Cheap and Free Food on National Food Days
THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, WHICH MEANS I MAY BE COMPENSATED IF YOU CLICK A LINK. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO COST TO YOU. ALSO, AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES.I had never heard of a food holiday with free food.
That was until one year I wrote an article for a national magazine on National Coffee Day about coffee day freebies.
As soon as it was published, my blog blew up.
National Coffee Day is a free coffee day occurring each September.
I knew I’d struck a nerve with that story.
More than 150,000 people visited the online version of that story in a single day.
Ever since then I’ve been keeping track of food holidays throughout the year.
I’ve also covered national holidays that dovetailed with free food offers, such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Veterans Day.
Up until now I would write a single post for each holiday, each year.
That’s a lot of posts.
Why cover free food on National Food Holidays
But I’ve decided to compile all of the food holidays into this single post.
This way I can update it as the holidays come around and better deals get announced.
This saves you from searching all over for information on the latest food holiday.
You’ll be happy to know that I’ve organized holidays by month.
I’ve updated my list of the food holidays and days of the year when you can get free or cheap food or drink.
I hope you enjoy these national day freebies.
Monthly free food holidays
Below is a list of the 12 months of the year.
Hopefully, this makes things easier for you to find that free food.
January free food holidays
February free food holidays
March free food holidays
April free food holidays
May free food holidays
June free food holidays
July free food holidays
August free food holidays
September free food holidays
October free food holidays
November free food holidays
December free food holidays
January Free Food Holidays
New Year’s Day
Many people are known to stay up late on December 31.
That’s likely why coffee shops often offer free coffee on New Year’s Day.
Be sure to look out for those deals before you ring in the New Year.
Rumor has it that if you’re flying on Southwest Airlines on New Year’s Day, you can ask–and get–a free drink.
National Spaghetti Day
Italian restaurants are usually the ones offering free food for National Spaghetti Day.
For example, Spaghetti Warehouse celebrated with Sunday dinner.
February Free Food Holidays
Valentine’s Day
There’s a lot of free food–and drink–to be had on Valentine’s Day.
First, Krispy Kreme often offers some sort of free offer for Valentine’s Day.
Next, I’ve heard that Southwest Airlines, the “LUV” airline, gives out free drinks.
Finally, you might be able to get a free glass of champagne or wine via the cash back app Ibotta.
Here is advice for shopping after Valentine’s Day sales.
National Bagel Day
Most bagel freebies are BOGO–buy one, get one free–offers.
Groundhog Day
Some restaurants will give you free food on Groundhog Day.
This happens if Punxsutawney Phil does not see his shadow.
So it’s Phil’s fault if there are no freebies this year.
National Muffin Day
In 2023, Perkins Restaurants have a deal for National Muffin Day.
That is, if you buy three of their Mammoth Muffins, you’ll get three for free.
This offer is at select Perkins locations only.
So, check the one near you to see if they are participating.
Leap Day
Leap Day or February 29 happens only once every four years.
On past Leap Days, restaurants offered free food. This included:
- Caribou Coffee
- McDonald’s
- Subway
The next leap year is 2024.
March Free Food Holidays
National Snack Day
March 4 is National Snack Day.
Recently, GoPuff delivery service named the “snackiest” cities in the U.S.
First Day of Spring
Not a national food holiday, per se, but Rita’s Water Ice always gives away free Italian ice on the first day of spring!
IHOP National Pancake Day
Even though National Pancake Day happens in February, the IHOP chain has created its own holiday.
It is dedicated to this breakfast staple, with IHOP National Pancake Day this month.
In addition to deals on pancakes, IHOP uses this food holiday to raise money for good causes.
St. Patrick’s Day
It doesn’t just have to be green food that you can get for free on St. Patrick’s Day.
I’ve seen free breakfast and fast food on St. Patrick’s Day. Sadly, though, never a free Shamrock Shake!
How to shop after St. Patrick’s Day sales.
April Food Holidays
National Cheese Fondue Day
If you’re a fondue fan, then you’ll want to keep tabs on this holiday.
Check out if the Melting Pot chain will be offering its free fondue deal on National Cheese Fondue Day.
That day, by the way, is April 11.
Tax Day, April 15
You can take a bit of the sting out of doing your taxes by taking advantage of tax day freebies.
In the past you could get free food at California Tortilla and the Great American Cookies.
Also, Tax Day is officially Kona Ice Chill Out Day. That’s when you can get free cups of shaved ice to help you chill out after finishing your taxes.
Earth Day
Look for free cups of fair trade coffee at some of your favorite restaurants and retailers, for example.
That’s because Earth Day freebies always have some sort of green angle to them.
National Pretzel Day
I’m not sure what time of the year is ideal for eating pretzels, but National Pretzel Day happens in April.
Look for free pretzel offers from companies with pretzel in their name–Pretzelmaker, Philly Pretzel Factory, etc.
Here are the best items to buy in April.
May Free Food Holidays
National Barbecue Month
Grilling season starts in May–thanks Memorial Day–so it’s no surprise that May is National Barbecue or BBQ Month.
In addition, there is a National Barbecue BBQ Day.
It is May 16.
Teacher Appreciation Day
Educators get a day all to themselves at the beginning of May with lots of freebie offers.
There’s usually free food at Chipotle.
Also, you can often find lots of non-food freebies, such as free massages and other pampering services.
Here’s my article on clever teacher gift ideas.
May the 4th/Star Wars Day
You’re aware of the pun of May the 4th, right?
Like, May the Force be with you?
And also with you.
Some call it Star Wars Day for that reason.
In the past local and national restaurants selling everything from donuts to chewy chocolate chip cookies (for Chewbacca) have offered freebies.
If I find any for this year, I’ll be sure to add them here.
Cinco de Mayo
Not surprisingly Mexican restaurants often end up having some sort of freebie for Cinco de Mayo.
In recent years I’ve heard about cinco free deals at Moe’s, Taco Bell, Chili’s, Baja Fresh and On the Border.
Here are some fun Cinco de Mayo quotes.
National Pet Month
Sometimes retailers that cater to pet owners will give free food to your pet when you visit on a certain day.
Something to keep in mind if you’re heading out to PetSmart or Petco this month.
Here are more national pet holidays.
Mother’s Day
Many restaurants will pick up part of the tab of taking mom out to eat on Mother’s Day.
It is the most popular day of the year to eat out!
In the past restaurants treated mom to a free dessert.
If mom happens to be flying on Mother’s Day, Southwest Airlines may give her a free drink.
Also, Ibotta, the cash-back shopping app, often has free beer or wine offers on national holidays.
Most recently, mom could get a free mimosa on Mother’s Day via Ibotta.
National Wine Day
May 25 is National Wine Day. Find out about all of the other national wine days throughout the year.
National Nurses Week
Nurses deserve way more recognition than they probably get in the medical profession.
Once a year, during National Nurses Week, restaurants show their appreciation by giving away free food and free drink to nurses.
Here are discounts nurses and other medical professional can enjoy all year long.
Memorial Day
Twice a year restaurants roll out freebies for veterans and military members.
These happen on Memorial Day weekend and Veteran’s Day in November.
Usually, these freebies are a free appetizer or free entree.
Here are the best things to buy in the month of May.
June Free Food Holidays
Frozen Yogurt Day
Last year on June 4, Frozen Yogurt Day, Orange Leaf Yogurt had an awesome coupon on its Facebook page for a fro-yo BOGO.
Some companies also have Frozen Yogurt Day in February, too–BRRR!!!!
National Doughnut Day
June 5 is National Doughnut Day.
Every year someone is giving away free donuts.
This past year I found free donut offers at Cumberland Farms, Krispy Kreme, and Dunkin Donuts.
Even doughnut manufacturer and brand Entenmann’s had a freebie.
You might even be able to get cash back on your doughnuts via Ibotta, the cash back app.
National Dairy Month
June is National Dairy Month.
This is when you’ll likely find deals at the supermarket on all kinds of dairy products.
Want to save even more?
Don’t forget to use the free Ibotta app.
I’ve gotten cash back for buying milk.
National Dairy Month deals are part of the summer sales you’ll find in June.
National Candy Month
According to the National Confectioners Association, chocolate and candy have always been a fun part of the summer months and many seasonal summer celebrations.
I’ll keep you posted on any candy deals this month.
Truth is, I would have assumed that either February or October would have been National Candy Month.
Why?
Because they both have some of the biggest candy holidays (Valentine’s Day and Halloween).
Here are America’s favorite Valentine’s Day candies.
Father’s Day
Many restaurants, if you will, usually have some sort of free food offer for dad on Father’s Day.
Dad can often use the cash back app Ibotta to get a free beer on Father’s Day.
Here are the restaurants that will give you freebies for your wedding anniversary.
July Food Holidays
4th of July
If you don’t have any plans to head to someone’s house for a cookout–or you’re not hosting one yourself–you can check out 4th of July freebies.
I’ve seen them at Outback Steakhouse and Pei Wei Asian cuisine.
7-11 Day
I’ll give you one guess when this food holiday falls.
What company do you think founded it?
Did you say 7-Eleven stores, on July 11, and a free Slurpee?
Well, you’re right!
Iced Tea Day
McAllister’s Deli celebrates Iced Tea Day in late July by giving away a free 32-ounce glass of McAllister’s Tea.
That’s a big honking glass of iced tea!
National Hot Dog Day
Also in late July is a day for the dogs–hot dogs, that is.
In the past you could count on Sonic Drive-In and other restaurants known for their hot dogs to have a free food offer or a really cheap one, like the $1 hot dogs.
National Ice Cream Day
I know that one of the reasons that Baskin-Robbins likes to celebrate National Ice Cream Day on July 31 is that it plays into its 31 flavors brand.
But other companies give away free ice cream, too, including Carvel and Friendly’s.
Heck, even PetSmart gets into the act, offering free vanilla ice cream to dogs who visited a location with their human that day!
Note: there is also National Ice Cream Cone Day.
Ben & Jerry’s celebrates this food holiday in April.
On the other hand, Haagen-Dazs celebrates it in May, all with free ice cream.
August Free Food Holidays
It’s National Lemonade Day
This past year there were six national chains participating in National Lemonade Day.
It included Penn State East Coast Subs and Red Robin restaurants.
In addition, there were a couple of hotel chains!
National S’Mores Day
While there probably isn’t a restaurant known for its S’Mores, there are some brands that are and which celebrate on National S’Mores Day.
That would be Jet Puff Marshmallows, graham crackers and Hershey chocolate bars.
So, look for coupons or markdowns on these supplies at the supermarket.
National Waffle Day
A wonderful way to get a free or cheap breakfast is to go out on National Waffle Day.
I suggest heading to a restaurant with waffles in its name, such as Waffle House.
These eateries are likely to have some sort of offer to celebrate this delicious day.
September Food Holidays
Back to School
Believe it or not, restaurants want to help families have an easier time with dinner during Back to School and often promote kids eat free offers.
Labor Day
In the past, besides going to a holiday BBQ, you could expect free food offers or insanely cheap prices from the likes of Baskin-Robbins and Firehouse Subs on Labor Day.
Free Queso Day
If you took Spanish in school, then you know that queso means cheese in Spanish.
And on Free Queso Day, you can expect restaurants that serve food con queso will have free offers, such as Moe’s Southwest Grill and On the Border.
National Cheeseburger Day
National Cheeseburger Day is September 18.
Talk Like a Pirate Day
Even though National Doughnut Day falls in June, you have an opportunity to get free doughnuts from Krispy Kreme on National Talk Like a Pirate Day, September 19.
Usually, saying something like, “Argh, matey” will get you a free donut whereas showing up at your local Krispy Kreme in full pirate regalia will net you a free dozen.
A few years ago, Long John Silver’s restaurants joined in on this food holiday.
They were giving away free fish to customers who also decided to get their pirate on.
National Pancake Day
Look for free pancake deals at pancake restaurants on National Pancake Day.
Usually, National Pancake Day is held on or about September 26.
In the past it has been a free short stack when you buy a short stack–something like that.
Also, don’t forget the IHOP specific National Pancake Day holiday, which I’d mentioned earlier.
It usually happens at the end of February or beginning of March.
National Coffee Day
Another big September food holiday is National Coffee Day.
Every year you can find at least one restaurant or business that is giving away free coffee to celebrate.
Some have thrown in free food, too.
National Coffee Day in the United States is September 29.
However, International Coffee Day is October 1.
So you can expect coffee deals on at least one of these days.
Tips to save money on coffee
Here are some ways you can save on your coffee on National Coffee Day and any other day of the year:
First, invest in a reusable, refillable coffee pod for your Keurig machine.
I wrote this article about how I use my refillable K Cup to save.
Or, bring a reusable cup with you to the coffee shop.
Many places give you a dime or more off your cup of coffee.
Finally, purchase gift cards at a discount to use at chain restaurants and retailers.
Here are places you can go for freebies on your birthday.
October Free Food Holidays
National Cookie Month
Even though chocolate chip cookies are celebrated with a special day in May, all kinds of cookies are the guests of honor this month.
Look for free cookie giveaways at mall-located cookie shops and local bakeries–even at some online baked goods companies, too.
Again, the cash back app Ibotta might help you get cookies for free.
National Pizza Month
Did you know that the most popular day for families to order pizza is Halloween?
So, considering October is National Pizza Month, that’s just perfect.
I’ve found that when it comes to free pizza for National Pizza Month, it is usually local restaurants that jump on the freebie bandwagon, not the national chains.
So for local deals I would recommend checking out Groupon or Restaurant.com.
Keep in mind that the last one lets you buy gift cards at a discount.
Halloween
So what’s Halloween doing as part of a food holiday roundup?
Well, in addition to getting free candy from trick or treating, a handful of restaurants have free food offers on October 31 each year–usually kids eat free offers.
Last year this included Olive Garden, Sbarro pizza and IHOP.
FYI, you can buy Olive Garden gift cards at a discount via its parent company Darden.
November Free Food
Election Day
Usually during a presidential election year, you can score free food on Election Day.
During past presidential election years, you could score free guacamole, free coffee and free donuts.
National Sandwich Day
The Earl of Sandwich gets his own holiday on November 3 each year, National Sandwich Day, and in return you get free sandwiches.
Veteran’s Day
Usually each year current and retired military and veterans can eat for free in celebration of Veteran’s Day.
Last year there were 19 places offering this deal, ranging from Applebee’s to Wayback Burger.
You had to show military ID or come in uniform in order to take advantage of.
In many instances, that worked out to be a free lunch to thank you for your service!
Black Friday
Since Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday in November, if that fourth Thursday is really late in the month, Black Friday could be in December.
But for as long as I can remember, it is usually in November.
Anyhoo, when you head out on Black Friday to grab your deals, you might be able to grab free food, too.
In the past IKEA and McDonald’s each offered free breakfast to hungry shoppers.
And some stores have given Black Friday workers free coffee to get their (very long) day started.
December Free Food Holidays
National Cookie Day
This food holiday in early December is overshadowed by National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day.
That food holiday is in May and August.
With National Cookie Day happening in December, you may not see as many free food offers.
National Maple Syrup Day
Food trucks often get in on this esoteric food holiday.
With National Maple Syrup Day you expect freebies in Canada or Vermont.
Last year it was celebrated big time, via food trucks, in New York City.
Finally, a food truck fundraiser for this food holiday or another occasion can be a really smart move.