National Teacher Appreciation Day in 2017 provided a variety of free offers and special promotions for educators across Texas. These initiatives were part of National Teacher Appreciation Week, which ran from May 5 through May 9, 2017. The week was designed to recognize the contributions of teachers, administrators, and school staff through complimentary food, beverages, and other perks from various businesses. Offers varied by location, date, and specific eligibility requirements, with many requiring proof of employment such as a valid school identification badge.
Several major restaurant chains and local establishments participated in the celebrations, providing free meals, discounted items, and entry opportunities for larger prizes. The promotions were concentrated around specific dates, particularly May 2, May 3, May 9, and May 10, 2017. While some deals were available nationwide, others were specifically targeted to the North Texas area.
Participating Brands and Available Offers
The following brands and businesses offered specific promotions for educators during the 2017 National Teacher Appreciation period in Texas.
Cicis Pizza
Cicis Pizza, based in Coppell, Texas, offered a free adult buffet to teachers and school staff on Tuesday, May 9, 2017. The promotion was valid from 11 a.m. until closing time. * Eligibility: The offer extended to educators, including teachers, teachers' aids, administrators, custodians, and bus drivers. * Requirements: Participants were required to present an official ID badge issued by any local elementary, middle, or high school, whether public or private. * Inclusions: The free buffet included unlimited pizza, pasta, soup, salad, and dessert. * Exclusions: Beverages were not included in the free offer; participants were required to purchase their own drinks.
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A offered free meals to educators on Tuesday, May 2, 2017. The promotion was valid at all North Texas Chick-fil-A restaurants, available both inside the restaurant and at the drive-thru. * Offer: While the chicken biscuit was not available due to the time of day (starting after breakfast hours), chicken sandwiches were offered while supplies lasted. * Eligibility: The offer was strictly for teachers, educators, and school administrators. * Requirements: A valid school ID was required to redeem the offer.
Chipotle
Chipotle participated in Teacher Appreciation Week with multiple offers in 2017. * May 2, 2017 (North Texas): Chipotle offered a buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO) deal on burritos, bowls, salads, or tacos. This offer was valid from 3 p.m. until closing for in-restaurant orders only. A school ID was required. * May 3, 2017 (Ithaca, Texas context): A similar BOGO offer was available from 3 p.m. to close. Valid ID was required, including identification from preschool, elementary, middle, high school, community college, or university, or a home school ID card. The offer was limited to one free item per educator and was valid only for orders placed inside the restaurant; online or app orders were not eligible. * May 9, 2017 (National Entry): Chipotle launched a sweepstakes where teachers could sign up online for a chance to win a free burrito. Chipotle allocated $1 million worth of food for this promotion. Entrants were randomly selected to receive a free e-gift card. Sign-ups were open until May 13, 2017.
McDonald's
McDonald's restaurants in North Texas offered a free breakfast Extra Value Meal to teachers with a valid ID. This offer was available on two consecutive days: * Dates: Wednesday, May 10, and Thursday, May 11, 2017. * Time: The deal was valid from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on both days.
World of Beer
World of Beer locations in Arlington and Fort Worth offered free beverages to educators. * Dates: The offer was advertised for May 2 and May 9, 2017. * Offer: Educators could receive a free Angry Orchard Crisp or Samuel Adams beer. * Requirements: A valid educator ID was required to redeem the drink.
Burger King
Burger King participated in National Teachers' Day on May 6, 2017 (which fell within the May 5-9 appreciation week). * Offer: A free Whopper Jr. * Requirements: The offer required a purchase worth one dollar or more, and a valid teacher ID.
Insomnia Cookies
Insomnia Cookies offered a buy-one-get-one-free deal on Classic cookies. * Dates: The offer was valid until May 11, 2017. * Requirements: Customers were required to show a valid teacher ID at checkout. * Restrictions: The offer was available in-store only.
Jimmy John's
Jimmy John's hosted a nationwide Customer Appreciation Day on May 2, 2017. * Offer: Sub sandwiches were available for $1. * Time: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. * Eligibility: While not exclusively for teachers, this was noted as an alternative option for those who might not have been able to redeem the specific teacher offers earlier in the day.
Sonic
Sonic offered deals to members of the Sonic Teachers’ Circle Rewards program during the appreciation week. Specific details on the deals were not provided in the source material, but participation was confirmed for teachers enrolled in the rewards program.
Sweepstakes and Non-Food Promotions
Beyond immediate food and beverage offers, some brands utilized sweepstakes formats to distribute free items. * Chipotle Sweepstakes: As noted, Chipotle provided a randomized drawing for free e-gift cards rather than an immediate guarantee of a free burrito for all who signed up. The sign-up period extended beyond the immediate appreciation day to May 13, 2017. * Whataburger Sweepstakes: While National Cheeseburger Day occurred on a different date, Whataburger was mentioned in the context of honoring public employees, including teachers. The promotion involved a sweepstakes where ordering specific items through the app or online could win 52 coupons for free Whataburgers.
Eligibility and Verification Standards
Strict verification processes were in place to ensure that offers were redeemed only by eligible educators. The primary form of verification across almost all participating brands was the presentation of an official school ID badge. * Accepted Identification: Official ID badges issued by local elementary, middle, or high schools (public or private) were the standard requirement. * Expanded Eligibility: Chipotle expanded their definition of valid ID to include college and university faculty and staff, as well as home school identification cards. * Scope of Staff: Eligibility often extended beyond classroom teachers to include administrators, custodians, bus drivers, and teachers' aids, as seen with the Cicis Pizza and Chick-fil-A promotions.
Geographic and Logistical Limitations
Several offers were geographically restricted. * North Texas Focus: Chick-fil-A, McDonald's, and World of Beer specifically targeted the North Texas area for their 2017 promotions. * In-Restaurant Only: Chipotle and Insomnia Cookies required customers to be physically present in the store to redeem offers. Chipotle explicitly excluded online and app orders for their BOGO deal. * Supply Limitations: Chick-fil-A noted that free sandwiches were available "while supplies last," indicating a potential cap on the number of free items per location.
Other Appreciation Activities
Source material also referenced educational resource giveaways. A blog post tagged "free" listed various digital freebies available for teachers, such as printable gift tags, coloring pages, clipart, and classroom activities. These items, provided by designers and educators such as "A Few Good Designs by Shannon Few" and "The Whole Child Teacher," were available for download during the appreciation period. These offers differ from the restaurant promotions as they are educational materials rather than food or beverage items.
Conclusion
National Teacher Appreciation Day 2017 in Texas was marked by a wide range of free food and beverage offers from major restaurant chains including Cicis Pizza, Chick-fil-A, Chipotle, McDonald's, Burger King, and World of Beer. The majority of these offers required valid school identification and were concentrated around May 2, May 3, May 9, and May 10, 2017. While many deals were specific to the North Texas region, others, such as the Chipotle sweepstakes, were available to educators nationwide. The promotions highlighted the importance of verifying specific location participation and adhering to time-sensitive redemption windows.