craveables Cafe offers a "Buy 2, Get 1 Free" promotion specifically for chocolate cake slices on January 27.

Offer: Buy any two cake slices (flavors such as carrot cake, red velvet, or cheesecake) and receive a free chocolate cake slice (options include chocolate lava cake or old-fashioned chocolate cake).
Restrictions: The offer is valid only on National Chocolate Cake Day. It cannot be combined with other promotions, and there is a limit of one entry per table.

National Cookie Day Crossovers

While distinct from cake, National Cookie Day (December 4) offers relevant context regarding bakery freebies and delivery app partnerships. These offers highlight the trend of requiring app membership or specific order minimums.

Subway (via Delivery Apps)

Subway partners with Uber Eats and GrubHub for National Cookie Day freebies.

Uber Eats: Users can earn a free Double Chocolate Peppermint Footlong Cookie with every $20 purchase (Dec. 2-8). UberOne members receive the same freebie with a lower order minimum of $15.
GrubHub: Users receive a free Footlong Cookie with every $20 purchase (Dec. 4-10).

Great American Cookies

Offer: A free Cookie Cake slice with the purchase of another slice in-store on December 4.

Milk Bar & McCormick

Offer: The first 100 customers at four specific Milk Bar locations receive a free Candy Cane Pretzel Bark Cookie on December 4.
Restriction: No purchase necessary, but limited to specific locations and supply.

Insomnia Cookies

Offer: Insomnia Rewards members receive one free classic cookie and a $1 deluxe cookie (in-store and online) on December 4-5.

General Trends in Bakery Promotions

The source material reveals consistent patterns in how brands structure holiday freebies:

Rewards Program Dependency: The vast majority of free offers (Paris Baguette, Susie Cakes, Insomnia Cookies, Cracker Barrel, The Cheesecake Factory) require active membership in a rewards program, app download, or newsletter subscription.
Purchase Requirements: Many "free" items are actually "free with purchase," requiring a minimum spend (e.g., Cracker Barrel's $10 minimum, delivery app order minimums) or the purchase of a second item (BOGO deals).
Time Sensitivity: All offers are strictly limited to specific dates, often ranging from 24 hours to one week.
Geographic Variance: Most offers are valid only at participating locations, requiring customers to verify store participation before visiting.

Conclusion

National Cake Day and National Chocolate Cake Day provide U.S. consumers with various opportunities to secure free cake slices and discounts, though nearly all verified offers require enrollment in brand loyalty programs or app usage. Paris Baguette leads the National Cake Day (November 26) offerings with a BOGO cake slice deal for PB Rewards members, while Susie Cakes offers free cupcakes for new app users. For National Chocolate Cake Day (January 27), Cracker Barrel provides a free slice of chocolate cake with a $10 dine-in purchase, and The Cheesecake Factory offers a future dining credit for gift card purchases. Consumers interested in these promotions should prepare by downloading relevant apps or signing up for newsletters prior to the specific promotion dates to ensure eligibility.