Tax Day 2019, falling on Monday, April 15, served as a significant promotional event for numerous national and regional brands. Businesses across the food, beverage, and wellness sectors utilized the tax filing deadline to offer free products, discounted meals, and special services to consumers. These offers ranged from complimentary cookies and biscuits to reduced-cost meal packages and free massages. The availability of these promotions was generally limited to participating locations on the specific date, with some extending through the surrounding weekend or the entire month of April.
The following guide details the specific freebies and deals available on Tax Day 2019, based on verified reports and official announcements from that period. It categorizes these offers by restaurant and retail brand, outlines eligibility requirements, and notes geographic restrictions where applicable.
Major Restaurant Freebies and Deals
Several national restaurant chains offered high-value freebies on April 15, 2019, requiring minimal effort from customers to redeem them.
Sonny’s BBQ
Sonny’s BBQ offered a significant discount on their rib dinners. On Monday, April 15, customers could purchase Sweet & Smokey or House Dry-Rubbed St. Louis Style Rib dinners at half price. These meals included two sides and bread. No coupon was required to take advantage of this offer at participating locations.
Great American Cookies
Great American Cookies participated in Tax Day 2019 by giving away a free Original Chocolate Chip Cookie at participating locations on Monday, April 15. This offer provided a simple treat for customers filing their taxes.
Hardee’s
Hardee’s offered a free Sausage Biscuit during breakfast hours, specifically from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Monday, April 15. To redeem this freebie, customers were required to say the phrase, “Made from scratch.” The offer was limited to one per customer, strictly while supplies lasted, and was available at participating locations.
FireHouse Subs
FireHouse Subs provided a coupon valid from April 15 through April 17 for a free Medium Sub. This offer required a purchase; specifically, customers needed to buy a Medium Sub or larger and a drink to receive the free Medium Sub. The coupon was available on the brand's social media pages and could be printed or shown on a phone. This offer was valid at participating locations.
Boston Market
Boston Market featured a Tax Day meal special available on Monday, April 15, for $10.40. This meal consisted of a half chicken individual meal with two sides, cornbread, and a regular fountain beverage drink. The offer was available while supplies last, both in-restaurant and for online delivery orders.
California Tortilla
California Tortilla offered free Chips and Queso with any purchase on Monday, April 15. Customers were required to say the phrase “1040” when placing their order to redeem the offer. It was valid for one free small chips and queso per guest, in-store only, and could not be combined with other offers or used for online or delivery orders.
Hot Dog on a Stick
Hot Dog on a Stick gave away one free Turkey or Veggie Dog at participating locations on Monday, April 15. The offer was limited to one per customer and did not require a purchase or proof of completed taxes.
Kona Ice
Kona Ice celebrated Tax Day as its National “Chill Out Day.” The brand offered a free cup of tropical shaved ice from their island-inspired trucks during select hours on Monday. Participating hours and locations were available on the Kona Ice website.
Applebee’s
Applebee’s offered a seasonal drink special throughout April 2019: the Strawberry Dollarita. Priced at $1 at participating locations, this drink contained tequila, strawberry, and margarita mix, served on the rocks with a Twizzlers candy straw. While not exclusive to Tax Day, it was a prominent April 2019 offer.
B.GOOD
B.GOOD promoted a free food offer for new app users from April 15 through April 20. New users could choose a free green or grain bowl or a burger. Existing app users could get free fries with any purchase at participating locations.
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse offered half off large deep dish or Tavern-Cut Pizzas on Monday, April 15. This deal was available for dine-in, take-out, or delivery.
Drink Specials and Nightlife Offers
Beyond food, several establishments offered discounted beverages and nightlife experiences to mark the end of tax season.
Acapulco
Acapulco restaurants offered $3 margaritas. Additionally, members of their eclub could receive a free appetizer upon signup and a free entree on their birthday. Acapulco Restaurant Y Cantina is located in Southern California.
Divine Lounge
Divine Lounge, located within the Ivy Hotel in Chicago, offered a 10% discount on the entire bill on Monday, April 15. This offer applied to their menu of cocktails and elevated bites.
Cachette 1907 at Le Pavillon
Cachette 1907 at Le Pavillon served a special “Income Tax” cocktail for $10.40 on April 15. The cocktail featured rum, pineapple, orange juice, and coconut cream.
Wellness and Service Offers
A notable non-food offer provided stress relief for taxpayers.
HydroMassage and Planet Fitness
HydroMassage and Planet Fitness partnered for the 11th annual Free Massage During Tax Week. Free massages were available to both members and non-members at over 1,700 Planet Fitness locations through April 20.
Other Retail and Delivery Offers
Several other brands offered delivery discounts or app-based incentives.
7-Eleven
7-Eleven offered a deal for Tax Day 2019: customers could order a $5 pizza through the 7NOW delivery service.
Bite Squad and Waitr
Bite Squad and Waitr offered no delivery fees on orders of $20 or more using the promo code TAXDAY19. Bite Squad served specific states including AR, FL, HI, MN, MI, NC, ND, OH, OK, SC, SD, TN, TX, and WI.
Arby’s
Arby’s offered free Value Curly Fries on Tax Day. Additionally, customers who joined the Arby’s VIP Extras Club could get 50% off any sandwich.
Applebees (Gift Card Bonus)
In addition to drink specials, Applebees offered a bonus $10 gift card when customers purchased a $50 Applebees Gift Card.
Geographic Availability and Restrictions
While many of these offers were national, several were regionally specific. Consumers needed to verify participation with local establishments.
- Acapulco: Located in Southern California.
- B.Good: Locations in MA, CT, ME, NH, NY, RI, and TX.
- Bite Squad: Served AR, FL, HI, MN, MI, NC, ND, OH, OK, SC, SD, TN, TX, and WI.
- Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt (Green Leaf’s): Locations in CA, FL, LA, MD, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, PA, TN, TX, and VA.
- Hooters: A list of participating locations was available online.
- Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken: Locations in Downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica.
Conclusion
Tax Day 2019 provided a diverse array of freebies and deals for U.S. consumers. The promotions highlighted a mix of free food items with no purchase necessary (e.g., Great American Cookies, Hardee’s), free items with a purchase (e.g., FireHouse Subs, California Tortilla), and significant discounts on meals and beverages (e.g., Sonny’s BBQ, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse). The majority of these offers were strictly limited to Monday, April 15, 2019, and participation varied by location. Consumers were advised to confirm offer details with specific stores and restaurants before visiting.