Teacher Appreciation Week 2017 Freebies and Discounts in Arizona

Teacher Appreciation Week in 2017 offered a wide array of freebies and discounts specifically for educators, with many deals concentrated around May 2 and extending through the week of May 8-12. For teachers in Arizona, opportunities ranged from free meals and snacks at popular restaurants to significant savings on retail purchases, entertainment tickets, and classroom supplies. The offers generally required proof of educator status, such as a valid school ID, and many were available at participating locations across the state.

Restaurant and Food Offers

Several national and regional food chains provided special deals for teachers during the 2017 Teacher Appreciation Week. These offers primarily required a valid school ID and were valid on specific dates.

Chipotle

Chipotle offered a buy-one-get-one free deal for teachers, faculty, and staff on May 2, 2017. The promotion was valid from 3:00 p.m. until closing for burritos, burrito bowls, salads, or orders of tacos. A valid school ID was required to redeem the offer. Some sources noted a similar deal was available on May 7, also from 3:00 p.m. to close. One source mentioned a limit of one per educator and specified that the offer excluded online orders and required the purchase of another menu item.

Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A locations offered free items to teachers on May 2, 2017, between 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Teachers could choose between a free 3-count Chick-n-Mini’s or a free Chicken Sandwich upon presenting a valid ID. Another source indicated that many franchises would offer free sandwiches on May 7, but advised checking with the local franchise for participation.

Organ Stop Pizza

Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa, Arizona, provided free pizza to teachers from May 1 through May 5, 2017. The offer was for dine-in only and was available to K-12 teachers. Educators could enjoy any size pizza with limitless toppings.

McAlister's Deli

McAlister's Deli offered a free cup of tea to teachers from May 6 to 10, 2017.

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen allowed teachers to receive a free appetizer with the purchase of an entree from May 6 to 10, 2017.

Cici's Pizza

Cici's Pizza offered one free visit to their pizza buffet on May 7, 2017, with a printable coupon.

MOD Pizza

MOD Pizza offered a buy-one-get-one free deal on pizzas and salads on May 7, 2017.

Raising Cane's

Raising Cane's provided a free box combo to teachers and school faculty on May 7, 2017, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Einstein Bros. Bagels

Einstein Bros. Bagels offered buy-one-get-one free egg sandwiches or 20% off an order with coupons during the appreciation period.

Hopdoddy

Hopdoddy offered one free small shake to teachers who presented their ID from May 6-10, 2017, at locations in Texas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

Harkins Theaters

Harkins Theaters provided a free medium popcorn with every $25 purchase during Teacher Appreciation Week. Another source noted that educators would receive a free medium popcorn when seeing a movie.

InterContinental Stephen F. Austin Hotel

While located in Texas, this hotel offered one free glass of house wine or the signature cocktail, La Paloma, with proof of ID on May 7, 2019.

Food Lion

Food Lion offered a 5% discount on total purchases for teachers, faculty, and staff on May 2, 2017.

Retail and Service Discounts

Beyond food, numerous retailers and service providers offered percentage-based discounts to educators.

Shopping and Apparel

Old Navy: Teachers received a 20% discount on their total purchase during Teacher Appreciation Week.
Talbots: Educators saved 15% on regular-priced items every day with a valid teacher ID.
Banana Republic: A 15% discount was available on full-priced in-store purchases with valid ID.
Roxy: Teachers received a 15% discount on all orders.
Michael’s: Teachers received 15% off purchases in-store only.

Entertainment and Travel

Sea World: Active K-12 teachers in California and Arizona were eligible for a 2017 Teacher Fun Card, which included two free single-day tickets valid through December 30, 2017.

Education and Supplies

Staples: Through the Staples Teacher Rewards program, educators earned between 5% and 10% in rewards for classroom purchases.
Barnes & Noble: Educators could join the Barnes & Noble Educator Program to receive 20% off regular-priced items for use in the classroom. Another source noted 25% off during Educator Appreciation Days and 20% off year-round.
Summitsoft: Teachers saved 50% on all products.
PersonalizationMall.com: Educators received 25% off through the end of April 2017.
Adobe: Teachers and students received 60% off a Creative Cloud purchase.

Home and Other

Gel Pro: A 25% discount on gel mat purchases was available through the end of 2017 with code MOM2017.

Digital and Printable Resources

The Scholastic Store offered free digital resources for teachers during the appreciation week. Educators could download 100 free printables and five free posters for their classrooms.

Local Arizona Highlights

Specific Arizona-based offers included the free pizza deal at Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa and the popcorn promotion at Harkins Theaters. Additionally, some sources mentioned surprise giveaways of free coffee and donuts for teachers and schools across the Valley during the week.

General Eligibility and Requirements

Most offers required teachers to present a valid school identification card to redeem discounts or free items. Some promotions were valid only on specific days, such as May 2 or May 7, and had specific time windows (e.g., after 3:00 p.m.). Participation could vary by location, particularly for franchise-owned restaurants like Chick-fil-A, so checking with local stores was recommended.

Conclusion

The 2017 Teacher Appreciation Week provided substantial opportunities for Arizona educators to save on dining, shopping, and entertainment. With offers spanning from May 1 through May 10, teachers could access free meals, discounted retail items, and free classroom resources by simply presenting their school ID. The variety of participating brands, from fast-casual restaurants to major retailers, underscored a widespread effort to acknowledge the work of educators.