National Chocolate Cake Day, celebrated annually on January 27, provides U.S. consumers with opportunities to enjoy free chocolate cake slices, discounts, and special promotions from various restaurant chains and bakery groups. The available source material identifies specific offers for this holiday, with the majority of verified deals requiring membership in brand-specific rewards programs, app sign-ups, or a minimum purchase. Several brands, including Cracker Barrel, The Cheesecake Factory, and Craveables Cafe, have structured their promotions to reward loyalty program members or in-store diners with free items or value-added incentives.
National Chocolate Cake Day Offers (January 27)
The primary National Chocolate Cake Day offers documented in the source material center on sit-down restaurant chains and bakery cafes. These deals generally require digital engagement through rewards apps or in-person dining with a minimum spend.
Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel offers a free dessert item contingent on a minimum food purchase for dine-in customers only. - Offer: A free slice of Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake. - Eligibility: The deal is available to dine-in customers only. - Requirement: Customers must spend a minimum of $10 to qualify for the free cake slice.
The Cheesecake Factory
The Cheesecake Factory promotes National Chocolate Cake Day with a gift card purchase incentive rather than an immediate free food item. - Offer: A $10 dining credit. - Eligibility: Cheesecake Rewards members. - Requirement: Members must purchase $50 worth of gift cards online through their rewards account. - Redemption: The $10 dining credit is issued by February 18. The credit is valid for use between February 19 and March 31.
Craveables Cafe
Craveables Cafe offers a "Buy 2, Get 1 Free" promotion specifically for chocolate cake slices on January 27. - Offer: Buy any two cake slices (flavors such as carrot cake, red velvet, or cheesecake) and receive a free chocolate cake slice (options include chocolate lava cake or old-fashioned chocolate cake). - Restrictions: The offer is valid only on National Chocolate Cake Day. It cannot be combined with other promotions, and there is a limit of one entry per table.
National Cake Day Offers (November 26)
While distinct from National Chocolate Cake Day, the broader National Cake Day (November 26) provides relevant context regarding bakery freebies and loyalty program structures. The offers for this holiday highlight the trend of requiring app membership or specific order minimums.
Paris Baguette
Paris Baguette offers National Cake Day promotions exclusively to members of their PB Rewards program. The specific offer varies slightly by year but consistently requires membership status. - 2025 Offer: On November 26, 2025, PB Rewards members are eligible for a buy-one, get-one (BOGO) free offer on cake slices.
Susie Cakes
Susie Cakes offers free cupcakes for new app users on National Cake Day. - Eligibility: New app users. - Offer: A free cupcake.
General Trends in Bakery and Restaurant Promotions
The source material reveals consistent patterns in how brands structure holiday freebies for both National Cake Day and National Chocolate Cake Day.
- Rewards Program Dependency: The vast majority of free offers require active membership in a rewards program, app download, or newsletter subscription. Examples include Paris Baguette, Susie Cakes, Cracker Barrel, and The Cheesecake Factory.
- Purchase Requirements: Many "free" items are actually "free with purchase," requiring a minimum spend (e.g., Cracker Barrel's $10 minimum) or the purchase of a second item (BOGO deals).
- Time Sensitivity: All offers are strictly limited to specific dates, often ranging from 24 hours to one week.
- Geographic Variance: Most offers are valid only at participating locations, requiring customers to verify store participation before visiting.
Related Food Holiday Promotions
The source material also details offers for related food holidays, such as National Chocolate Day (October 28) and National Cookie Day (December 4), which further illustrate the promotional strategies used by bakery and food brands.
National Chocolate Day (October 28)
Deals on this day focus on chocolate treats and often involve delivery app partnerships or costume-based incentives. - Insomnia Cookies: Offers a free cookie for customers who wear a costume (October 27-31). Additionally, first responders who spend $5 in-store can receive a free six-pack of cookies on October 28 (uniform or ID required). - Carvel: Offers a $5 discount on orders of $20 or more placed through Grubhub or DoorDash.
National Cookie Day (December 4)
This holiday features partnerships between bakery chains and delivery apps, requiring app membership or order minimums for free items. - Subway (via Delivery Apps): - Uber Eats: Users can earn a free Double Chocolate Peppermint Footlong Cookie with every $20 purchase (Dec. 2-8). UberOne members receive the same freebie with a lower order minimum of $15. - GrubHub: Users receive a free Footlong Cookie with every $20 purchase (Dec. 4-10). - Great American Cookies: Offers a free Cookie Cake slice with the purchase of another slice in-store on December 4. - Milk Bar & McCormick: The first 100 customers at four specific Milk Bar locations receive a free Candy Cane Pretzel Bark Cookie on December 4. No purchase is necessary, but the offer is limited to specific locations and supply. - Insomnia Cookies: Insomnia Rewards members receive one free classic cookie and a $1 deluxe cookie (in-store and online) on December 4-5.
Consumer Preparation and Strategy
Consumers interested in these promotions should prepare by downloading relevant apps or signing up for newsletters prior to the specific promotion dates to ensure eligibility. For in-store offers, verifying store participation and understanding the specific terms (such as minimum spend or exclusions) is critical. The deals are time-sensitive and often limited to one per customer or table, so planning ahead is recommended.
Conclusion
National Chocolate Cake Day and related food holidays provide U.S. consumers with structured opportunities for free or discounted bakery items. The promotions are predominantly tied to brand loyalty programs, requiring digital engagement or minimum purchases. While offers vary by brand and year, the consistent themes of rewards program dependency, purchase requirements, and time sensitivity are clear. Consumers seeking to take advantage of these deals should monitor official brand communications and prepare by enrolling in relevant programs ahead of the promotion dates. The source material emphasizes that all verified offers require proactive enrollment and that geographic availability may vary by location.