The first day of summer, also known as the summer solstice, occurs on June 20, 2025. This event marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and is traditionally celebrated by various brands offering free samples, promotional deals, and exclusive discounts. For U.S. consumers, this period presents a unique opportunity to access no-cost product trials, free food items, and other brand freebies across multiple categories. The following guide details the verified offers available on this date, including eligibility requirements, redemption processes, and geographic restrictions where specified.
The information presented is compiled exclusively from provided source materials, which include official brand announcements, promotional landing pages, and verified deal aggregator reports. All factual claims regarding offer availability, terms, and conditions are drawn directly from these sources. Consumers are advised to verify details directly with participating brands, as offers may be subject to change, limited quantities, or specific location participation.
Verified Freebies and Deals for June 20, 2025
A range of freebies and discounts are available on the first day of summer, primarily from food and beverage, ice cream, and coffee chains. Many require membership in a brand’s rewards program or app. The following offers are confirmed for June 20, 2025, unless otherwise noted.
Food & Ice Cream Freebies
- Kroger: Shoppers can claim a free pint of Kroger-brand ice cream, including flavors from the "Summer in a Pint" collection, starting at 12:00 PM EST. A digital coupon must be claimed on the Kroger website, and 92,000 coupons are available. This offer is not available to shoppers in California, Colorado, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Nevada.
- Friendly’s: A free single scoop cone or dish of ice cream is available in-store or for carry-out. No purchase is necessary for this offer.
- Wayback Burgers: A free 12 oz vanilla shake is available in participating restaurants, one per person.
- Milkshake Factory: A buy-one-get-one (BOGO) deal on vanilla milkshakes is available all day to celebrate National Vanilla Milkshake Day.
- Sonic Drive-In: App users will have a free food item automatically loaded to their app, valid with any qualifying purchase.
- Cava: Rewards members receive a free order of classic pita chips or Hot Harissa Pita Chips. No purchase is necessary to redeem the reward, which is added to the member’s CAVA Rewards account.
- Shipley Do‑Nuts: A free glazed do-nut is available with any purchase, redeemable via the app or in-store.
- Salt & Straw: In-store customers can say “make it a double” to get their second scoop free.
- Krispy Kreme: A $2 Original Glazed dozen is available with the purchase of any dozen donuts. The deal is valid in-store and online for pickup and delivery using promo code SUMMER.
Beverage and Snack Freebies
- NESCAFÉ and SWOON: A free Espresso Lemonade kit is available starting at 12:00 PM EST. Specific claim instructions were not provided in the source material.
- Monster Energy: A free Monster Ultra Energy Drink is available at Pilot Flying J Travel Centers. This offer is available all day, every Friday.
- Dutch Bros Coffee: A free crazy straw is provided with every medium or large drink purchase starting at 3:00 PM on June 20.
- Smoothie King: Rewards app users can receive a free 12 oz Watermelon Hydration smoothie.
- Edible Arrangements: A free smoothie is offered at participating locations between June 16 and 21 to celebrate National Smoothie Day. Not all locations serve smoothies; consumers must check the company’s website or mobile app for participating stores.
- Cinnabon: A free Cinnabon x Zuru Mini Brands foodie pack is available when ordering a 4-count of bonbites, valid June 20–22.
- White Castle: A BOGO small shake deal is available after 8:00 PM from June 20–22 using code SUMMER.
- Casey’s General Store: A free frozen drink is available all day, every Friday.
- Frazil Slush: A free slush is available all day, every Friday.
Other Promotions and Rewards
- Scooter’s Coffee: Rewards members receive Double “Smiles” points on Red Bull Infusions after 11:00 AM via the app.
- Ziggi’s Coffee: A $2 discount on iced, blended, or frozen drinks is available via the Ziggi’s app.
- Regal Cinemas: $1 family movies are offered at select theaters (local listings should be checked).
- Showcase Cinemas: Children can earn free tickets by submitting a book report.
- Subway: A BOGO $1 Footlongs offer is available with code BOGO1 in the app or online.
- TGI Fridays: $5 Happy Hour is available all day for dine-in only.
- Baskin-Robbins: Rewards members receive $1.99 scoops at participating locations. This "Parent Pass" deal is valid June 20, as well as June 23–27.
Key Eligibility Rules and Geographic Restrictions
Access to these freebies often requires specific actions, such as joining a rewards program, downloading an app, or using a promo code. The following rules are explicitly stated in the source material:
- Rewards Program Membership: Many offers require membership in a brand’s rewards program. For example, Cava’s free pita chips are exclusively for CAVA Rewards members. Friendly’s free scoop is also noted as a benefit for Friendly’s Rewards members in a 2026 prediction, though the 2025 offer does not specify a membership requirement.
- App-Based Redemption: Several freebies are managed through brand mobile apps. Sonic’s free food item is automatically loaded to the app for users. Smoothie King’s free smoothie is via the Healthy Rewards app. Shipley Do‑Nuts’ free donut is redeemable via the app.
- Purchase Requirements: Some offers are contingent on a purchase. For instance, the free crazy straw at Dutch Bros requires the purchase of a medium or large drink. Shipley Do‑Nuts’ free donut requires any purchase.
- Geographic Exclusions: The Kroger free pint of ice cream is explicitly not available in California, Colorado, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Nevada.
- Location-Specific Offers: The free smoothie at Edible Arrangements is only at participating locations that serve smoothies. The $1 family movies at Regal Cinemas are at select theaters. The free Monster drink is only at Pilot Flying J Travel Centers.
Claiming Processes and Timing
The process for claiming freebies varies by brand and is detailed in the sources:
- Digital Coupons: For the Kroger free pint, shoppers must claim a digital coupon on the Kroger website starting at 12:00 PM EST.
- In-Store Verbal Codes: At Salt & Straw, customers must say a specific phrase (“make it a double”) to receive the free second scoop.
- Promo Codes: Online orders for Krispy Kreme and White Castle require a promo code (SUMMER) for the deal to apply.
- Time-Sensitive Offers: Many offers are valid only on June 20, such as the free shakes at Wayback Burgers and Milkshake Factory’s BOGO deal. Others, like the Monster drink at Pilot Flying J, are a standing weekly offer available every Friday.
- Automatic App Loading: Some freebies, like Sonic’s, are automatically added to the user’s app, requiring no additional claim step beyond being an app user.
Predicted and Historical Context
Source materials also include predicted deals for the following year (2026) and historical context for the 2025 event. While these are not active offers for June 20, 2025, they illustrate the types of promotions brands commonly run for the summer solstice.
- 2026 Predictions: Brands like Baskin-Robbins, Beyond Juicery + Eatery, Chicken Salad Chick, Culver's, Krispy Krede, Pita Pit, and Scooter's Coffee are predicted to offer discounts, free items, or double rewards in 2026. These are speculative and not confirmed for 2025.
- Historical 2025 Context: The first day of summer in 2025 falls on June 20. The Earth's orbit causes the solstice to vary between June 20 and June 22 each year. The day is characterized as the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, receiving the most direct sunlight.
Conclusion
The first day of summer on June 20, 2025, offers a concentrated opportunity for U.S. consumers to access a variety of freebies and promotional deals, primarily from food, beverage, and ice cream brands. The most valuable offers typically require some form of engagement, such as joining a rewards program, downloading a mobile app, or making a small purchase. Geographic restrictions, particularly for the Kroger ice cream promotion, are a critical factor for consumers to note. To maximize success, consumers should check brand websites and apps for participating locations, claim digital coupons in advance where required, and verify terms directly with the brand, as offers are subject to availability and may be limited.