Your birthday is a great time of year and deserves to be celebrated, and if you know what you’re doing, you can eat free for at least a week. But it’s not only restaurants that give you free gifts—stores do too. So, here are 15 of my favorite places to score on my birthday, and we hope that you love them too! Sign up for the apps or rewards clubs at least two weeks before your birthday!
Buffalo Wild Wings
If you love wings, then download the Buffalo Wild Wings app and join the rewards club. You’ll get six free wings on your birthday. Getting it to go is easiest (from personal experience), and if you order ahead in the app, it takes care of everything. This is especially helpful if your birthday falls on a weekend when they get busy.
Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme offers a trio of donuts for free for your birthday, and it’s a great way to get a sweet treat. This is another reward that you’ll have to sign up for through the app. Go into the rewards section, and it will show up. Let the employee scan it, then the reward will be applied.
Panera
Panera will give you a free pastry for your birthday. It needs to be three dollars or under, but that covers about ten different items. If you’re a bagel person, that will cover the cream cheese, too. Like the others, you’ll download the app and then check the rewards section, and it will show you what’s available.
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is not the same for everyone. Some people get a coupon for a free meal; others get a coupon for a free drink. Whatever the case may be for you, it’s still a good treat that will make your birthday more special, and it’s always nice when you can treat yourself to a nice pick-me-up.
Cinnabon
Cinnabon doesn’t require an app; you can simply go to their website and sign up to get the emails. On your birthday, you’ll receive an iced coffee for free. Just for signing up, however, you’ll also get a free order of their BonBites. So, if you sign up at the beginning of the month and your birthday is at the end of the month, it’s like getting two rewards.
Torrid
Torrid is a wonderful store. Throughout the year, they hold sales and have Torrid cash. However, on your birthday, they’ll add ten dollars to your Torrid account to use for whatever you want. Personally, I always pair mine with a clearance sale. A couple of years ago, I scored $80 jeans for $7.98 and a pair of sunglasses for only about $0.30 before tax.
Moe’s Southwest Grill
This one also depends on the person. Some get a free burrito; others get a free cup of guacamole or queso. They’re known for having great food, and their burritos are amazing, so if this is your free reward, you won’t go wrong. They let you customize it too, so it’s a lot of food.
Nothing Bundt Cakes
This place has the best bundtlets, which is what you’ll get for your birthday when you sign up. They have all sorts of delicious flavors like chocolate chip, strawberry, lemon, and red velvet. The cake crumbles perfectly in your mouth, and while the icing is rich, it’s not overly sweet, making it a great dessert.
Waffle House
Waffle House will give you a free waffle on your birthday, but they’ll also give you a plate of hash browns for signing up for their rewards program, and regulars may receive seasonal coupons. Their waffles are always nice and fluffy, so this is another place to tick off when you want a pick-me-up or something sweet.
Zaxby’s
Another generous sign-up is Zaxby’s. When you sign up, you get a free nibbler meal, and on your birthday, you get cookies. The nibbler meal is great and super filling, so having that as a freebie is awesome. But for a birthday treat, who doesn’t love free cookies? They taste like happiness and fun wrapped up in one.
Designer Shoe Warehouse
If you join their rewards club, they’ll give you a five-dollar birthday reward. While this isn’t enough for a pair of shoes, it is enough for a pair of socks or something small. This way, you’re only paying tax if you want to stay in the free bracket. Honestly, their stuff holds up and lasts a while, so socks aren’t a bad way to go.
Sephora
If you like makeup and skincare, sign up for Sephora’s rewards club. Every year on your birthday, they’ll give you a free sample gift. I’ve gotten everything from face mask sample kits, hair care, and lip masks. They always smell great and work well. I’d recommend going in-store, however, to claim it (have the email printed out), because online it tends to glitch.
Bath and Body Works
Bath and Body Works is generous with their birthday gift. It’s usually for a free item up to $10 in their store. Not to mention if you sign up, you immediately get coupons and, if you shop there a lot and are a member of their loyalty program, you’ll get coupons for a free product up to $16.95.
Ace Hardware
Got home improvement on the brain? Ace Hardware will give you $5 for your birthday and coupons throughout the year to help you. The store is chock-full of things, and you’d be genuinely surprised at what $5 can get you. So have fun looking around and seeing what you need.
Baskin Robbins
If you want free dessert on your birthday, this is a good one. You’ll get a free scoop of any flavor you want, and it’s a great way to celebrate your birthday with a sweet treat. For this one, you have the option of printing off the email or using the app. However, if you don’t keep up with the app, it’ll log you out, so you’ll have to get back in.
Happy Birthday
Companies love it when customers become loyal, so almost every company out there has a program for you. As a result, there are many more that will give you freebies on your birthday. Shop till you drop, enjoy delicious meals, and have fun turning your birthday into your own game to see how much you can get!
