Tax Day 2015 offered a variety of free food items and discounts across numerous restaurant chains to reward consumers for filing their taxes. These promotions were available on April 15, 2015, and included a mix of absolutely free items, buy-one-get-one offers, and discounts. The deals were often accompanied by specific requirements, such as making a purchase, singing a song, or signing up for email clubs. Below is a detailed overview of the available offers based on the provided information.
Major Restaurant Chains Offering Freebies
Several well-known restaurant chains participated in Tax Day promotions in 2015. These offers ranged from free burgers and cookies to discounted meals and desserts.
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe offered a free Local Legendary Burger to customers who participated in their "Sing for Your Supper" event. To receive the free burger, customers were required to sing an entire rock song on stage at the restaurant. Lyrics were provided for the performance. This event took place on April 15, 2015, and was available at Hard Rock Cafe locations, including the one in downtown San Diego on 4th Avenue, where it ran from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Great American Cookies
Great American Cookies provided one free sugar cookie per customer on April 15, 2015. No purchase was necessary to receive the free cookie.
Boston Market
Boston Market offered a buy-one-get-one-free deal on individual meals at its restaurants nationwide. The offer was valid with any individual meal, whole sandwich, whole sandwich combo, salad bowl, or Market Bowl. There was a limit of three BOGOs per person, and kids' meals were not included. No coupon was needed for this promotion.
KFC
KFC offered a free red velvet cake with the purchase of a 10-piece or larger family meal on April 15, 2015.
Sonic Drive-In
Sonic Drive-In offered half-price cheeseburgers all day on April 15, 2015.
McDonald's
McDonald's offered a buy-one-get-one-for-a-penny deal on Big Macs and Quarter Pounders with Cheese on April 15, 2015. Customers who purchased one Big Mac or Quarter Pounder with Cheese could get another for only a penny. This offer was available at select locations, including Bay area restaurants.
Arby's
Arby's offered a free Jamoca Shake with the purchase of any sandwich. This offer was valid only until April 14, 2015. Additionally, Arby's announced that they would not be giving away curly fries as they had in years past.
Baskin Robbins
Baskin Robbins offered a buy-one-cone-get-one-free deal with a coupon. This offer was valid until April 24, 2015.
Ben and Jerry's
Ben and Jerry's offered a Free Cone Day.
California Tortilla
California Tortilla restaurants offered free chips and queso (or salsa) to any customer who made a purchase and said, "Taxes, Shmaxes."
TGI Fridays
TGI Fridays offered free chips and salsa to Get More Stripes members. This was available every day, not just on Tax Day.
Bruegger's Bagels
Bruegger's Bagels offered a "Tax Day break" on its Big Bagel Bundles, which included a choice of 13 bagels plus two tubs of cream cheese. The bundle was priced at $10.40 on Tax Day, representing a discount of about $3.50 from the original price. This deal was available to those who signed up for the Bruegger's email club.
Burger King
Burger King offered a free Whopper with the purchase of a Whopper on April 15, 2015.
Beef O' Brady
Beef O' Brady offered 15 percent off purchases on April 15, 2015.
Sonny's BBQ
Sonny's BBQ offered a half-price rib dinner plate all day on April 15, 2015, at participating Bay area locations.
Kona Ice
Kona Ice was mentioned as one of the chains offering Tax Day freebies, though specific details of the offer were not provided in the source material.
Non-Food Freebies and Discounts
In addition to food-related offers, some businesses provided other types of freebies or discounts on Tax Day.
Office Supplies and Shredding Services
Staples offered free shredding for up to two pounds of documents until May 2, 2015. Office Depot/Office Max offered two pounds of free shredding until April 29, 2015.
Retail Discounts
Barnes & Noble offered 20 percent off a single item through May 1, 2015, using the coupon code X8W8L3A when shopping online.
Pet Adoptions
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay offered a one-day special on adoptions of pets over four months old for $15 on Tax Day.
Coffee
Whole Foods Market's Carrollwood store in Tampa offered one free 12 oz. Allegro coffee from the coffee bar to customers who brought in their own reusable mug on April 15, 2015.
Special Promotions
Royal Caribbean Cruises
Royal Caribbean offered a promotion where they would pay cruise taxes, port charges, and fees for vacationers who booked a cruise of six nights or longer to the Bahamas, the Caribbean, or round-trip to Europe on Tax Day.
Tax Filing Assistance
For those who had not yet filed their taxes, information was available on how to obtain an automatic six-month extension. By filing Form 4868 through the "Free File" section on IRS.gov, taxpayers could request an extension of time to file.
Important Considerations
While many of these offers were widely available, some were limited to specific locations or regions, such as the Bay area or San Diego. Additionally, some deals required specific actions, such as signing up for an email club, making a purchase, or performing a song. It is important to note that offers could change or expire, and consumers were advised to check the specific details and availability at their local restaurants. The information provided is based on 2015 promotions and may not reflect current offers.
Conclusion
Tax Day 2015 provided an opportunity for consumers to enjoy free food and discounts from a variety of restaurant chains and other businesses. From free burgers and cookies to buy-one-get-one deals and discounted meals, there were numerous options to choose from. While many of these offers were tied to specific conditions, such as making a purchase or signing up for email lists, they served as a small reward for completing the annual tax filing process.