During the 2021 vaccination campaign, numerous brands, businesses, and government initiatives launched promotional programs to encourage COVID-19 vaccination. These offers ranged from free food and beverages to retail discounts, gift cards, and even lottery-style prizes. The following guide compiles the specific freebies and incentives documented in the provided source material, detailing the types of rewards, eligibility requirements, and redemption processes as reported. It is important to note that the offers and their associated deadlines have largely expired, as the source documents were published in 2021. The information is presented for historical reference, illustrating the scope of corporate and public health incentive programs during that period.
The variety of incentives reflected a broad-based strategy to reach different demographics. As noted in one source, using diverse incentives—ranging from free food to cash and gift cards—was seen as a way to encourage people with different motivations to get vaccinated. The offers included immediate rewards, such as free doughnuts or beer, and longer-term opportunities like sweepstakes for flights or cash prizes.
Food and Beverage Freebies
A significant portion of the incentives came from the food and beverage industry, with several major national chains offering free products to vaccinated individuals.
Doughnuts and Pastries
Krispy Kreme offered one of the most widely publicized and enduring promotions. Individuals could present their vaccination card at any Krispy Kreme location in the U.S. to receive a free Original Glazed doughnut. The offer was valid "anytime, any day, even every day—through the remainder of 2021," with no limit on the number of times a person could redeem it. This was one of the few offers with a deadline extending beyond the first half of 2021.
Another notable offer came from Junior's, a famous Brooklyn cheesecake restaurant. According to a report, New York customers could get a free mini cheesecake upon showing their vaccination card.
Beer and Alcoholic Beverages
Several breweries and beer brands created promotions tied to vaccination. Budweiser launched a program where individuals could visit ABeerOnBud.com, upload proof of vaccination (such as a selfie with a vaccine sticker), and receive a $5 virtual debit card to purchase a beer at a bar. This giveaway was scheduled to end on May 16, 2021, or when all prizes were distributed.
Sam Adams offered a $7 credit through Cash App for those who shared a vaccine selfie on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #ShotForSam. This credit could be used to buy a Sam Adams beer or any other product. The promotion was set to end on May 15, 2021, or when 10,000 credits were distributed.
Brooklyn Brewery was also reported to be giving away free 4- and 6-packs of beer to those who showed their vaccine card, though the specific end date was noted as the end of April 2021.
Other Food and Beverage Offers
Shake Shack offered a free order of crinkle-cut fries to anyone who flashed their vaccine card (a physical card, not a sticker) at any U.S. location. This deal required the purchase of a burger or chicken sandwich and was valid through June 12, 2021.
So Good So You, a brand of probiotic juice shots, ran a "Get Your Shot, Get Our Shot" campaign. Participants could visit www.freejuiceshot.com to redeem a voucher for one 1.7-ounce cold-pressed juice at participating grocery stores.
For New Yorkers, Nathan's Hot Dogs offered a free hot dog at its Coney Island location on the same day an individual received their vaccine.
In Cleveland, Ohio, Chagrin Cinemas offered a free 44-ounce popcorn with any purchase upon showing a vaccination card through April 30, 2021.
Rumbleseat Bar & Grille in Chicopee, Massachusetts, offered a 20 percent discount on dine-in orders on Mondays for those who presented their vaccination card.
In Phoenix, Arizona, the Mint Dispensary offered free edibles to individuals over 21 who presented a legitimate vaccination card.
Retail and Service Discounts
Beyond food, several retail and service businesses offered discounts or free services to vaccinated individuals.
Lamination Services
A common practical concern was the preservation of the paper CDC vaccination card. Three major office-supply chains offered free lamination services. Staples provided free lamination through May 1, 2021, using a specific code. Office Depot and OfficeMax also offered free lamination through July 25, 2021, using a different code. This was highlighted as a practical offer to protect the official proof of vaccination.
Arcades and Entertainment
The Up-Down KC arcade bar in Kansas City, Missouri, offered 20 free tokens to play games to those who presented their vaccination card three weeks after receiving both shots.
Travel
United Airlines launched the "Your Shot to Fly" sweepstakes, which gave away round-trip flights for two every single day in June 2021. On July 1, 2021, five grand-prize winners were selected to receive a year's worth of free flights for themselves and a companion, valid to any destination United flies.
Hospitality
Bab Al Shams Desert Resort in Dubai offered a 25 percent discount on dining and hotel bookings to guests from the United Arab Emirates only, through April 30, 2021.
Cash Prizes and Lotteries
Government and state-run incentive programs offered substantial cash prizes and scholarships. The most prominent example was Ohio’s Vax-a-Million campaign. This program allowed vaccinated adults to enter a drawing for one of five $1 million awards. For residents between 12 and 17 years old, the prizes were five four-year scholarships to an Ohio state school, including room and board, tuition, and books. An Associated Press analysis cited in the source material indicated that vaccinations in Ohio increased by 33 percent after the lottery was announced.
Employer Incentives
Many companies implemented their own incentive programs for employees. These varied widely and included paid time off, gift cards, or direct cash payments. The source material did not provide specific examples of which companies offered what, but it confirmed that such programs were a common part of the broader incentive landscape.
Important Considerations and Limitations
The offers detailed above were based on reports from 2021. Most had specific deadlines or limited quantities, and they are no longer available. The source material is a collection of promotional news articles and does not constitute a real-time database of current offers.
Furthermore, the reliability of information varied. While some offers came from official brand announcements (e.g., Krispy Kreme's national program), others were reported by third-party news outlets. The source material did not include direct links to all official sign-up pages or terms of service for every offer. For example, the Budweiser and Sam Adams promotions required visiting specific websites, but the provided source chunks did not include the full URLs or detailed terms of service for those pages.
Eligibility requirements were generally straightforward for most retail offers: presentation of a physical or digital CDC vaccination card. Some promotions, like the United Airlines sweepstakes, likely required registration or entry through a dedicated portal, but the specific process was not detailed in the provided chunks.
Conclusion
The period following the initial rollout of COVID-19 vaccines saw a unique convergence of public health goals and corporate marketing. A wide array of freebies and incentives—from daily doughnuts to million-dollar lotteries—were deployed to encourage vaccination. These programs represented a significant effort by brands to align with public health messaging and reward individuals for participating in a collective health effort. While the specific offers have since expired, they serve as a case study in how corporate and governmental incentives can be mobilized during a public health crisis. For consumers, the key takeaway is to always verify the terms, conditions, and validity of any promotional offer directly with the sponsoring brand or organization, as details and deadlines are subject to change.