Birthday Freebies | 2020 Update

Birthday freebies time is one of my favorite times of the year. It’s unfortunate my birthday is close to Thanksgiving & Christmas (December 3) because I’m usually too busy to fully take advantage of all the free stuff. But I do my best.

After over ten years of scheming for birthday freebies, I know a little about signing up for them, using them, and which are best. So hold on tight for a very in depth look at a bunch of birthday freebies.

I will not be listing any birthday freebies I have not personally received. There are already tons of lists like that, and although I appreciate them and use them, they just don’t give enough details for me personally. I don’t want to spend a bunch of my time signing up for a mailing list that’s going to blast me daily just to get a buy one get one half off entree at a place I don’t care about. This list will be updated every year during my birth month of December and is in the process of being updated during December 2020, so bookmark this page and check back often.

Check out our Instagram or Facebook for bonus birthday freebie videos! And follow us so you can follow along next birthday.

Disclaimer – this list is accurate and up to date to the best of my knowledge as of January 2020. I cannot be sure that every person gets the same rewards from each place although usually they are the same for everyone. I can’t guarantee any of these freebies and I am not affiliated with any of these rewards programs or business although some I wish I was. Lol. This post does contain Amazon ads that are affiliate links though – if you click an ad and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting this blog!

So I realize everyone is different, but my absolute favorite freebies are No Purchase Necessary AND don’t have the stipulation of being Dine-In Only. These are the my favorites because you can go in alone, get your food, and walk out with no money exchanged and no questions asked. But Carly, isn’t it rude to go into a restaurant, use a coupon and not actually buy anything? ABSOLUTELY NOT. I do sometimes have anxiety about doing it, but 9/10 times the person you will be interacting with has absolutely no stock in the sales this chain restaurant is making. When I worked in restaurants, I LOVED when people took advantage of freebies. Is the company expecting that people will come into the store with their coupon and make an additional purchase and/or bring a friend? For sure. But if they wanted to require a purchase, they definitely would. The milkshake you got for free is not going to make a difference in the sales of this chain store, and any employee who doesn’t applaud you for taking advantage of free stuff during your birthday is an asshole anyway.

Quick tip: if you don’t want your email overrun with emails from restaurants and retailers, you can set up an email address just for birthday freebies. I don’t do this and I have actually been pleasantly surprised with a lot of rewards programs and gotten freebies at other times in the year, but it’s still an option.

Another tip: if you’re like me and you’re going to be bringing your free food home to eat in the privacy of your own home, get an insulated bag (I like this style) to keep in your car. I use it for really anything I bring home, even just drive thru Taco Bell. Also great for groceries.

Enough of that – on to the freebies!!

True Birthday Freebies (This Section Totally Free!)

Freebies in this section are completely free with no purchase necessary. Some are dine-in only, some are dine-in or carry out.

Jersey Mike’s Subs – Email Club

Freebie: Free Regular Sub & Fountain Drink (No Purchase Required)
Received: On birthday.
Duration: One Year.
Thoughts: This is my favorite! The year expiration date on this is amazing.

Moe’s Southwest Grill – Moe’s Rockin Rewards

*Must Use App To Redeem*

Freebie: Free Burrito, No Purchase Necessary
Received: Two days before birthday.
Duration: Ten days.
Thoughts: I’ve had Moe’s Rewards for about a year and a half now, and in just the first six months I got free nachos, free queso (twice!) and the free birthday burrito. In the past year I’ve gotten more free queso and my second birthday burrito. This one is definitely worth the sign up and worth keeping the app on your phone. Everyone is always nice and never annoyed when I redeem freebies.

Red Robin – ‘Red Robin Royalty’

Freebie: Free Birthday Burger (“Literally. Free.”)
Received: 1st day of birthday month.
Duration: One month.
Thoughts: Very quick and easy to redeem as an online order in the app and pick up. Red Robin gives you a free fry cup with every pick up order, so you can have some fries for your car ride or extras to share. They have some fun sauces – I was recommended the campfire sauce and it was awesome.

Wingstop – The Club

Freebie: Free Large Fries (The Good Ranch Not Included)
Received: One week before birthday.
Duration: Two weeks.
Thoughts: You gotta pay for that Good Ranch but it’s worth it. Can be redeemed with a wing order or on its own – I usually pair it with another freebie from somewhere else.

McAlister’s Deli Rewards

Freebie: $5 off any purchase (Purchase just needs to total over $5)
Received: Beginning of the month.
Duration: One month.
Thoughts: Five dollars doesn’t seem like much, but I redeem this one almost every year. It may be the reward I’ve been getting/redeeming the longest. Last year, I got us two teas while we were Christmas shopping and had to add on a cookie to make the total above $5. This year I got my new favorite sandwich and had a nice lunch out alone which I never do. Note – it says print a copy to redeem but my store lets me forward the email to them.

Auntie Anne’s – Pretzel Perks

Freebie: Free pretzel.
Received: One week before birthday.
Duration: Two weeks.
Thoughts: NEW IN 2020 – This was a good one, we redeemed while doing some shopping at the mall.

Hooters – Eclub

Freebie: Ten Free Boneless Wings (No Purchase Required, Dine In Only*)
Received: On birthday.
Duration: One week.
Thoughts: 2020 – I didn’t get this one this year! They have switched to an app-based rewards system and they do still advertise the free wings on your birthday so this one should still be good although it may differ slightly. (And I got a free app for registering for the new reward system – bonus freebie!) 2019 – I did redeem this one as a call in/carry out. A little awkward because when I got there the girl just handed me the bag, barely glanced at my phone when I tried to show the coupon and that was that. lol.

*My store allowed carry out.

Houlihan’s – Email Club

Freebie: Free Entree (or any one menu item up to $15) (Dine in only.)
Received: One week before birthday.
Duration: Two weeks.
Thoughts: Two years in and I still haven’t redeemed this because of the dine in requirement but it’s definitely a good value.

Cici’s Pizza – My Cici’s Loyalty Program

Freebie: Free Buffet
Received: One week before birthday.
Duration: Two weeks.
Thoughts: 2019: I don’t really want to talk about this one because our Cici’s disappeared for a few months, came back for like two weeks, and now it’s gone for good. I’m still salty about it. *Update – it’s possible coming back? Either way I missed out on the free buffet. 2020: CICI’S IS BACK! But I still didn’t redeem my free buffet.

Krispy Kreme Rewards

*Must Use App To Redeem*

Freebie: Free doughnut and coffee (No purchase necessary)
Received: First of the month.
Duration: One month.
Thoughts: This is another of my favorites. Definitely a rewards program worth keeping through the year – they do one-day-only no-purchase-necessary free doughnut promotions for new flavors every few months. Also this year (2020) I found out you can get iced coffee, hot coffee or a soda if you request. Warning: their iced coffee automatically comes with milk.

Jimmy John’s – Freaky Fast Rewards

Freebie: Free 8-inch ‘favorite’ sandwich
Received: On birthday.
Duration: One week.
Thoughts: NEW IN 2020 – free and fast.

Firehouse Subs – “Firehouse Rewards”

*Must Use App To Redeem*

Freebie: Free Medium Sub (No Purchase Necessary)
Received: On birthday.
Expires: One week.
Duration: Uncertain.
Thoughts: They were so nice at Firehouse Subs! My free birthday sub was my first Firehouse sub and it was a great experience all around.

Ruby Tuesday – So Connected Email Club

Freebie: One Free Burger OR One Free Garden Bar (Up to $11, No Purchase Necessary, Dine-In or Carryout)
Received: One week before birthday.
Duration: One month.
Thoughts: I still have never redeemed this although I always intend to get that garden bar.

Sephora – Beauty Insider

Freebie: ‘Free gift’ (see details below)
Received: On birthday.
Duration: Two weeks.
Thoughts: NEW IN 2020 Sephora gives a small birthday gift with no purchase necessary to everyone in their rewards program, with no prior purchase required. It seems like it changes each year. For 2019, I got a Kat Von D sampler pack with a mini eyeliner, loose powder and a lipstick sampler.

Sonic Drive-In

*Must Use App*

Freebie: Free Small Classic Shake (No Purchase Necessary BUT available only when you use Mobile Order Ahead)
Received: On birthday.
Duration: One month.
Thoughts: First off, if you’re not getting texts from Sonic, you’re missing out on 50cent corn dogs and $1 snacks through the whole year. I still haven’t gotten the free birthday shake unfortunately.

Torrid – Torrid Insider

Freebie: $10 Reward (No additional purchase necessary)
Received: First of the month.
Duration: One month.
Thoughts: Definite favorite. The $10 reward basically works as a gift card, so as long as you’re below $10 it’s totally free. If you shop online, you have a big selection of clearance items and shipping to store is free. 2018: Got a bra for free. 2019: I got a pair of jean shorts, originally around $40, completely free. 2020: Got a bra again (shopped in store this year and paid $7.) Side note: in the past, I’ve also gotten a $10 reward on my Rewards anniversary though I didn’t get it this year. I think you probably only get this if you have made a purchase within the year. If anyone can confirm, please email me unicornhideout@gmail.com.

Box Lunch – Lunch Specials

Freebie: $5 Reward (No additional purchase necessary)
Received: On birthday.
Duration: Six weeks.
Thoughts: Just like Torrid, this is basically a gift card for $5. Redeemed this one in store in 2019 and 2020. Same parent company as Torrid, so I’m assuming they do ship to store as well, which means you could shop online with free ship to store and find something cool on clearance for free. This year they had a great clearance section so I got a mini planner and a book of Rick & Morty post-its for $1.

Hot Topic – Guest List

Freebie: $5 (No additional purchase necessary)
Received: On birthday.
Duration: Six weeks.
Thoughts: Just like Torrid & Box Lunch, this is a gift card for $5. Shop online with free ship to store and you can probably find something cool on clearance to get completely free. I shopped in store both years. 2019: got a clearance makeup pallet for free, 2020: got nail polish for $1 (it’s probably the best nail polish I’ve ever owned, I love it.

Kum & Go – &Rewards

Freebie: Free Birthday Treat (No purchase necessary) – Any size fountain drink, koolee, hot coffee, pizza slice, breakfast sandwich, breakfast burrito or bakery item.
Received: On birthday.
Duration: One month.
Thoughts: I love that you get to choose from a pretty wide range of items for your freebie. I have redeemed for a large coffee and a breakfast sandwich.

Birthday Freebies – Purchase Necessary

Starbucks – Starbucks Rewards

*Must use app to redeem*

Freebie: Free grande drink (it also covered my upcharge for non-dairy milk) – in app purchase necessary in the year before your birthday.
Received: On birthday.
Duration: Redeemable on birthday only.
Thoughts: NEW IN 2020 – I can’t put this in the totally free category because you do have to have a star-qualified purchase in the year before your birthday to get your free birthday drink. As I understand it, to get a star qualified purchase, you have to pay with money loaded in the app, either in store or via mobile order. Everyone always mentions this freebie, it’s maybe one of the most popular, but I have a bone to pick with Starbucks Rewards. It’s really meant only for serious regulars and is not very accessible to people who are a little less well off. I never get stars because I am either paying cash or it’s such a spur of the moment purchase I don’t want to take the time to load the exact amount of my purchase into the app. But this year, I happened to win a gift card from coach and podcaster Jess Wagner (check her out, she runs podcast I love called Self Leadership Club) so I had that star purchase and got that free drink. Sorry for the rant, I’m still grateful for the freebie.

Chipotle – Chipotle Rewards

Freebie: Free chips & guac with $5 purchase.
Received: On birthday.
Duration: One month.
Thoughts: NEW IN 2020 We had so many other freebies that didn’t require a purchase that we didn’t take advantage of this one, but if you get Chipotle often, this would be a good one.

Arby’s – Rewards

Freebie: Free small fries and shake with purchase of a sandwich.
Received: One week before birthday.
Duration: One week.
Thoughts: New in 2020 but I didn’t redeem.

AMC Theatres – AMC Stubs

Freebie: Free Large Popcorn
Received: First of the month.
Duration: One month.
Thoughts: This is super cool! Probably purchase required because I don’t think they’ll let you in just to carry out popcorn. Although that would be cool. Did not redeem in 2019 or 2020 – we rarely go to the movies.

Steak & Shake – Eclub

Freebie: Free Specialty Milkshake (With Any Purchase)
Received: One week before birthday.
Duration: Two weeks.
Thoughts: Did not redeem in 2019 or 2020.

Einstein Bros. Bagels – Shmear Society

Freebie: Free Egg Sandwich (with purchase)
Received: On birthday.
Duration: Two weeks.
Thoughts: Did not redeem in 2019 or 2020. Also why you gotta have a purchase necessary? A lot of their rewards do not require a purchase.

Chili’s – My Chili’s Rewards

Freebie: Free Dessert (I can’t find details on this one so I don’t know if it requires a purchase but let’s just assume it does.)
Received:  One week before birthday.
Duration: Two weeks.
Thoughts: Free dessert rewards are my least favorite. I don’t think I’ve ever redeemed one.

Applebee’s

Freebie: Free Dessert (With The Purchase of one entree of equal or greater value)
Received: On birthday
Duration: One month.
Thoughts: Nope.

Buy One Get One Free Birthday Freebies

Note: I don’t care for these all that much. These say to me Do I want to coerce someone into buying something so I can get a freebie? I guess you can buy two things yourself and they’re each half off. Or you could be nice and split the bill with a friend and both get half off. If your finances are combined with your significant other, it’s your money you’re spending anyway…

HuHot Mongolian Grill – HuHot Rewards

Freebie: Buy One Get One Free Grill Meal
Received: Beginning of month.
Duration: Two weeks.
Thoughts: I just complained a lot about buy one get one rewards, but I’m a sucker for HuHot. Redeemed in 2019 but we skipped it in 2020.

Coldstone Creamery – “My Cold Stone Club”

Freebie: Buy One Ice Cream (any size) Get One Free
Received: One week before bday.
Duration: Two weeks
Thoughts: Did I almost buy myself two small cups of ice cream? Yes. Almost. Did not redeem in 2019 or 2020.

Orange Julius – Julius League

Freebie: Buy One Get One Free Drink
Received: 1st of the month
Duration: Two weeks.
Thoughts: Did not redeem 2019 or 2020.

Other Birthday Freebies

Fuddruckers – E-club

Freebie: $7 1/3 lb Burger, Fries and a 20 oz Drink
Received: One week before birthday.
Duration: Three weeks.
Thoughts: Very specific but when we went this was just the daily Tuesday special so I didn’t use the coupon.

Michaels – Rewards

Freebie: 50% off one item coupon (regular priced items only)
Received: On birthday.
Duration: One week.
Thoughts: Okay, so you can always get a coupon at Michael’s but I still thought I would mention it for my craft crew out there.

2019 REWARDS UNCONFIRMED IN 2020

Great American Cookies – Email Club

Freebie: (Unconfirmed) Free Cookie Slice (Purchase of a regular soda is required.)
Received:
Duration:
Thoughts: Unconfirmed in 2020 AND I LOOKED FOR IT cause I wanted that cookie and we did a lot of Christmas shopping at the mall.  lol. They have changed their rewards and I didn’t sign up in time. I’m not sure what the birthday reward is now or if they have one, but I will keep it here to update once I find out.

Dairy Queen – “Blizzard Fan Club”

Freebie: Buy One Get One Free Blizzard AND $3 off Ice Cream Cake
Received:  One week before birthday
Duration: Two weeks
Thoughts: Unconfirmed in 2020, although the Blizzard Fan Club still exists.

Denny’s – Denny’s Rewards

Freebie: Free Build Your Own Grand Slam (No Purchase Necessary)
Received: One week before birthday.
Duration: Valid only on birthday.
Thoughts: Information is from 2019, Unconfirmed in 2020, did not receive.

Redbox – Redbox Perks

Freebie: Free Movie Rental
Received: First of the month.
Duration: One month.
Thoughts: Unconfirmed in 2020 but I don’t want to delete it yet. It may be in the app and I missed it, or it may be a freebie you only get if you’ve rented a movie through the app within the last year or certain amount of time. If anyone has any updated info on this one please let me know! unicornhideout@gmail.com

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