Comprehensive Guide To Thanksgiving 2019 Freebies And Promotional Offers

Thanksgiving 2019 brought numerous promotional offers and freebies across various retailers and establishments. As consumers faced rising inflation, many retailers responded with special promotions, including discounted Thanksgiving staples and complimentary food items. This article examines the available free samples, promotional offers, and no-cost product trials that were accessible during the 2019 holiday season, focusing on supermarket deals, retail promotions, restaurant specials, and electronics bargains.

Supermarket Thanksgiving Promotions

Several supermarket chains offered significant promotions to help consumers prepare for Thanksgiving without straining their budgets. These offers included free turkeys with minimum purchases and price matching on essential holiday items.

Aldi Price Matching Aldi, the supermarket chain, announced discounts on Thanksgiving staples to match 2019 prices. This initiative was implemented in response to surging inflation, making traditional holiday ingredients more affordable for shoppers. While specific items and discount amounts were not detailed in the source material, this price-matching program represented Aldi's effort to maintain accessibility to Thanksgiving essentials despite economic pressures.

BJ's Wholesale Club Free Turkey Promotion BJ's Wholesale Club offered members a complimentary Butterball whole turkey through a promotion that ran through November 10. To qualify, members needed to spend $150 either online or in-store, which would trigger a digital coupon for a free turkey. The offer was available while supplies lasted, and participants were required to create a digital account on BJs.com to receive their coupon. This promotion provided significant value for families planning large Thanksgiving meals, as a whole turkey typically represents one of the more substantial expenses for the holiday dinner.

ShopRite Turkey Offers ShopRite implemented a tiered free turkey promotion for its Price Plus members (membership is free). By spending $300 on groceries between the promotion start date and Thanksgiving, members could receive a complimentary turkey. The spending threshold did not need to be met in a single visit, allowing flexibility for shoppers who made multiple purchases leading up to the holiday. ShopRite offered multiple turkey options, including ShopRite All Natural Frozen Turkey and ShopRite Grade "A" or Shady Brook Frozen Turkey Breast. For those who preferred alternatives to turkey, the store also provided options such as ham (Cook's Shank Half Smoked Ham and Hormel Black Label Canned Ham), chicken (Kosher Frozen Roasting Chicken), lasagna (Stouffer's Party Size Lasagna), and Tofurky for vegetarian consumers.

Weis Markets Turkey Program Weis Markets required a higher spending threshold for its free turkey promotion but offered a comparable benefit. Customers needed to spend $400 before Thanksgiving to receive a Weis Quality Frozen Turkey at no cost. Participation required enrollment in the store's free Preferred Shopper's Club, with customers needing to sign up by October 10 to be eligible for the promotion. The deal was available from the start date through November 28. Weis Markets reminded customers to allow sufficient time for thawing frozen turkeys before cooking, emphasizing food safety and preparation best practices.

Retail Store Black Friday and Thanksgiving Freebies

Beyond supermarket promotions, numerous retail stores offered free items and special deals during the Thanksgiving weekend and Black Friday 2019. These promotions varied in structure, with some offering complimentary products to all customers and others providing incentives to the first shoppers of the day.

Big Beverage Promotions Big Lots provided a free 20 oz Coke or Pepsi product to its rewards members on Black Friday. To receive the complimentary beverage, rewards members needed to either scan their rewards card or enter their phone number associated with their rewards account at checkout, which would apply a 100% discount to the item. This promotion exemplified the frequent Friday freebies offered to Big Lots rewards members, with this specific deal aligning with the Black Friday shopping period.

First-Customer Incentives Several retailers offered special incentives to the first customers of the day: - C-A-L Ranch Stores provided gift cards worth up to $100 to the first 100 customers on Friday morning - Craft Warehouse offered a free Santa's Helper apron to the first 100 customers on Saturday, November 30 (though specific Saturday hours were not detailed in the promotional materials) - Fred Meyer distributed free donuts and coffee starting at 5 am on Friday, with the first 100 customers also receiving a gift card - Half Price Books gave a free tote bag and $5 gift card to the first 100 customers when the store opened at 9 am on Friday

All-Day Free Offers Some establishments provided complimentary items throughout the day: - Cumberland Farms offered free coffee all day on Thanksgiving, with the store remaining open 24 hours - Exchange provided free coffee of any size all day on Friday, along with a "Your Holiday Bill Is On Us" sweepstakes running from November 1 to December 31

CVS Pharmacy Deal CVS remained open on Thanksgiving and offered a complimentary Colgate Toothpaste through a strategic combination of discounts. The toothpaste, regularly priced at $3.50, became free after applying a $3 instant coupon (available at the CVS membership coupon kiosk) and a $0.50 coupon from the CVS app. This deal exemplified how pharmacy chains provided practical household items at no cost during the holiday period.

Gordmans Promotions Gordmans implemented a multi-day promotion with different incentives for Thursday and Friday. The store opened at 3 pm on Thursday and 6 am on Friday, offering the first 75 guests each day a chance to win various prizes, including a giant FAO Schwarz bear, scratch-off cards worth $5-$100, and a free holiday tote bag.

Fry's Electronics Specials Fry's Electronics offered several deals during its Turkey Day 4-Day Sale from November 28 to December 1. The store provided: - Free after rebate on select Rhino video card bridge cables - Fix-It Utilities Professional 12 for 5 PCs at $39.99, with a $40 mail-in rebate resulting in a final price of -$0.01 (effectively paying customers to take the item) - Rhino diversion safes (including soda can designs) priced at $14.99, with $8.49 instant savings and $6.50 mail-in rebate, making them free after rebate with a limit of three per household

Notably, Fry's Electronics was closed on Thanksgiving Day, with deals available both online and in-store (though some items were in-store only).

Restaurant and Food Service Promotions

Numerous food establishments offered complimentary items and special promotions during the Thanksgiving season and surrounding holidays. These ranged from free food items on specific days to themed promotions aligned with various holidays.

Thanksgiving Weekend Restaurant Deals While specific Thanksgiving restaurant promotions weren't detailed in the source material, several restaurant chains were noted to offer free slices or deep discounts during the period. California Pizza Kitchen, Domino's, Little Caesars, Papa John's, and Pilot Flying J were among the establishments providing such offers, though the exact terms and dates varied by location.

Valentine's Day Promotions Looking ahead to 2020, several restaurants planned Valentine's Day promotions: - Starbucks offered buy-one-get-one (BOGO) deals on most beverage orders - Auntie Anne's provided heart-shaped pretzels - McAlister's Delis offered free meals for children at participating locations - Quiznos and Chuck E Cheese locations had location-specific offers for free subs or kids' meals - California Tortilla gave away Love Chips - Mimi's Cafe offered a free entrée to customers who told someone they loved them on the restaurant's Facebook page

IHOP Free Pancake Day IHOP's annual Free Pancake Day, scheduled for February 25, served as a charity fundraiser where the restaurant gave away a free short stack of Original Buttermilk Pancakes. The specific terms and participation requirements were noted to be available on the company's website.

Leap Day Special Offers For February 29 (Leap Day), several restaurants planned birthday-themed promotions: - Great American Cookies offered a free cookie cake with proof of birthday - Hard Rock Cafe provided a free entrée with proof of birthday - Houlihan's Restaurant offered a free entrée with ID as proof of birthday - McAlister's Deli gave a free cookie with proof of birthday - Olive Garden offered free "Dolcini" desserts (with the recommendation to check the website first for a coupon) - Participating Pizza Hut locations provided a free one-topping personal pizza with proof of birthday - Villa Italian Kitchen offered a free slice of pizza with proof of birthday

Additional Food Service Promotions Other planned promotions included: - Tony Roma's, Great American Cookies, Hardee's, Kona Ice and Hard Rock Cafe locations with various food giveaways - Free paper shredding services available at Staples, Office Depot or OfficeMax through online coupon downloads - Free admission to national parks during National Park Week (April 18-26) - Target's historical practice of handing out free recyclable bags during Earth Day - Starbucks' policy of free coffee refills when customers bring refillable mugs - Free organic milkshakes at participating EVOS locations on Earth Day - Free 30-minute unlimited rides through the Citi Bike app on Earth Day - Free Auntie Anne's pretzels on National Pretzel Day (April 26), potentially requiring website visits or app downloads

Early Black Friday Sales and Shopping Trends

The 2019 holiday season marked a continued trend of retailers starting Black Friday promotions earlier than traditional Thanksgiving day openings. This shift in timing had significant implications for consumers planning their shopping strategies.

Extended Shopping Period For nearly a decade, the official kickoff to the holiday shopping season had been progressively moving closer to Thanksgiving, reducing the time consumers traditionally spent with family during the holiday. Retailers increasingly pushed promotions earlier, particularly in 2019 when the number of shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas was notably fewer than in previous years.

Expert Commentary RetailMeNot shopping and trends expert Sara Skirboll addressed common misconceptions about Black Friday timing in an interview with USA TODAY. "One common misconception is that the big deals don't start until Thanksgiving night or Black Friday," Skirboll stated. "But many retailers are starting their Black Friday sales earlier and earlier with some offering steep discounts as soon as Wednesday." This insight highlighted how consumer expectations needed to adapt to the evolving retail landscape.

Consumer Response The earlier start to holiday shopping had been accompanied by controversy, with some shoppers expressing public outcry and threatening boycotts. Despite this backlash, many retailers maintained their early opening schedules, prioritizing sales potential over traditional holiday observance.

Shopping Recommendations Industry experts recommended that consumers prepare strategically regardless of when they chose to shop. Whether planning to shop after an early Thanksgiving dinner or during the early morning hours of Black Friday, preparation was emphasized as key to saving time, money, and avoiding shopping-related stress.

Online Shopping Advantages For certain high-demand items, experts suggested prioritizing online shopping. "If it's an iPad, PlayStation, television, try online first," the article advised. Online shopping offered the additional benefit of free shipping, with major retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, and Target offering complimentary shipping on all orders during the holiday season.

Evaluating Holiday Promotions

When assessing the various freebies and promotional offers available during the 2019 holiday season, several factors emerged as important considerations for consumers.

Eligibility Requirements Many promotions required specific conditions to be met: - Membership enrollment (ShopRite Price Plus, Weis Markets Preferred Shopper's Club) - Minimum spending thresholds ($150 for BJ's Wholesale Club, $300 for ShopRite, $400 for Weis Markets) - Rewards program participation (Big Lots) - Early arrival (first 100 customers at various retailers)

Limited Availability Numerous offers were subject to limited availability: - While supplies last (BJ's Wholesale Club turkeys) - First-customer incentives (C-A-L Ranch Stores, Fred Meyer, Half Price Books) - Specific timeframes (Thanksgiving day only for some offers)

Combined Savings Opportunities The most valuable deals often resulted from combining multiple offers: - CVS's free toothpaste achieved through stacking an instant coupon and app coupon - Fry's Electronics items becoming free after combining instant savings and mail-in rebates

Verification Requirements Some promotions required proof or verification: - Restaurant birthday promotions requiring ID or proof of birthday - Online coupon requirements for certain services (paper shredding, national park information)

Conclusion

The 2019 holiday season offered numerous promotional opportunities for consumers seeking to reduce their expenses during the expensive Thanksgiving and Christmas period. From complimentary turkeys at wholesale clubs to free coffee at convenience stores and electronics deals requiring mail-in rebates, retailers provided various incentives to attract holiday shoppers. The trend toward earlier Black Friday sales reflected the retail industry's adaptation to a compressed shopping calendar, while consumers benefited from strategic planning and understanding promotion terms and conditions. By taking advantage of membership programs, combining offers, and shopping strategically, consumers could significantly offset their holiday expenses through these promotional opportunities.

Sources

1. NY Post - Aldi Price Matching and BJ's Turkey Promotion
2. Today - ShopRite and Weis Markets Turkey Promotions
3. Actually Free - Black Friday Freebies 2019
4. The Girlfriend - Holiday Free Stuff Calendar
5. USA Today - Black Friday Savings Guide