How to Maximize Your Free Veterans Day Food Deals

Thanksgiving comes early for US military veterans each year in the form of Veterans Day discounts. We just have to be proactive enough to go out and get them. If you don’t plan, you plan to fail.

The outpouring of free food and drinks from restaurant chains around the United States has grown over time to include gas stations, fast food franchises and even convenience stores. Even if a vet spent all of Veterans Day trying to take advantage of every Tactical Thanksgiving deal, it would be nearly impossible.

Almost.

That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try the feat or at least take advantage of it as much as we can. (Corporate) America is calling us. Will we fail her?

Read more: Veterans Day free meals and restaurant specials and discounts

What You Need to Know About Veterans Day Food Deals

Don’t forget that in many cases you can pre-order, carry out or pull up to the curb and have the deliciousness delivered to you within minutes. You should call ahead and make sure the giveaways are still being given away. If so, place your order and start your own personal door-dashing.

If you’re going out into the world, you might as well make the most of it. But to really maximize your free food day, it’s important to gather the information, plan accordingly and move with purpose.

In designing this plan, we have taken a few important factors into consideration. First, we only target freebies. Then we consider timing. What can be redeemed on any other day, when are these locations open, and what can be picked up reasonably quickly? We also want to know which offers are the most satisfying, so that we can avoid filling up too early.

When considering takeout, you can pack a cooler because it takes time to take the food home first, which you don’t have. And we recommend eating some things as soon as possible: there are diminishing returns on pancakes, and grilled cheese is the only food that will eventually become its own spoonerism.

Finally, there are a few alternative plays for those who aren’t willing to drive all over town but still want some good stuff.

Do you have all that? Good. Now let’s get down to our Veterans Day timeline.

Breakfast(s) of Champions

A few breakfast-oriented restaurants have great deals. Denny’s will begin offering a Build Your Own Grand Slam at 5:00 AM. Wendy’s and Village Inn are both giving away breakfast combos.

From 0700 Veterans and active duty military get a free red, white and blueberry pancake combo at IHOP. A little later, starting at 0730, Biscuit Belly provides dining veterans with a bacon egg and cheese, sausage egg and cheese or a chicken sandwich along with a free drink.

Another Broken Egg Cafe offers a Patriot French Toast and coffee to diners. At White Castle, you can get a free individual combo meal or a combo breakfast meal when you dine at a participating restaurant.

All this driving around requires caffeine. Coffee lovers can get a free brew from participating Peet’s Coffee locations or from Starbucks or Casey’s General Stores. Free coffee plus a free sweet pastry on offer from 0600 to 1400 at the Kolache Factory.

Related: 2024 Veterans Day Deals, Discounts & Freebies

Prefer the performance in the morning? You can get a free breakfast from Bakers Square. Speaking of takeout, before you head out for lunch, stop by places where you can grab a great deal and save it for later. A Chili 5-Way at Gold Star Chili can be picked up at the drive-thru. Another option is Hacienda Mexican Restaurant’s Large Wet Burrito.

A lunch too long

Lunch is when the plan starts to get more complex. Veterans who didn’t want to wake up early will now clog the lines and make a quick exit more difficult. There are many time sensitive offers starting at 1100 and 1400.

TGI Fridays, has a special free lunch menu until 3:00 p.m., and Texas Roadhouse offers either a free meal or coupons for meals to be claimed on other days. Sizzler cooks for vets until 1600.

And if you’re a fan of chicken wings, Buffalo Wild Wings has 10 of them for you for free. And Hooters will offer veterans a free midday meal from a limited menu. If they don’t satisfy your chicken cravings, stop by the Chicken Salad Chick, or grab some Crispy Chicken Sliders from WOB Bar & Kitchen.

Lion’s Choice offers a roast beef sandwich, or you can get a “We Salute You” Pulled Pork Sandwich or Strawberry Fields Salad at Rock and Brews. Free pulled pork sandwiches are also on offer from Famous Dave’s whether you dine in or to go.

Soup for you? It’s on the menu at Hoss’ Bøf- og Havhus, where veterans get free soup as well as salad, bread, nachos, dessert bar and ice cream only for dining.

Chili’s and Applebee’s offer vets free meals from a limited menu, but also offer to-go cocktails. The cocktails aren’t free, but they’ll help take the edge off. Best of all, these places have bar seating so you won’t be subject to the whims of the hostess.

At Carrabba’s you can snack on a free starter or dessert paired with a free non-alcoholic drink.

Thank you for your (evening) service

Now that you’ve gotten most of the hectic chain restaurants out of the way, you have a few options for dinner.

You can get an entrée and a drink from a special menu at California Pizza Kitchen. Italian comfort food lovers can fill their bellies with a spaghetti dinner from Fazoli’s.

Burgers are always in demand, and they’re on offer at many places, including the In-N-Out Burger (along with fries and a drink). At Red Robin, another popular choice, where veterans and active duty can enjoy a Red’s Big Tavern Burger along with a Bottomless Side. Need more options? Try a free Big Cheese burger at participating Farmer Boys; a free burger (or sandwich) at Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant; or an American Smashed Burger or Ruby’s Cheeseburger on Ruby Tuesday.

To keep the free food train going, pick up Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers for a meal card valid for a combo meal anytime until the end of 2024.

Do you have a sweet tooth? At BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse, veteran diners get a free Chocolate Chunk Pizookie with no minimum food purchase, plus a coupon for a free appetizer if you go back anytime before the end of the year.

Finally, the popular Golden Corral is hosting its Military Appreciation Night on November 11, 2024 from 17.00 to close. This includes a free “thank you” meal when you dine in.

Good appetite. You deserved it.

— Blake Stilwell can be reached at [email protected]. He can also be found on Facebook, Xor on LinkedIn.

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