Chick-Fil-A And Other Election Day Freebies How Brands Incentivized Voting In 2018

Election Day 2018 saw numerous brands and businesses across the United States offering special deals and freebies to encourage citizens to participate in the democratic process. These promotions ranged from discounted food items to free transportation services, creating a patchwork of incentives for voters. While the legality of offering direct incentives for voting remains in a gray area, many businesses structured their promotions as discounts or freebies available to anyone who could demonstrate they had voted, typically by showing an "I Voted" sticker. This article examines the various Election Day promotions offered in 2018, with particular attention to Chick-fil-A's participation in these voter incentive programs.

Chick-fil-A's Election Day Promotions

Chick-fil-A, one of America's most popular fast-food chains, participated in the 2018 Election Day promotions through two distinct offers. The first was a direct Election Day discount available to voters who could provide proof of their participation in the democratic process.

According to information provided by Chick-fil-A spokesman Jerry Johnston, the chain offered customers who could demonstrate they had voted the opportunity to purchase chicken sandwiches for just $2.70 on Election Day 2018. This special pricing represented a significant discount from the regular menu price and served as an incentive for customers to visit their local Chick-fil-A location after casting their ballots. The promotion required customers to provide proof of voting, though the specific documentation needed was not detailed in the available sources.

In addition to this Election Day-specific promotion, Chick-fil-A was also running a separate mobile app-based offer during September 2018 that continued through Election Day. The chain offered free eight-count orders of either grilled or crispy-fried chicken nuggets to anyone who created or signed onto their Chick-fil-A One account using the Chick-fil-A Mobile App. This promotion appeared as a reward within the app and was available at Chick-fil-A locations nationwide. The offer was valid through September 29, 2018, which meant it was still active during the early voting period leading up to Election Day but not specifically tied to the act of voting itself.

For existing Chick-fil-A One account holders, the company instructed users that they might need to sign out and sign back into their accounts to access the free nugget reward. This suggests the promotion was targeted specifically at driving app engagement and new account registrations rather than directly incentivizing voting behavior. However, as the promotion was still active during the Election Day period, customers who took advantage of the free nuggets through the app could have coincidentally done so after voting.

Food and Beverage Election Day Freebies

Beyond Chick-fil-A, numerous other food and beverage establishments offered special deals and freebies to voters on Election Day 2018. These promotions took various forms, including complimentary items, discounted products, and buy-one-get-one-free offers.

Several fast-food chains and restaurants offered food discounts specifically for voters. Shake Shack provided free french fries with any purchase to customers who showed an "I Voted" sticker or used the code "ivoted" on the app. Potbelly offered a free cookie with an entree purchase on both Election Day and the following day, extending the promotion into the day after the election. Corner Bakery Cafe provided free brewed or cold brewed coffee of any size with a purchase, again requiring customers to show their "I Voted" sticker.

Baked by Melissa implemented a dual-pronged approach to their Election Day promotion. The company offered free cupcakes in physical locations to customers who showed an "I Voted" sticker. For those who did not live near a Baked by Melissa location, the company provided an alternative incentive: a 10 percent discount on online orders using the promo code IVOTED2018. This approach allowed the company to engage voters both in-store and online.

Ice cream and dessert establishments also got in on the Election Day promotions. Jeni's Ice Cream encouraged political discourse by offering an extra scoop of ice cream for free to customers on Election Day. Baskin-Robbins structured their promotion as a buy-one-get-one-for-99-cents deal on ice cream cones, targeting voters who wanted to share their treat with friends. Krispy Kreme later implemented a similar promotion for the 2020 election, offering all guests a free Original Glazed Doughnut and a commemorative "I Voted" sticker, though this was not available during the 2018 election.

Several coffee shops participated in Election Day promotions as well. Toby's Estate Coffee, a New York City chain with five locations, offered $1 small drip coffees to customers wearing "I Voted" stickers on Election Day. This promotion targeted voters in the New York City area specifically. For coffee lovers who preferred to stay home, McDonald's implemented a promotion in 2020 where ordering a hot or iced coffee through the McDonald's app resulted in a free pastry, though this was not available during the 2018 election.

In the realm of quick-service restaurants, White Castle offered discounts on orders placed through delivery services on Election Day 2018. Customers could receive $4 off orders of $20 or more, or $5 off orders of $30 or more in New Jersey and New York, when ordering through Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Postmates. The company also announced that all locations would close from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Election Day to give employees time to vote, demonstrating a commitment to facilitating staff participation in the electoral process.

Transportation and Ride-Sharing Offers

Recognizing that getting to polling places could be a barrier for some voters, numerous transportation companies offered special deals on Election Day 2018. These promotions aimed to remove financial and logistical obstacles that might prevent citizens from voting.

Ride-sharing services were particularly active in offering Election Day incentives. Uber provided voters with $10 off a single ride to the polling locations on Election Day when using the promo code VOTE2018. This direct financial incentive made it more affordable for voters without personal transportation to reach their polling places. Lyft implemented a similar promotion, offering 50 percent off rides to most voting locations, which could result in significant savings for voters depending on the distance to their polling place.

For shorter distances, alternative transportation options also provided Election Day incentives. Lime, a bike and scooter sharing company, offered free rides on its bikes and scooters to and from polling places for up to 30 minutes when using the promo code LIME2VOTE18. This promotion targeted voters in urban areas where these transportation options were readily available. Similarly, Zipcar offered $20 toward a future trip with an Election Day rental, providing an incentive for voters who might need a vehicle for a longer period.

Public transportation systems in several cities also participated in making voting more accessible. In Los Angeles, Metro trains, buses, and bike shares were free on Election Day, as were Long Beach Transit, Baldwin Park Transit, Pasadena Transit, and Santa Clarita Transit services. Several other transit systems across the nation offered free rides on Election Day, including Los Angeles' Metro system, Columbia, South Carolina's bus service the COMET, the Metro in Houston, and the Greensboro Transit Authority in North Carolina.

Bike-sharing programs in multiple cities also offered free rides to encourage voter participation. Most Motivate bike programs provided a free day pass with the code BIKETOVOTE. For Divvy bikes, riders could use the code VOTE18 to access free rides. In Portland, which has a vote-by-mail system, BIKETOWN riders could use the code BIKE2VOTE to get 30 minutes of free ride time on Election Day.

Other Election Day Promotions

Beyond food and transportation, various other businesses implemented Election Day promotions in 2018. These offers demonstrated the widespread nature of voter incentive programs across different industries and business types.

In the beverage category, Chameleon Cold-Brew offered a voucher for a free 10-ounce cold brew when customers posted a selfie with their "I Voted" sticker on Instagram. This promotion combined social media engagement with voter incentives, encouraging customers to share their participation in the democratic process online. Bars owned by the 1933 Group in Los Angeles offered special drink pricing from 5 to 7 p.m. on Election Day, providing $1 Moscow Mules or Old Fashioneds to customers who showed their "I Voted" stickers.

Quick-service restaurants continued to offer Election Day deals beyond those already mentioned. California Tortilla provided a free order of chips and queso with any purchase to customers who said "I voted" on Election Day, valid in-store only. Capriotti's Sandwich Shop offered $1 off any sub to customers who showed a voting sticker. Bobo's implemented a social media-based promotion where customers could get a coupon for a free vegan, gluten-free oat bar by sharing on social media that they had voted, using the hashtag #GetOatTheVote.

Some retailers offered Election Day promotions that extended beyond Election Day itself. Baked by Melissa, as previously mentioned, offered 10 percent off online orders for Tuesday and Wednesday following Election Day with the promo code IVOTED2018, extending the voter incentive beyond the single day of the election.

Regional Variations and Considerations

The available sources indicate that Election Day promotions varied significantly by location, with many offers being available only at specific regional chains or in particular cities. For example, Toby's Estate Coffee's $1 coffee promotion was limited to their five locations in New York City, while the 1933 Group's $1 drink promotion was specific to bars they owned in Los Angeles.

Public transportation free rides were also regionally specific, with different cities and transit authorities implementing their own policies. This regional variation meant that voters needed to check what promotions were available in their specific areas rather than assuming national offers would be available everywhere.

Some promotions required specific actions beyond simply showing an "I Voted" sticker. For instance, Domino's offered free pizza delivery through its app and Doordash on Election Day, but required customers to report their polling place online to receive the free pizza. This approach allowed the company to engage with voters digitally while providing a tangible incentive.

Conclusion

The 2018 Election Day saw a diverse array of promotions designed to encourage voter participation across the United States. Chick-fil-A participated through two distinct offers: a discounted chicken sandwich for voters who could provide proof of voting and a mobile app-based promotion for free chicken nuggets available through September. These offers were part of a broader trend of food and beverage establishments providing special deals to voters, including free coffees, discounted meals, and complimentary desserts.

Transportation companies played a particularly significant role in facilitating voter access to polling places through ride discounts, free bike and scooter rides, and complimentary public transportation. These offers helped remove financial and logistical barriers that might otherwise prevent citizens from voting.

The variety of Election Day promotions demonstrated the widespread business interest in encouraging civic engagement, though the approaches varied significantly by region and industry. While some businesses offered direct incentives tied to proof of voting, others structured promotions as general discounts available to all customers during the Election Day period. Regardless of approach, these promotions collectively contributed to making voting more accessible and rewarding for American citizens in 2018.

Sources

1. Here Are All The Places You Can Get A Deal Just For Voting In The Midterms
2. Election Day 2020 Freebies And Deals – Including Donuts, Margaritas And Free Coffee
3. Free Chicken Nuggets For Chick-fil-A Mobile App Users Through September 29, 2018
4. Freebies And Deals Being Offered On Election Day 2018
5. Election Day Freebies 2018: Free Rides, Polls And Other Deals