Comprehensive Guide To Free Meals And Military Discounts For Veterans Day 2025

Veterans Day 2025, observed on November 11, will feature numerous businesses offering complimentary meals and discounts to military personnel and veterans across the United States. This guide details the available offers, eligibility requirements, and additional resources for finding military discounts and freebies. Most offers require valid military ID or proof of service and are available only on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, unless otherwise specified.

Veterans Day Free Meal Offers

The 2025 Veterans Day celebration includes an extensive list of restaurants offering complimentary meals to active military personnel and veterans. These free meal programs demonstrate the appreciation of businesses for military service, with many national chains participating in this annual tradition.

Restaurant Chain Offers

  • Applebee's: Free meal from a special menu plus a $5 Bounce Back Card
  • Blaze Pizza: Free one-topping pizza
  • Bob Evans: Free meal from a Veterans Day menu
  • Buffalo Wild Wings: 10 free boneless wings plus fries
  • Casey's: Free coffee or fountain drink and car wash
  • Chili's: Free entrée for dine-in only
  • Chipotle: Buy-one-get-one-free entrée from 4–8pm
  • Cracker Barrel: Free Sunrise Pancake Special breakfast
  • Denny's: Free Grand Slam (5am–12pm)
  • Dunkin': Free doughnut
  • Einstein Bros. & Bruegger's Bagels: Free hot or iced coffee
  • Golden Corral: Free buffet dinner during Military Appreciation Night
  • IHOP: Free Red, White & Blueberry Pancake Combo
  • Krispy Kreme: Free doughnut and coffee (no ID required)
  • LongHorn Steakhouse: 10% off plus free appetizer or dessert
  • Olive Garden: Free meal with soup/salad and breadsticks
  • Outback Steakhouse: Free 3-Course Aussie Meal (November 10-11)
  • Playa Bowls: Free bowl
  • Pilot Flying J: Free breakfast/lunch combo (through ID.me in the app)
  • Red Lobster: Free Shrimp & Chips entrée
  • Red Robin: Free Big Tavern Burger plus bottomless side
  • Shake Shack: Free Big Shack burger
  • Sheetz: Free meal plus free car wash
  • Starbucks: Free tall coffee for veterans and military spouses
  • Texas Roadhouse: Free meal voucher (valid until May 2026)
  • The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: Free drink for military and spouses
  • Wienerschnitzel: Free Original Chili Dog, fries, and soda
  • White Castle: Free combo or breakfast meal

Additional Restaurant Offers

Several additional restaurants have announced Veterans Day free meal deals:

  • Bandana's BBQ: Complimentary entrée valued up to $59. Find locations at bandanasbbq.com.
  • Bar Louie: Free craft burger on November 11 at participating locations. Dine-in only. Excludes the Big Louie burger and has a $4 upcharge for upgrading to the Impossible patty. Find locations at barlouie.com.
  • Beef O'Brady's: Free Build-Your-Own-Angus Burger & Fries on November 11 at participating locations with valid military ID. Find locations at www.beefobradys.com.
  • Benihana: Complimentary entrée valued up to $59 for veterans and active-duty military personnel on Veterans Day. Find locations at benihana.com.
  • BIBIBOP Asian Grill: Free bowl to veterans and active-duty military personnel with valid military ID on November 11 at participating locations. Dine-in only. Excludes premium toppings and extra proteins. Cannot be combined with any other promotions. Find locations at bibibop.com.
  • Biscuit Belly: Complimentary meal on November 11 at any participating location for veterans and active-duty military personnel.

Retail & Grooming Deals for Veterans

Beyond restaurant meals, numerous retailers and service providers offer special discounts and freebies for military personnel and Veterans Day:

  • Great Clips: Free haircut or haircut card for military personnel; civilians receive a "thank a veteran" card to pass along
  • Staples: 25% off in-store with military ID
  • Target: 10% off two purchases through the Circle app (status verification required)
  • Walgreens & Duane Reade: 20% off regularly priced items with military ID and myWalgreens account

For additional military discounts, verification services like SheerID and ID.me can be checked for verified offers including travel and wireless deals.

General Freebie Resources

While Veterans Day offers constitute significant freebies, several websites specialize in year-round free samples and promotional offers:

Krazy Coupon Lady

Krazy Coupon Lady is an ad-supported service that provides vetted and verified freebies and free samples 24/7. The platform features:

  • Legit freebies and free samples with verification
  • A newsletter for new deals and savings hacks delivered to your inbox
  • A privacy policy that outlines how subscriber information will be used
  • An Insider program called "KCL Insider" that offers:
    • Early access to the hottest deals
    • Insider savings tricks
    • Tips to level up couponing skills
    • Additional savings opportunities

The platform operates with full transparency regarding its business model, noting that many offers contain affiliate links that may earn a small commission if purchases are made. Additionally, some posts may be sponsored by product manufacturers for which the platform receives a fee.

TheFreebieGuy

TheFreebieGuy operates independently and is funded by advertising. The platform features:

  • Promotions from companies that may provide compensation
  • Potential to earn small commissions from affiliate links if purchases are made
  • Occasionally sponsored posts by product manufacturers for which the platform receives a fee

How to Find Military Discounts

For ongoing military discounts beyond Veterans Day, the Military Discount Center provides a comprehensive resource that highlights businesses supporting military personnel through various offers:

  • Weekly military discounts on food, travel, lodging, moving, entertainment, and more
  • Deals targeted at active duty service members, veterans, and their families
  • A newsletter service for regular updates on new discounts
  • A submission system for businesses to share their military discounts with readers

The platform emphasizes the importance of verification for military discounts, often requiring proof of service through military ID or other documentation.

Conclusion

Veterans Day 2025 presents numerous opportunities for military personnel and veterans to enjoy complimentary meals and discounts at restaurants across the country. These offers typically require valid military ID or proof of service and are available on November 11, 2025. Beyond the holiday, resources like Krazy Coupon Lady and TheFreebieGuy provide year-round access to free samples and promotional offers, while the Military Discount Center offers ongoing discounts for military families. When seeking freebies and discounts, it's important to verify eligibility requirements and any potential restrictions before taking advantage of offers.

Sources

  1. Vintage Drum Forum Freebies Thread
  2. Krazy Coupon Lady Freebies
  3. TheFreebieGuy
  4. Clarke County Public Health Veterans Day 2025 Free Meals
  5. Military.com Discounts
  6. Indianapolis Star Veterans Day 2025 Free Meals