Teacher Appreciation Week 2025, observed from May 5 through May 9, offers a variety of food deals, discounts, and freebies for educators across the United States. Participating brands include Chipotle, Whataburger, Chick-fil-A, McDonald's, Burger King, Buffalo Wild Wings, Rubio's Coastal Grill, Organ Stop Pizza, and Harkins Theatres. Additional promotions are available from office supply retailers, automotive companies, and travel providers. Most offers require verification of educator status, typically through a valid school ID or official employment documentation. Availability may vary by location, and some deals are limited to specific regions or participating outlets.
Overview of Teacher Appreciation Week 2025
Teacher Appreciation Week is a national observance in the United States held during the first full week of May. In 2025, the week runs from Monday, May 5, to Friday, May 9. The tradition began as a single day in the 1950s, after Arkansas school teacher Mattye White Woodridge advocated for a formal day to recognize educators. In 1953, Eleanor Roosevelt persuaded Congress to establish a national day for teachers. The celebration expanded to a full week in 1986.
The week provides an opportunity for businesses and organizations to offer promotions and freebies to educators. These offers acknowledge the contributions of teachers and support their professional and personal needs. The following sections detail available deals by category.
Food and Beverage Deals
Several fast-food and casual dining chains offer free items or discounts to teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week. Eligibility typically requires a valid school ID or proof of employment.
Chipotle
Chipotle is offering 100,000 teachers the chance to win a free burrito e-gift card. The promotion is also extended to 100,000 healthcare workers. Winners will be selected randomly. To claim the free burrito, recipients must verify their employment status within 48 hours of receiving the email notification. The specific verification process is not detailed in the source material.
Whataburger
Whataburger provides teachers with a free breakfast entrée during Teacher Appreciation Week. The offer is valid from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Monday through Friday, May 5–9. Educators must present a valid school ID to redeem. In addition to the free meal, Whataburger is awarding $1,000 to 75 educators in celebration of the company’s 75th anniversary. Nominations for educators can be submitted through the Whataburger Community Connections program.
Chick-fil-A
Participation in Teacher Appreciation Week deals varies by Chick-fil-A location, as each restaurant is independently owned and operated. A specific participating location in Lee Vista, near Orlando, Florida, is offering a daily free item to teachers and nurses from May 5 through May 12. The schedule is as follows:
- Monday, May 5: Free Medium Waffle Fry (wait time may apply during breakfast hours)
- Tuesday, May 6: Free Sausage Biscuit (6:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.)
- Wednesday, May 7: Free Cookie
- Thursday, May 8: Free 5-count Nugget
- Friday, May 9: Free Hashbrowns (6:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.)
- Saturday, May 10: Free Surprise Gift (while supplies last)
Educators are advised to contact their local Chick-fil-A to confirm participation and offer details.
McDonald's
At select McDonald’s locations, teachers can receive a free soft drink, sweet tea, or hot or iced drip coffee in any size on Tuesday, May 6. A valid teacher ID is required. The source material indicates that participating restaurants can be located through a provided link, though the specific URL is not included in the available data.
Burger King
Burger King offers free fries with any purchase to all customers during Teacher Appreciation Week. Teachers and the general public can redeem this offer.
Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings provides six boneless wings for $1 with the purchase of any Buffalo Wild Wings burger. This deal is available to teachers and all customers during the promotional period.
Rubio's Coastal Grill
Rubio's Coastal Grill designates Thursday during Teacher Appreciation Week as Teacher Appreciation Day. All teachers receive one free taco. The offer is dine-in only and requires a school ID. No coupon is necessary. Additionally, Rubio's provides free kids meal certificates to teachers for classroom distribution, while supplies last.
Organ Stop Pizza (Phoenix, Arizona)
Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa, Arizona, offers a voucher for a free pizza to K-12 teachers from May 1 through May 5. The free pizza can be any size with limitless toppings and is for dine-in only. This promotion is specific to the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Harkins Theatres (Arizona)
Harkins Theatres, a regional cinema chain in Arizona, gives educators a free medium popcorn with a movie ticket during Teacher Appreciation Week. The chain also surprises teachers and schools across the Valley with free coffee and donuts throughout the week.
Other Food and Beverage Notes
The source material mentions that some deals may require online registration or employment verification. It also notes that McDonald's and Chick-fil-A offers are limited to participating locations. Educators should check with individual restaurants for specific requirements and availability.
Retail and Office Supply Discounts
Office Depot and OfficeMax
Office Depot and OfficeMax are offering 30% back in Bonus Rewards on qualifying in-store purchases during Teacher Appreciation Week. This promotion is intended to help educators stock up on classroom supplies. Bonus Rewards are typically issued as store credit for future purchases.
Carmex Lip Balm (Gift Idea)
While not a direct freebie for teachers, the source material highlights Carmex Moisture Plus lip balm as a popular and affordable teacher appreciation gift. The lip balm is available for approximately $2.49 at Walmart, Walgreens, and Dollar General. The product features a sleek design, decorative wraps, an angled application tip, and includes sunscreen protection. Some bloggers and consumers create printable gift tags to accompany the lip balm as a token of appreciation.
Automotive and Travel Offers
Ford
Ford offers a $50 e-gift card to teachers who complete a virtual test drive by May 7. The e-gift card can be used to contribute to teacher requests on DonorsChoose, a platform for classroom funding. The virtual test drive is conducted online, and no physical dealership visit is required.
Cheap Caribbean
Cheap Caribbean provides an exclusive Hero Discount for teachers, healthcare workers, first responders, and military members. The discount offers $150 off all-inclusive getaways of five nights or more. This promotion supports educators seeking vacation opportunities.
Student and Classroom Resources
National Parks Pass for Fourth Graders
All fourth graders in the United States are eligible for a free National Parks pass for one year. The pass must be obtained through an online registration process, where fourth graders select parks they wish to visit and enter their zip code. The pass must be printed; electronic copies are not accepted. Each pass has a unique code and cannot be shared. Teachers can download an activity to print passes for their fourth-grade students.
Eligibility and Redemption Requirements
Most Teacher Appreciation Week offers require proof of educator status. Acceptable forms of verification include:
- Valid school ID
- Official employment documentation
- Email verification (for Chipotle burrito winners)
Some offers are limited to K-12 teachers, while others may extend to college professors or other education professionals. Certain promotions, such as the Chipotle burrito giveaway, are random drawings rather than guaranteed freebies for all educators.
Geographic restrictions apply to some offers. For example, Organ Stop Pizza and Harkins Theatres promotions are specific to Arizona. The Chick-fil-A detailed schedule is for a single location in Florida. Educators should verify local participation before attempting to redeem offers.
Historical Context
Teacher Appreciation Week originated from advocacy by Arkansas teacher Mattye White Woodridge in the 1940s. Eleanor Roosevelt’s efforts in 1953 led to the establishment of a national day for teachers. The celebration expanded to a full week in 1986. The week is now a widely recognized period for businesses to show appreciation through promotions and freebies.
Conclusion
Teacher Appreciation Week 2025 features a broad array of food deals, retail discounts, and educational resources for educators. Participating brands include Chipotle, Whataburger, Chick-fil-A, McDonald's, Burger King, Buffalo Wild Wings, Rubio's Coastal Grill, Organ Stop Pizza, Harkins Theatres, Office Depot/OfficeMax, Ford, and Cheap Caribbean. Most offers require verification of teacher status, and availability varies by location. Educators are encouraged to review specific terms and conditions for each promotion and confirm participation with local providers. Additional resources, such as the National Parks pass for fourth graders, provide further benefits for teachers and students.