101+ Restaurants with Free Food on Your Birthday

We all know that restaurants will give us free stuff on our birthday – but who gives the BEST free stuff? We list 101+ places that will give you something good to eat on your birthday.

We’ve all been there. We’re sitting at a restaurant and suddenly all the servers start clapping and singing one version or another of Happy Birthday as they walk to a single table to deliver a treat. It’s the ole birthday shuffle!

Most restaurants, if you tell them it’s your birthday, will give you a little something just for dining with them.

Some restaurants will do a lot more. Some will give you an entire entree, a full dessert, or more — but you have to do a little extra work. Loyalty programs have been popping up all over the places as restaurants learn that loyalty cards work. Email works too. You are the beneficiary.

Your birthday comes once a year, so take advantage of it! Look at the list of 101+ restaurants below and sign up for the email newsletter or eclub of your favorites. Then, on your birthday, look for a congratulatory email for making it another year and what your present will be.

The key is signing up early. Some places, like Noodles and Company, will only send you the coupon for a free Birthday crispy (rice crispy treat) if you’ve been in the club for 60 days. Others take a little extra time to get to you (their systems take a while to process it seems, like 24-48 hours) so you can’t sign up the day of and expect a birthday treat in some cases.

Table of Contents
  1. Free Food on Your Birthday
  2. A&W
  3. Applebees
  4. Arby’s
  5. Au Bon Pain
  6. Auntie Anne’s
  7. Baja Fresh
  8. Baskin Robbins
  9. Beef ‘O’ Brady’s
  10. Ben & Jerry’s
  11. Benihana
  12. Bertucci’s
  13. BGR The Burger Joint
  14. Black Angus Steakhouse
  15. Blimpie
  16. Bob Evans
  17. Bojangles
  18. Bonefish Grill
  19. Boston Market
  20. Bruegger’s Bagels
  21. Buca di Beppo
  22. Buffalo Wild Wings
  23. California Pizza Kitchen
  24. Caribou Coffee
  25. Carraba’s Italian Grill
  26. Carvel
  27. Checkers
  28. The Cheesecake Factory
  29. Chili’s
  30. Cinnabon
  31. Cold Stone Creamery
  32. Corner Baker Cafe
  33. Cracker Barrel
  34. Dairy Queen
  35. Del Taco
  36. Denny’s
  37. Dippin’ Dots
  38. Dunkin’ Donuts
  39. Eat’n Park
  40. Einstein Bros. Bagels
  41. Famous Dave’s
  42. Firehouse Subs
  43. Friendly’s
  44. Fuddruckers
  45. Gordon Biersch
  46. Great American Cookies
  47. Houlihan’s
  48. IHOP
  49. Jamba Juice
  50. Jason’s Deli
  51. Jersey Mike’s
  52. Joe’s Crab Shack
  53. Johnny Rockets
  54. Krispy Kreme
  55. Lone Star Steakhouse
  56. Longhorn Steakhouse
  57. la Madeleine
  58. Maggiano’s
  59. Maggie Moo’s
  60. Marie Callender’s
  61. Melting Pot
  62. Mimi’s
  63. Moe’s Southwest Grill
  64. Noodles & Company
  65. Not Your Average Joe’s
  66. Olive Garden
  67. Orange Julius
  68. Outback
  69. Panera Bread
  70. Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
  71. P.F. Chang’s
  72. Pinkberry
  73. Planet Smoothie
  74. Ponderosa Steakhouse
  75. Pretzelmaker
  76. Qdoba
  77. Quiznos
  78. Rita’s Italian Ice
  79. Red Lobster
  80. Red Robin
  81. Romano’s Macaroni Grill
  82. Ruby Tuesday
  83. Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion
  84. Rubo’s
  85. Sbarro
  86. Schlotzky’s
  87. Seasons 52
  88. Sizzler
  89. Smashburger
  90. Smokeybones
  91. Sonic
  92. Sprinkles
  93. Starbucks
  94. Steak ‘n Shake
  95. Subway
  96. TCBY
  97. Texas Roadhouse
  98. TGI Fridays
  99. Tony Roma’s
  100. Village Inn
  101. Waffle House
  102. Wendy’s
  103. Yogurtland
  104. Zoës Kitchen
  105. Aveda
  106. CVS
  107. DSW
  108. Famous Footwear
  109. Redbox
  110. Sephora
  111. Smashbox
  112. ULTA 
  113. World Market
  114. Zaxby’s

Free Food on Your Birthday

Here’s our full list of goodies, with more being added as we learn of them:

A&W

Free A&W Root Beer Float (Join Mug Club)

Applebees

Free dessert (Join email)

Arby’s

Free milkshake (Join email)

Au Bon Pain

Get a free salad/sandwich (Join eClub)

Auntie Anne’s

Free pretzel (Download their Pretzel Perks app)

Baja Fresh

Free burrito (Join Club Baja)

Baskin Robbins

Free ice cream! (Join email)

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s

Free appetizer with entree purchase (Join Team ‘O’ Brady’s)

Ben & Jerry’s

Free ice cream (Join Chunkmail)

Benihana

$30 gift certificate (Join The Chef’s Table)

Bertucci’s

Free dessert (Join by filling in the email at the top right)

BGR The Burger Joint

Free burger (join VIP)

Black Angus Steakhouse

Free steak dinner with the purchase of any dinner entree on your first birthday after you join the Prime Club Email program

Blimpie

Free 6″ sub (join BlimpiEClub)

Bob Evans

Free kids’ meal for your kids (Join Kids’ Times Birthday club)

Bojangles

Free Bo-Berry biscuit with purchase (join e-club)

Bonefish Grill

Free dessert when you join BFG Insider

Boston Market

Free dessert with meal purchase (Join VIP Club)

Bruegger’s Bagels

Free bagel with any cream cheese (Join email)

Buca di Beppo

$20 gift (Join Buca E-Club)

Buffalo Wild Wings

Free snack-size wings (Join Buffalo Circle)

California Pizza Kitchen

Free kid’s meal, join CPKids Birthday Club

Caribou Coffee

Free drink (Join email)

Carraba’s Italian Grill

Free dessert with entree (Join Amici Club)

Carvel

Free cup/cone (Join Fudgie Fanatic)

Checkers

Free large fry on signup (Join The Flavorhood)

The Cheesecake Factory

Small cup of ice cream, just tell your server

Chili’s

Free dessert (Join Chili’s Rewards)

Cinnabon

Free gift (Join Club Cinnabon) – Click the Sign up button at the top right

Cold Stone Creamery

Buy 1 Get 1 Free (Join My Cold Stone Club)

Corner Baker Cafe

Free baked goodie (Join email)

Cracker Barrel

Free dessert, just tell your server!

Dairy Queen

Buy 1 Blizzard, get one free (Join Blizzard Fan Club)

Del Taco

Free shake (Join fan club)

Denny’s

Free Grand Slam breakfast, just show your server and show ID

Dippin’ Dots

Free Dippin’ Dots (Join Dot Crazy)

Dunkin’ Donuts

Free drink (Join DDPerks, but you need to fund it with at least $2 to start)

Eat’n Park

Free birthday coupons (join email)

Einstein Bros. Bagels

Free egg sandwich with purchase (Join SChmear Society)

Famous Dave’s

Free food (Join P.I.G. Club)

Firehouse Subs

Free medium sub (Join Firehouse Rewards)

Friendly’s

Free sundae (Join BFF Club)

Fuddruckers

Free burger with purchase (Join Fudds Club)

Gordon Biersch

Free entree with purchase (Join email)

Great American Cookies

free cookie on signup (join CookiE-mail)

Houlihan’s

Free entree (join email)

IHOP

Free meal (Join MyHop)

Jamba Juice

Free juice/smoothie (Join Jamba Insider Rewards)

Jason’s Deli

 $5 coupon (Join email)

Jersey Mike’s

Free sub & drink coupon (Join email club)

Joe’s Crab Shack

Free app (Join Joe’s Catch E-club)

Johnny Rockets

Free burger (Join Rocket eClub)

Krispy Kreme

free doughnut (Join Krispy Kreme Rewards)

Lone Star Steakhouse

Free appetizer on signup (Join email)

Longhorn Steakhouse

dessert on signup (join Longhorn)

la Madeleine

free pastry (join eClub)

Maggiano’s

$10 off (join E-Club)

Maggie Moo’s

Free ice cream (Join Slab Happy Rewards)

Marie Callender’s

Free slice of pie and $5 off an entree (Join e-Club)

Melting Pot

box of 6 chocolate covered strawberries with $60 purchase (join Club Fondue)

Mimi’s

Free slice of Crepe cake or free 2-pk muffins/croissants (join e-club)

Moe’s Southwest Grill

Free burrito (Join Moe’s Rewards), plus free queso when you sign up!

Noodles & Company

Free crispy treat (Join Noodles Rewards)

Not Your Average Joe’s

Free entree & dessert (Join email)

Olive Garden

Free appetizer with 2 entrees (Join eClub)

Orange Julius

Free drink (Join Julius League)

Outback

Free dessert with entree purchase (Join email offers)

Panera Bread

Free gift (Join MyPanera, link in the top right)

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

Free dessert, just tell the server (doesn’t hurt to join eClub)

P.F. Chang’s

Free dessert (Join club)

Pinkberry

Free yogurt (Join loyalty program)

Planet Smoothie

Free smoothie (Join eClub)

Ponderosa Steakhouse

Free steak dinner (Join eClub)

Pretzelmaker

Free order of Birthday Bites (join email)

Qdoba

Free treat (Join Qdoba Rewards)

Quiznos

Birthday burrito (Join QClub)

Rita’s Italian Ice

Free birthday treat! (join Birthday Club)

Red Lobster

Free gift (Join Fresh Catch Club)

Red Robin

Free burger (Join RedRobin Royalty)

Romano’s Macaroni Grill

Free dessert (Join email)

Ruby Tuesday

Free burger (Join So Connected)

Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion

Free dessert and photo, just tell your server

Rubo’s

Free taco (Join Beach Club)

Sbarro

Free XL NY Slice (join Slice Society)

Schlotzky’s

Free sandwich (Join Bun and Fun eClub)

Seasons 52

Free dessert (Join their rewards program)

Sizzler

Free Malibu chicken or other birthday treat (Join eclub)

Smashburger

Free flavored shake (Join smashclub rewards)

Smokeybones

Free dessert (join The Bones Club)

Sonic

Free Creamslush, Tater Tots, or Drink (Join My Sonic)

Sprinkles

Free cupcake! (join Perks)

Starbucks

Free drink (Join My Starbucks Rewards)

Steak ‘n Shake

Free double steakburger (Join eClub)

Subway

Free 6″ sub & drink (join email)

TCBY

Free yogurt (Join eClub)

Texas Roadhouse

Free app (Join email)

TGI Fridays

Free dessert with entree purchase (Join Fridays Rewards)

Tony Roma’s

Free entree (Join email)

Village Inn

Free slice of Pie (Join eCLUB)

Waffle House

Free waffle (Join Regulars Club)

Wendy’s

$1 off a combo (Join WendyMail)

Yogurtland

Free 3 oz. treat (Join Real Rewards)

Zoës Kitchen

Free birthday entree (Join email)

There’s more to food when it comes to your birthday, here are a few other places that will give you free stuff on your birthday:

Aveda

Free gift (Join email)

CVS

$3 in CVS ExtraBucks (Join ExtraCare Beauty Club)

DSW

$5 gift certificate (Join DSW Rewards)

Famous Footwear

Free gift (Join rewards program)

Redbox

Free 1-night rental (Join Redbox Play Pass)

Sephora

Free gift (Join Beauty Insider) – here are a few other ways to get cheap beauty products!

Smashbox

Free gift with $35 purchase (Join Pretty Points)

ULTA 

Free gift (Join email)

World Market

$10 or 10% off coupon (join Explorer Rewards)

Zaxby’s

Free Big Zax Snak (join Zax Club)

If you know someone who is celebrating a birthday soon, be sure to share this with them so they don’t miss out!

If you like free food, you might want to review our post on hotels that offer free breakfast.

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About Jim Wang

Jim Wang is a forty-something father of four who is a frequent contributor to Forbes and Vanguard's Blog. He has also been fortunate to have appeared in the New York Times, Baltimore Sun, Entrepreneur, and Marketplace Money.

Jim has a B.S. in Computer Science and Economics from Carnegie Mellon University, an M.S. in Information Technology - Software Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, as well as a Masters in Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University. His approach to personal finance is that of an engineer, breaking down complex subjects into bite-sized easily understood concepts that you can use in your daily life.

One of his favorite tools (here's my treasure chest of tools,, everything I use) is Personal Capital, which enables him to manage his finances in just 15-minutes each month. They also offer financial planning, such as a Retirement Planning Tool that can tell you if you're on track to retire when you want. It's free.

He is also diversifying his investment portfolio by adding a little bit of real estate. But not rental homes, because he doesn't want a second job, it's diversified small investments in a few commercial properties and farms in Illinois, Louisiana, and California through AcreTrader.

Recently, he's invested in a few pieces of art on Masterworks too.

>> Read more articles by Jim

Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank or financial institution. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Reader Interactions

Comments

About the comments on this site:

These responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

  1. Andrew says

    This is the best free food resource I have seen. It’s the perfect pre-gift egift, to anyone having a birthday in the next while. Can’t wait to share it. Thanks for putting this together JIm.

    • Jim says

      We don’t have a Pappadeaux near us so I missed it… but the dishes on the website look FANTASTIC. I want to go there now. πŸ™‚

      • Victor says

        Strongly recommend to anyone who likes Cajun food. I’ve been told by some co-workers from Louisiana that it’s not authentic but all I know is I like it. Their Lunch specials are well priced and you will leave full.

  2. Taddy says

    Missing HoneyBaked Ham. Free sandwich on your birthday & on the anniversary of signing up.

    • Jim says

      Do you just show up and show an ID? I went to the website and it appears they just do catering? We don’t have one near me to confirm this.

      • Taddy says

        They email you a coupon and if I recall correctly, you get about a week to use it.

        I’ve only had it once in the past 4 years where they looked at my ID… so ymmv?

        As far as I know, any store of their’s that does catering also has sandwiches/side dishes/condiments to purchase on site. Been to one in NC and one in PA.

        Very good sandwiches (bit overpriced in my opinion), but as someone that can’t stand mayo, I practically eat their ham classic as is and it comes with mayo.

        Made myself hungry, lol!

        • Jim says

          Hmmm… I can’t figure out how to sign up for their email newsletter or anything? Any ideas?

          • Taddy says

            Ah, just saw that the emails come from whichever store you select as your store.

            Eek, out of luck I suppose.

    • Jim says

      You have a few birthdays coming up? πŸ™‚ j/k, I knew what you meant. You’re welcome!

  3. Yetisaurus says

    Oh, awesome. My boyfriend will love this. We had to celebrate his birthday SIX times a couple years ago because he kept signing up for these things. Now it literally won’t even be possible to get to all 101 things within the birthday “month.” πŸ˜€

  4. CentSai.com says

    Wow, this is a really fun post! Who doesn’t want free food, especially on your birthday?? Definitely a money saving hack as well as a good time! Thanks for the info!

  5. Steve says

    Thank you so much, Jim! Couple notes:

    Looks like the Applebee’s link has changed to http://www.applebees.com/Sign-Up

    Checkers says free fry with sign-up (not bad, but not a shake πŸ™‚

    Dunkin’ Donuts requires a DD Perks account, which you can set up online, but you have to fund it with at least $2 to start. You can also pick up a plastic card in-store, not sure if you have to fund that one.

    Thanks again for putting all this together!

  6. David Bodendoerfer says

    The owner of The Train Shop in Santa Clara, CA. gave me 20 dollars off my purchase because it is my birthday today.

  7. Darryl S Rich says

    I just had a birthday this past September and many offers you listed need correction, as follows:
    β€’ Au Bon Pain – Get a free medium coffee and pastry/cookie
    β€’ Baja Fresh – Get $10 towards any item
    β€’ Benihana – Get $30 gift certificate (dine in only and purchase of $30 required)
    β€’ Famous Dave’s – free dessert
    β€’ Jersey Mike’s – no longer gives free food, only extra points.
    β€’ Moe’s Southwest Grill – free burrito, but no free queso
    β€’ Not Your Average Joe’s – free $15 toward meal
    β€’ Qdoba – free cookie
    β€’ Subway – no free food
    β€’ Texas Roadhouse – free appetizer or sidekick of ribs

    • Jim Wang says

      Thank you Darryl – we will work on updating this list!. Many restaurants changed their birthday promotions, in part because of Covid, so my hope was that they may restore them in the future. That might not be the case!

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