The ever in circulation was produced by Coca-Cola in 1887, offering a free sample of the 1-year-old company's new soft drink. The marketing scheme worked: By 1895 the beverage had arrived in every U.S. territory; and in the early 1900s coupons were perfasive across consumer products. That's because when something is free or discounted, 鈥攁s does the perceived generosity of the company. But there's another secret behind : It makes customers spend a lot more.
This psychology works to the advantage of restaurants across the country. Many companies offer customers a free entree, drink, or dessert聽on the house to celebrate a birthday, for example, which inevitably leads to the purchase of drinks and more food鈥攁nd which can pull customers into establishments not normally frequented. To find out where all the free birthday treats are, 爆料TV scoured the websites of a variety of restaurants to find聽50 that will gift patrons free goodies on their big day. To make the cut, these restaurants had to be chains with locations in numerous states around the country.聽But let it be known: Free is rarely actually free (except at Cracker Barrel and Denny's). At almost every establishment in this gallery, you must sign up for a restaurant's email newsletter or free rewards program in order to qualify for the complimentary birthday meal or snack. Do the work at least a week before your birthday; subscribe, wait, and enjoy the birthday loot.
Here are 50 restaurants where getting older means getting fuller for free.
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At the Cheesecake Factory, , birthdays are a big deal. If you alert your waiter beforehand, they鈥檒l bring you a complimentary sundae with candle and even write "Happy Birthday" on your plate with a caramel or chocolate sauce.
Cracker Barrel is a one-of-a-kind chain with . If you happen to be at the country store restaurant, just tell your server it鈥檚 your birthday, and they鈥檒l bring a free dessert and sing you into your new year.
Unlike other restaurants that make you sign up for a rewards program for your birthday freebie, Denny鈥檚 offers something free to every birthday patron. Go into Denny鈥檚 on your birthday, show your ID, and : two pancakes, bacon, sausage, and two eggs any style.
If you join the membership club at Jimmy Buffet鈥檚 chain restaurant, you鈥檒l get and a free scoop of ice cream on your birthday.
Hooters offers a free appetizer just for . If you're a member and go to Hooters to celebrate your big day, you'll get 10 wings for free.
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Most famous for its Bloomin' Onion, an onion opened like a flower and then deep-fried, the Australian-themed steakhouse chain offers a free kids-size vanilla sundae to rewards members on their big day.
Sprinkles, the cupcake shop with locations in California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, and Washington D.C., has a pretty amazing membership club. , you enter a tiered membership program that includes free cupcakes every other Tuesday, a free item with every 15 purchases, and a free cupcake on your birthday.
If you sign up for , you鈥檒l get a free drink on your birthday. The Massachusetts-born international chain (now simply called Dunkin')聽is strongly linked to Boston, a town that calls it Dunks.
The ice cream giant has a that offers its members鈥攁nd their family and friends鈥攑erks on their birthday. On club members鈥� birthdays, they receive a free 2.5-ounce scoop and $3 off a Baskin-Robbins聽birthday cake.
IHOP made international news and went viral when it 聽('b" for burgers) to promote a new line of patties.聽, you'll get a free stack of pancakes on your birthday, plus every anniversary of your signing up.
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Home of the ever-tempting, Never-Ending Pasta Bowl and Unlimited Soup, Salad, and Breadstick deal, the Olive Garden also has a birthday special for those who sign up for its membership program. eClub members get , so try your best to save some room.
If you join , you鈥檒l get a "special treat"聽for your birthday. The only caveat is that you have to sign up at least four days before checking off another year.
In order to get free food at Jersey Mike鈥檚 on your birthday, you need only to subscribe. Once you , you鈥檒l be eligible for a birthday freebie: a free sub.
The Asian-style bistro specializes in American-Chinese food, but offers a wide variety of Asian-inspired dishes on its menu. Members of 鈥攁 sort of frequent flyer program for the chain鈥攐ffers two-for-one entrees on birthdays.
The superpower in the coffee world offers a free drink or treat to . That's just one of the perks that has made the loyalty program so successful鈥攊n the first quarter of 2019, there were .
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After signing up for , you鈥檒l start earning a free frozen yogurt after every 10 purchases. Also, on your birthday, you鈥檒l get a free fro-yo just for getting older.
The sub sandwich giant to become the restaurant chain with the most stores worldwide. If you join , you鈥檒l be eligible for a free 6-inch sub on your birthday.
CPK, the pizza chain known for its offbeat pizza toppings, has birthday deals for kids and adults. get a free pizza on their birthday (and double points), and for the under-12 cohort, the CPKids Birthday Club offers its members a free meal on their big day.
Though Arby鈥檚 is most known for their roast beef and , they also give free goodies for your birthday. Anyone signed up for will get a shake on the house for their birthday.
Applebee's has an eclectic menu, from salsa verde nachos to fish and chips to oriental chicken salad, but also a great birthday deal. If you , you'll be eligible for a free dessert to celebrate getting older and a free appetizer just for signing up.
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The story of Benihana is a fascinating and complicated one, and . But for those more interested in eating well on their big day, , Benihana鈥檚 email newsletter, and get $30 toward your birthday meal.
The home of wings, beer, and sports is not a hard sell for any day. On your birthday, it鈥檚 even easier to justify. If you , you鈥檒l get a free snack-size portion of wings on your special day.
If you sign up for Einstein Bros. Bagels鈥� Schmear Society, you get a voucher for a free egg sandwich on your birthday. Those who sign up further accrue聽2 points per $1 spent, with options to redeem points for food聽and drinks.聽
Birthdays are about decadence, but for the more health-conscious readership, Jamba Juice offers a free smoothie or juice for .
Now, if decadence is your thing, Cold Stone Creamery also has a birthday deal. Members of the get a buy one get one free coupon on their big day.
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Wingstop is obviously known for its wings. But if you , you鈥檒l get a free gift, plus another one just for signing up.
Krispy Kreme 鈥擩uly 27鈥攚ith a buy one dozen get the second for $1 deal for all its customers. For members of the , the donut giant gifts you a free donut on your birthday, and another one just聽for signing up.
Bruegger鈥檚 in 2004 set , creating an 868-pound behemoth at the New York state fair. On your birthday, they鈥檒l give you a free regular-sized bagel with cream cheese if you sign up for their rewards program.
The family-style Italian chain restaurant is known for its large shared plates and crowded-with-photographs decorum. If you subscribe to , you get a on your big day and $20 off your meal ($40 minimum purchase). Plus, you get a free plate of pasta for signing up.
The South's favorite waffle joint has . If you sign up for , you can celebrate with a free waffle on the house.
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The pizza place most synonymous with mall food courts has a birthday freebie. Members of get a birthday surprise each year and a free聽slice of extra-large聽鈥榸a (with the purchase of a beverage) for joining.
Named after , Ruby Tuesday is a casual dinner joint in the TGI Fridays vein. get a free appetizer for signing up and a free burger or Garden Bar Entree on their birthday.
This chain burger joint offers bottomless fries, so come prepared. , they also offer a free birthday burger for your big day.
Planet Smoothie has a slightly healthier option for your big day. They offer a free smoothie on your birthday if you sign up for .
Morton's is part of the Landry's corporation, and will get taken care of on their birthday at the steakhouse. Club members get a free dessert and $25 toward their meal to celebrate getting old.
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In order to celebrate with some free food on your birthday at the chain seafood restaurant, just sign up for . When you do, you鈥檒l be eligible for a free appetizer on your birthday.
If you join , you鈥檒l get free gifts for birthdays and your club anniversaries. New members also get Dickey's signature, well, big yellow cup.
Though it鈥檚 not the most conventional pairing, Del Taco offers a free milkshake on their birthday to go along with their tacos or burritos.
Chili鈥檚, an affordable sit-down lunch and dinner chain famous for their baby-back ribs, offers something sweet for birthday guests. get a free dessert on their big day.
Checkers (also regionally known Rally's) is a burger joint with a birthday deal. Sign up for to get an order of free large fries, and then another on your birthday.
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at Auntie Anne's get a free soft pretzel for signing up. From there, points can be redeemed for more food and all birthdays come with free treats.
get a free appetizer for signing up (purchase of entree required). Patrons also get to wear a festive sombrero as everyone sings the special Chevy鈥檚 happy birthday song on their big day.
Dairy Queen serves burgers, salads, and chicken, but they鈥檙e best known for one thing: the Blizzard. , which has more than 4 million members, get a buy one get one free coupon for a Blizzard on their birthday.
Jack in the Box has leaned into its reputation as . It鈥檚 gotten that rep by being flavorful, open 24 hours, and cheap. On your birthday, the munchie king offers something even cheaper than cheap: free tacos ( ).
The nostalgic Johnny Rocket's is a whimsical 1950s-themed diner; allegedly, the chain is closely . If you join , you get one free burger for signing up and another on your birthday (with the purchase of a drink and entree).
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If you join at Noodles World Kitchen, you鈥檒l get a special treat on your birthday. The program also comes with easy ordering, points redemptions, and special offers throughout the year.
Panera Bread is known for its sandwiches, but get something sweet on their birthday. As long as you sign up ahead of time, members receive a free pastry on their big day.
蚕耻颈锄苍辞蝉鈥� 聽gives one gift for signing up and another on your birthday. When you download the app, grab a free 4-inch sub; when you turn a year older, a free cookie is yours.
offers a huge array of burgers, some of them tucked between Texas toast. For the price of your email address, you can sign up for and get a free Justaburger on your birthday.
