National Lasagna Day 2019 Restaurant Deals and Promotions

National Lasagna Day in 2019 offered consumers numerous opportunities to enjoy complimentary lasagna, discounted menu items, and special promotional offers at various restaurant chains. Celebrated annually on July 29, the holiday prompted several national and regional dining establishments to create limited-time deals designed to attract customers seeking value and celebrating the popular Italian dish. The promotions ranged from buy-one-get-one offers to free take-home meals and discounted multi-course options.

The availability of these deals was largely dependent on specific dates, geographic locations, and participation from individual franchise owners. While some offers were valid for a single day on July 29, others extended through the surrounding weekend or entire week. Consumers were generally required to mention the specific holiday promotion to their server or present a digital coupon to redeem the offers. The following sections detail the specific promotions, participating brands, and redemption requirements identified in the source documentation for National Lasagna Day 2019.

Participating Restaurant Chains and Offers

Bravo Cucina Italiana

Bravo Cucina Italiana participated in National Lasagna Day 2019 with a "buy one, take one home free" deal. This promotion was valid for two days, specifically on Sunday and Monday, July 28 and July 29, 2019. The offer allowed diners to purchase one meal and receive a second lasagna to take home. There is no indication in the source documentation regarding specific redemption requirements, such as mentioning a keyword or presenting a coupon, though standard practice for such offers typically requires the customer to inform the server of the intent to redeem the promotion.

BRIO Tuscan Grille

BRIO Tuscan Grille offered a similar "buy one, take one home free" promotion during the same timeframe as Bravo Cucina Italiana. The deal was valid on July 28 and July 29, 2019. The source documentation indicates that customers were required to show the offer to their server to redeem the deal. This suggests that a visual cue, such as a Facebook post or digital coupon, was likely necessary to activate the promotion. In some reports, this offer was also described as providing a free take-home lasagna with the purchase of one lasagna.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill

Carrabba’s Italian Grill provided a distinct variation of the lasagna promotion. Rather than requiring the purchase of a lasagna, Carrabba’s offered a free take-home lasagna when customers ordered any chicken or steak entrée. This offer was valid for dine-in customers only on July 29, 2019. Additionally, an extended version of this promotion was reported to be valid from July 27 through July 31. To redeem the offer at Carrabba’s, customers were required to mention the National Lasagna Day promotion to their server. Notably, Carrabba’s did not require a coupon for this specific deal; a verbal mention of "Lasagna Day" was sufficient.

Maggiano’s Little Italy

Maggiano’s Little Italy did not offer a direct free lasagna giveaway for National Lasagna Day 2019. Instead, the brand promoted a discount incentive tied to their marketing list. Customers could sign up for the Maggiano’s E-Club to receive $10 off their next visit. While this discount could be applied to a meal during the holiday period, it was a general sign-up offer rather than a specific holiday giveaway.

The Spaghetti Warehouse

The Spaghetti Warehouse offered a significant discount on their signature 15-Layer Lasagna for National Lasagna Day. On July 29, 2019, customers could purchase the 15-Layer Lasagna along with a choice of soup or salad for a price of $7. To redeem this offer, customers were required to present a coupon. The offer was valid for both lunch and dinner service on the designated date.

Romano’s Macaroni Grill

Romano’s Macaroni Grill was noted as celebrating National Lasagna Day throughout the weekend leading up to July 29. The specific details of the promotion were linked to a Facebook coupon, which was valid through Monday, July 29. While the exact nature of the discount (e.g., percentage off, free item) was not explicitly detailed in the source text, the presence of a coupon requirement suggests a discount-based offer rather than a full complimentary item.

Redemption Requirements and Restrictions

The redemption of National Lasagna Day 2019 offers generally followed specific protocols established by the participating restaurants. The primary requirements identified in the source data included:

Verbal Mention: At Carrabba’s Italian Grill, customers were required to verbally mention "Lasagna Day" or the specific offer to their server to receive the free take-home lasagna.
Coupon Presentation: The Spaghetti Warehouse required a physical or digital coupon to receive the $7 pricing on the 15-layer lasagna. Similarly, Romano’s Macaroni Grill required a Facebook coupon for redemption.
Visual Verification: For the BRIO Tuscan Grille and Bravo Cucina Italiana buy-one-get-one offers, customers were instructed to show the offer (likely via a mobile device or printed material) to their server.
Purchase Requirements: Several offers were contingent on the purchase of other menu items. For example, Carrabba’s required the purchase of a chicken or steak entrée to qualify for the free take-home lasagna. The "buy one, take one" offers at Bravo and BRIO inherently required the purchase of the first lasagna.
Dine-In Restrictions: Many of the offers, including those at Carrabba’s and Bravo, were restricted to dine-in customers only. This prevented customers from utilizing the deals for takeout or delivery orders unless specifically stated.
Geographic and Location Variability: Source documentation noted that deals were subject to participation from local franchise owners. This implies that not all locations of a national chain may have honored the promotion. Consumers were advised to check with local restaurants to confirm participation.

Related Food Holidays and Promotions

While National Lasagna Day was the primary focus, the source data also referenced other food holidays occurring in July 2019, providing context for the promotional environment.

National Chicken Wing Day (July 29): Coinciding with Lasagna Day, National Chicken Wing Day featured offers from Hooters (all-you-can-eat wings), WingStop (five free wings with purchase), and Buffalo Wild Wings (half-price wings).
National Cheesecake Day (July 28-29): The Cheesecake Factory offered half-price slices of cheesecake on July 29 and 30 for dine-in customers.
National Ice Cream Day (July 21): Occurring earlier in the month, this holiday was part of a series of "made-up food holidays" that included National Tequila Day and National French Fry Day.
Firehouse Subs Water Drive: On August 6, Firehouse Subs offered a free medium sub in exchange for an unopened 24-pack of bottled water, supporting community relief efforts.

These concurrent promotions highlight the competitive landscape of restaurant marketing during the summer months, where brands utilize specific food holidays to drive traffic and engagement.

Consumer Strategies for Maximizing Value

Based on the promotional structures observed for National Lasagna Day 2019, consumers looking to maximize value during similar future events should consider the following strategies:

Monitor Social Media and E-Clubs: Many offers, such as the discount at Maggiano’s and the coupon for Romano’s Macaroni Grill, were tied to email clubs or social media pages. Signing up for brand newsletters or following brands on platforms like Facebook is often a prerequisite for accessing digital coupons.
Verify Local Participation: National chains often allow franchisees to opt out of corporate promotions. Calling ahead to a local location to confirm they are honoring the specific holiday deal can prevent disappointment.
Understand Purchase Requirements: Consumers should carefully review whether an offer requires the purchase of a specific item (like the steak or chicken entrée at Carrabba’s) or if it is a standalone giveaway.
Timing of Redemption: Offers often have strict time windows, such as "11 a.m. to 2 p.m." or specific dates like July 28-29. Planning visits within these windows is essential.

Conclusion

National Lasagna Day 2019 provided a variety of cost-saving opportunities for consumers, ranging from full freebies with purchase to deeply discounted multi-course meals. The participating brands—including Bravo Cucina Italiana, BRIO Tuscan Grille, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, The Spaghetti Warehouse, and Maggiano’s—utilized the holiday to incentivize dine-in traffic and promote menu items. Successful redemption of these offers relied on consumer awareness of specific requirements, such as verbal mentions, coupon presentation, and purchase minimums. While these specific deals were limited to the 2019 calendar year, they serve as a representative example of the types of promotions consumers can expect during food-centric holidays.