Introduction
Birthdays are special occasions, and everyone loves to celebrate them. Most people plan parties or go out for dinner to mark their big day. However, did you know some restaurants offer free meals on your birthday? Yes, that’s right! Going out to eat on your birthday may be lucrative, and we have the list of the top ten restaurants in the United States that offer free meals on your birthday.
Top 10 Restaurants that Give Free Birthday Meals
If you’re looking for a place to get your free birthday meal, you might want to consider these restaurants. Aside from having mouth-watering dishes, they offer free meals to people celebrating their special day:
Buca di Beppo
Buca di Beppo is an Italian chain of restaurants that provides a complimentary birthday brownie sundae for VIP members. To claim the free meal, you must sign up on the restaurant’s website and present the coupon they send you on your birthday.
Red Robin
Red Robin is a burger chain that offers free burgers to their royalty members on their birthday. You sign up for the program at least a month before your big day and present the coupon they send you on your birthday.
Olive Garden
Olive Garden is a popular Italian dining chain that offers a free dessert or appetizer to their e-club members. Sign up at least a few days before your birthday and receive a coupon that can be redeemed anytime during your birthday month.
IHOP
IHOP is an American pancake chain that offers free meals to people celebrating their birthday. To go to IHOP for your free breakfast, just sign up for their Pancake Revolution Club at least 24 hours before your birthday, and the restaurant will email you a coupon to claim your meal.
Denny’s
Denny’s is a diner-style chain that offers free breakfast meals to customers on their birthday. To receive a free Grand Slam breakfast from Denny’s, you just need to present a valid ID showing your birthdate.
Applebee’s
Applebee’s is an American food chain that provides a free birthday dessert to their e-club members. Sign up for the program and receive a coupon that you can redeem anytime during your birthday month.
TGI Fridays
TGI Fridays is an American restaurant chain known for their delicious appetizers. Sign up for their e-club to get a complimentary birthday dessert. Don’t forget to check the validity period of the offer!
Baskin Robbins
Baskin Robbins is a popular ice cream chain that offers a free scoop of ice cream to customers on their birthday. Make sure you sign up for their Birthday Club at least a month before your birthday to get your free scoop.
Chili’s
Chili’s is an American food chain with a loyal following due to their delicious drinks and Tex-Mex dishes. Sign up for their My Chili’s Rewards to enjoy a free dessert on your birthday. They also give members tons of offers throughout the year!
Benihana
Benihana is a Japanese restaurant chain that offers a free $30 birthday certificate to their members. This can be availed of anytime during your birthday month as long as you bring another guest and dine at any Benihana’s location.
Conclusion with Tips to Maximizing Free Birthday Meals
Now that you know where to look, make sure you sign up for all the birthday clubs and programs and plan your itinerary to take full advantage of them! Here are some additional tips to help you maximize your birthday meal benefits:
- Research local restaurants that offer birthday deals. Some places may not be listed online, so it pays to ask around.
- Bring friends and family along to enjoy your birthday meal with you. You can also have two or three birthday meals if the timings and locations work out in your favor.
- Check the validity period of the offer. Offers may vary for each restaurant, so check their terms and conditions.
- Sign up for reward club memberships and pay attention to their exclusive offers and events throughout the year.
Where to Find Free Birthday Meals in Your City or State
Aside from nationwide chains, local restaurants also offer complimentary birthday meals. Check out your city or state’s options to find something perfect. We have some suggestions for you:
New York City
Freeman’s Restaurant, Raoul’s Restaurant, and Dos Caminos are great options if you’re looking for a free birthday treat in New York City. All three restaurants offer free meals if you celebrate your birthday there with a group.
Los Angeles, California
Take your pick from Magnolia Bakery, Pink’s Hot Dogs, and Amoeba Music (if you are a music fan). All these establishments offer deals for your special day.
Atlanta, Georgia
Hit up Tin Lizzy’s, Highland Bakery, Marlow’s Tavern, or Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen to get a hearty meal on your birthday. All four of these eateries offer a free meal or dessert for birthday celebrants.
Chicago, Illinois
For a massive birthday burger, you can head to the Bad Apple. If you prefer something sweet, visit Margie’s Candies, who offer a free sundae. Similarly, the restaurant Wildfire offers a free birthday dessert to their email club members.
Houston, Texas
Cyclone Anaya’s Mexican Kitchen and The Breakfast Klub both offer a free birthday meal when you sign up for their email club. The Melting Pot also offers free fondue for the birthday person when dining with at least three others on their special day.
Tips for Finding Local Free Birthday Meals
If you are on the hunt for more local restaurants that offer complimentary birthday treats, here are some tips on where to look:
- Search for birthday clubs or programs’ listings in city or state listings.
- Use search engines and review sites such as Yelp and TripAdvisor and look for people mentioning birthday freebies.
- Ask your local friends or family for their familiar spot(s) that they frequent to grab a free bite on their birthdays.
Remember, always check with the participating restaurants about their ongoing promotions, validity of offers, and any updated information before your visit.
Inside Benihana’s Free Birthday Meal Offer
Now we take an in-depth look into the workings of Benihana’s birthday offer. At Benihana, you can receive a $30 birthday certificate on your birthdate month if you register for the Rewards Online Program. To claim the certificate, you can dine at any of the Benihana’s locations with a paying guest. The certificate can also be redeemed with the purchase of a teppanyaki portion of a dinner entree during dinner hours or get a complimentary dessert if you arrive during lunch hours. According to the Benihana representatives, they have given away over 800,000 certificates in 2019.
The Restaurant’s Perspective
From the restaurants’ perspective, complimentary birthday meals are a way to acknowledge customers’ special occasions and build a loyal following. These offers are also a marketing tool for the restaurants to attract more people. Through their loyalty programs, they can send exclusive deals to their subscribers to remain regular diners year-round. The restaurants can also use this loyalty data to analyze their customer’s behavior, trends, and preferences.
How to Get the Most Out of Free Birthday Meal Offers
While free birthday meals from restaurants are exciting, there are ways to maximize the experience. Here are some tips on how to benefit more!
- Sign up early and get the most out of the birthday month.
- Create a list of all the birthday deals. Some restaurants may require multiple visits, so take note of their validity period.
- Bring friends or family along to share the joy
- Plan accordingly to enjoy multiple birthday deals in one day. This way, you can sample different cuisines and save some extra cash.
Which Restaurant Has the Best Free Birthday Meal?
It’s a tug of war between the establishments. Criteria might sway to an all-inclusive offer or to a generous deal that entails a big spend at the restaurant. However, the best birthday meal offer goes beyond the free meal itself because the experience matters. Here are some considerations to keep in mind:
- The variety of the offer
- The quality of the food prepared
- The restaurant’s ambiance
- The experience of the meal itself, from the servers to the presentation
Ultimately what restaurant serves you best over a birthday meal is up to you, but after reading our article, you ought to have some good options!
Behind The Scenes of Free Birthday Meal Offers In Restaurants
To get an insider’s perspective of the birthday meal offer process, we talked to representatives of some top-rated restaurants.
Buca Di Beppo
“The birthday brownie sundae is a Buca di Beppo original. We want to make the VIP member’s birthday feel extra special and felt it would be a hit. We needed to offer something extra special to our VIPs to thank them for their continued patronage. You can sign up for our VIP club on the Buca di Beppo website!”
Red Robin
“We wanted to give our Royalty members something special for their birthday. A birthday burger was the perfect fit! Our members can get a free birthday burger, but it must be redeemed anytime during their birthday month and is non-transferable.”
Applebee’s
“Our desserts are quite popular, and we want to give our guests another reason to enjoy them.
