We Rounded Up Over $206 in FREE Food Offers for You!
Want to know how to get free food? It’s easy! Follow our tips to score free food when you sign up for rewards programs & loyalty clubs.
Wondering how to get free food? It’s easier than you think! All of these restaurants give you offers for FREE food when you sign up for their loyalty rewards programs, subscribe to their emails, or download their free apps!
Plus, we share other tips and tricks below to potentially score free food at restaurants near you!
*Note prices per item, restaurant offers, & total savings may vary by region.
1. Score a FREE meal at Black Bear Diner when you join the e-club – it’s a value of at least $23.99!
Sign up for the Bear Lovers E-club, and you’ll be rewarded with a FREE meal! With options like. a steak dinner for $23.99, this is an incredible value! Even more amazing, you’ll get another free meal on your birthday too!
2. Score a FREE thin-crust pepperoni pizza worth up to $17.99 from Johnny Carino’s.
Join the Johnny Carino’s e-club for a FREE regular or thin-crust pepperoni pizza! Just pay taxes and gratuity, and your pie is on the house.
3. The Melting Pot offers complimentary Signature Dipped Strawberries – a $16 value!
Join Club Fondue at The Melting Pot! The introductory offer is for six FREE Signature Dipped Strawberries.
4. Receive a FREE appetizer worth up to $15.49 from O’Charley’s.
Get a free appetizer after your first visit when you sign up to be a part of the O’Club. Upon registration, you’ll receive a voucher for a FREE appetizer. The top shelf combo appetizer is priced at $16.49 and is an entire meal in itself!
5. Score an entire appetizer free at Longhorn Steakhouse – up to a $13.79 value!
After signing up for Longhorn Steakhouse’s eClub, you’ll receive a free appetizer – up to a $13.79 value! 🤩
6. Sign up at Texas Roadhouse for a free appetizer – up to a $12.99 value!
When you sign up for the Texas Roadhouse VIP Club, you get a free appetizer voucher within 24-48 hours! As an even bigger bonus, Texas Roadhouse is also well known for its FREE and unlimited warm rolls and peanuts, so it’s definitely worth dining in to feast! 😋
7. Get a free starter worth up to $11.29 at California Pizza Kitchen.
When you sign up for CPK Rewards, you’ll receive a free starter up to $11.29 value. Choose between their Mexican Street Corn, White Corn Guacamole + Chips, or Buffalo Cauliflower. Just note that you are required to make a $10 purchase to claim.
Plus, be sure to sign up the day before you plan to visit, since it can take up to 24 hours to receive your coupon. Once you’re a member, you’ll start earning points and rewards like a free birthday dessert!
8. Grab a fork for your free $9.99 pancake stack at IHOP.
When you enter your email with MYHOP, you’ll receive a stack of 5 pancakes free after your first purchase. So consider buying an inexpensive drink to redeem! Plus, you’ll get a free stack again on your birthday (and every anniversary on the day you joined their pancake revolution) – no purchase necessary. 🤩
9. Score a free medium sundae at Friendly’s valued at $7.29.
Ice cream lovers, rejoice! Join Friendly’s Sweet Rewards Club and enjoy a free medium sundae just for signing up. Plus, you’ll unlock more sweet perks along the way, including special birthday treats and rewards!
10. Score $7.19 in BonBites rolls at Cinnabon.
When you sign up for an account with Cinnabon, you’ll receive a free 4-count BonBites roll within 24 hours! We’d recommend grabbing an extra dipping sauce for just $1.89 to spend the least.
11. Get chips and queso worth $6.99 at Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen.
Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen has an e-club. When you join, they give you FREE chips & queso! Plus, you’ll get a FREE dessert on your birthday too!
12. Score a free $6.89 classic burger at Back Yard Burger.
Join the Clubhouse at Back Yard Burger and treat yourself to a delicious reward— a free, juicy classic burger just for signing up! Plus, you’ll stay in the loop on exclusive perks, tasty deals, and mouthwatering offers you won’t want to miss!
13. Score a free salsa and chips when you sign up for Chili’s rewards – a $6.59 value!
Want to know how to get free food at Chili’s? You’ll get freebies just for signing up with My Chili’s Rewards. Members will receive free chips and salsa every time they visit when they head into Chili’s at least once every 45 days and spend at least $5. Those are rewards that keep on giving.
Plus, as a regular, you’ll receive other rewards like free kids’ meals and free dessert on your birthday!
14. Qdoba also offers a free queso & chips ($6.25 value) when you sign up for rewards.
Join Qdoba Rewards to score a free queso & chips! Even better, it’s valued at $6.25, making it an even bigger value than Moe’s!
15. Score a free Auntie Anne’s pretzel valued at $5.99.
So many places give free food when you download the app! When you register your email for Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Perks, you’ll receive a free pretzel with any purchase. So grab a dip for $1.39 and enjoy!
16. Arby’s offers free sandwiches when you sign up for texts – a $5.59 savings!
At Arby’s, you can get a sandwich free when you sign up for text alerts! To claim this freebie, they do require a minimum $5 purchase, so we recommend grabbing a drink and a side to maximize your free sandwich.
17. Get your Pizookie on and save $5 at BJ’s Brewhouse.
Get a free birthday Pizookie when you sign up for emails and rewards with their Premier Rewards Plus program. What’s a Pizookie, you ask? It’s a warm, molten, deep-dish cookie topped with a hefty scoop of ice cream! How’s that for a sweet deal? 👏🏻
18. Snag $5 of free food at Famous Dave’s when you sign up for rewards.
Snag some free food when you sign up for Famous Dave’s app and score a $5 reward! Plus, you’ll get exclusive birthday freebies, rack up “bones” so you can score deals on future orders, and more perks!
19. Receive a bagel and shmear worth $4.39 when you join the Einstein Bros rewards program.
Love bagels? Join the Einstein Bros. Bagels The Shmear Society rewards program. You’ll score a free bagel and shmear with any purchase just for signing up. To spend the least on your purchase, grab a bag of potato chips for later for just $1.99.
20. Get free food at Moe’s Southwest Grill when you download the app! You’ll score FREE queso ($4.25 value)!
You’ll get a free cup of queso just for signing up for Moe’s Southwest Grill Rewards. Plus, you’ll be able to take advantage of their rewards program every time you visit and receive another free cup on your birthday!
21. Get a FREE bagel and cream cheese when you join Bruegger’s Bagel Inner Circle – a $4.19 value!
Join the Bruegger’s Bagels Rewards program to score a FREE bagel and cream cheese with any purchase! Plus, get free coffee whenever you order ahead in the app.
22. Score a $4.19 treat for free at Panera & score free delivery for 30 days.
If you’ve been wondering how to get free food, it’s super easy at Panera! Not only will you score a free pastry just for signing up for MyPanera Rewards, but you’ll also get FREE delivery for your first 30 days!
23. Score hashbrowns for free at Waffle House – a $3.45 value!
When you sign up for the Waffle House Regulars Club, you’ll get a coupon for a free hashbrown. As a member, you’ll score freebie coupons, Waffle House news, and exclusive specials.
24. Get a FREE Krispy Kreme doughnut ($1.99 value) when you sign up for rewards.
Sign up for Krispy Kreme Rewards and enjoy a free doughnut with any purchase! Grab a coffee, iced latte, or even a dozen to share. Whatever you choose, your free doughnut makes it even sweeter! Plus, as a member, you’ll score sweet perks all year long, including free doughnuts on your birthday, exclusive offers, and special rewards!
Or show up close to closing time, and you could potentially get a dozen free donuts… 😱
Some of our Hip sidekicks swear by showing up to bakeries about 30 minutes to an hour before they close. They often give away freebies if they’re likely to go in the trash anyway.
“We went into Krispy Kreme doughnuts one weekday evening around 9 PM, and they gave both of my kids a free dozen glazed donuts. We didn’t end up purchasing anything!” – Bryn, Hip Sidekick
Here are some potential other ways to get free food near you:
- Sign up for Rewards Programs: You may have noticed a trend for free food when you sign up for loyalty programs, so be sure to take advantage of discounts & offers beyond signing up.
- Birthday Deals: Don’t leave birthday deals on the table! A TON of restaurants offer free meals or treats on your birthday when you sign up for their rewards programs. See our full list of birthday freebies.
- Social Media Follow/Tag: Restaurants may offer a free item if you follow them on social media, like a Facebook page, or tag them on Instagram. So go find your faves!
- Give Feedback: Some restaurants give free items or discounts if you complete their customer satisfaction survey or give feedback. Some online deliveries like DoorDash may even compensate you on qualifying orders by offering credits to your account!
- Befriend the staff: If you’re friendly with staff or frequent a particular restaurant, they may surprise you with a free dessert, side, or drink.
- Check-in Deals: Use apps like Yelp or Foursquare to check in to a restaurant. Some places offer a free item or discount just for checking in.
- “First-Time” Offers: Many new restaurants give away free meals to entice customers to try them out.
- International Eats: Some restaurants, especially in Italy or Mexico, give free bread or chips and salsa at the start of a meal. It’s a cheap way to fill up!
- Join a trivia team: Our Hip reader, Maddie, said there are many trivia groups around her city, and she recently won a $15 certificate to an Italian restaurant just because her team won!
- Look out for soft openings: Sometimes, food trucks or smaller restaurants will offer a free appetizer if you try an entree, just because they’re looking for feedback on their menu items.
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