Kansas City Tax Season Savings Freebies And Discounts For 2025

Missouri residents, including those in Kansas City, have multiple opportunities to save money during tax season and back-to-school shopping. While Kansas does not offer tax-free weekends, Missouri provides significant savings through its annual Back to School Sales Tax Holiday, and numerous businesses across the country offer special Tax Day deals on April 15. This article explores the available savings opportunities for Kansas City consumers during these tax-related shopping periods.

Missouri's Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday

Missouri's Back to School Sales Tax Holiday represents one of the most significant savings opportunities for Kansas City families each year. This annual event allows customers to purchase qualifying back-to-school items without paying state or local sales taxes, providing substantial savings for families preparing for the upcoming school year.

The tax holiday typically runs over a weekend, from Friday through Sunday, as part of Missouri's effort to help families reduce the financial burden of school supplies. The event is particularly important given that back-to-school shopping costs families an average of $890 in the U.S., with an estimated total of $41.5 billion spent nationwide, according to the National Retail Federation.

Kansas City resident Eric Neddo exemplifies the dedication some families show to maximize these savings. He arrived at the Ward Parkway Target early in the morning and, after assessing the crowds, returned home to wake his three sons to help with the shopping. His family's subtotal reached $135.19, and with Missouri's combined state and local tax rate of 9.975%, they saved $13.48 through the tax holiday.

The tax holiday does not extend to Kansas, which remains one of 32 states that does not hold a sales tax-free weekend for back-to-school shopping. This has led some Kansas families, like the Hladkys, to travel across the state line to take advantage of the savings available in Missouri.

Kansas City Public Schools recognizes the financial strain that school supplies can place on families. Each year, the district's Education Foundation hosts an event where families can pick up free school supplies, along with immunizations, physical examinations, and CPR training. During these events, officials typically serve more than 3,300 families and distribute approximately 5,000 backpacks filled with school supplies. Nicole White, KCPS chief communications and community engagement officer, noted that "every kid wants to pick out the color of their backpack," highlighting the importance of providing not just supplies but also some choice in the process.

The tax holiday covers specific categories of school supplies, though the exact items included may vary each year. Families are encouraged to check the official Missouri Department of Revenue website for the most current list of qualifying items before making purchases.

National Tax Day Freebies and Deals

Tax Day, which falls on April 15 each year (unless that date falls on a weekend or holiday), has become an occasion for businesses across the country to offer special promotions and freebies to customers. While many of these deals are available nationwide, Kansas City residents can take advantage of offers from participating local locations of national chains.

Several restaurant chains and food brands offer Tax Day specials in 2025:

• Krispy Kreme: Customers can purchase any dozen doughnuts in-store and receive a second Original Glazed dozen for just the price of sales tax in their state. Those ordering online can use the promo code "TAXBREAK" to receive a second dozen for free with the purchase of a regularly priced dozen. There is a limit of two dozen per guest in-store and one free dozen when ordering online.

• Hooters: Customers can get one select appetizer for $4.15 when applying their reward in the Hooters app at checkout at participating locations. Options include mozzarella sticks, fried pickles, chips & queso, and buffalo shrimp, among others.

• Burger King: Royal Perks members can get a 1-cent cheeseburger with a $1+ purchase at participating restaurants. The offer is available through the app or other member channels.

• Mountain Mike's Pizza: The chain is offering a FREE medium one-topping pizza with the purchase of a large one-topping pizza at regular price. The offer excludes mini pizzas and is available at Mountain Mike's more than 300 locations across 8 states.

• MUG Root Beer: From April 7 to 18, 2025, the brand is giving away a FREE product of choice (cans, bottles, etc.), including MUG Root Beer Zero Sugar, valued up to $4. Consumers need to submit a rebate form to receive this offer.

• Noodles & Company: From April 12 to 25, 2025, the restaurant is offering its Taste Tour with a new deal available each day, including discounts and buy-one-get-one-free deals.

• Olive Garden: Through May 4, 2025, diners can receive a FREE take-home entrée with the purchase of an entrée in-restaurant. Both dishes must be selected from a specific menu.

• Paris Baguette: On April 15, 2025, the bakery is offering a FREE pastry with any beverage purchase. This offer is exclusively available for Paris Baguette Rewards members, requiring customers to join the rewards program beforehand.

• Pei Wei Asian Kitchen: On April 14 and 15, 2025, the restaurant is offering any entrée for just $10.40 for dine-in or online orders via Pei Wei's website or app. This offer is limited to Pei Wei Rewards members.

Restaurant Specials on Tax Day 2025

The restaurant industry has embraced Tax Day as an opportunity to attract customers with special deals and promotions. Kansas City residents can take advantage of these offers at participating local locations of national chains.

Krispy Kreme's Tax Day promotion stands out as one of the most generous, effectively offering customers a significant discount on their purchases. By allowing customers to purchase one dozen and get a second for just the sales tax amount (or free online with the promo code), the chain acknowledges the stress of tax season while providing a sweet reward. The company's Chief Growth Officer, Dave Skena, explicitly stated this connection: "We know how stressful tax season can be, so we're making the last day to file your taxes a little sweeter with this great offer."

Hooters has taken a different approach by focusing on appetizers rather than full meals. Their $4.15 appetizer promotion (the price coinciding with Tax Day) offers customers several options at a significant discount. This strategy encourages customers to visit the restaurant and potentially purchase additional items while enjoying their discounted appetizer.

Burger King's 1-cent cheeseburger promotion targets their loyalty program members, the Royal Perks. By requiring a $1 minimum purchase, the chain ensures some additional revenue while providing an extremely attractive offer to their most loyal customers. This type of promotion helps drive app engagement and repeat business.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is offering double points on purchases made through its app during Tax Day. While not a free item, this promotion rewards regular customers and encourages the use of their digital loyalty program, which can lead to additional savings in the future.

Casey's General Stores is also participating in Tax Day deals, though the specific details of their promotion are not fully detailed in the provided sources. The convenience store chain typically offers food deals and is likely providing some form of discount or special offer to coincide with Tax Day.

7-Eleven is another national chain mentioned as offering Tax Day discounts, though the specific nature of their promotion is not detailed in the source material. As one of the largest convenience store chains in the country, 7-Eleven locations in the Kansas City area would likely participate in whatever promotion the company has implemented.

How to Maximize Your Tax Season Savings

Kansas City consumers can take several approaches to maximize their savings during tax season and related shopping events. By planning ahead and understanding the available opportunities, shoppers can significantly reduce their expenses on both essential items and occasional treats.

For the Missouri Back to School Sales Tax Holiday, preparation is key. As demonstrated by Eric Neddo's experience, arriving early can make a substantial difference in product availability and selection. Shoppers should create a comprehensive list of needed school supplies before the tax holiday begins and research which retailers in the Kansas City area carry the specific items on their lists. It's also important to verify which items qualify for the tax exemption each year, as these lists can change.

When taking advantage of Tax Day promotions, joining the relevant loyalty programs in advance can ensure eligibility for special offers. Many of the restaurant deals mentioned, including those from Hooters, Burger King, Paris Baguette, and Pei Wei Asian Kitchen, require membership in their respective reward programs. Signing up for these programs before Tax Day allows consumers to take full advantage of the available promotions.

For rebate offers like the one from MUG Root Beer, keeping track of deadlines and carefully following submission instructions is crucial. The MUG offer requires consumers to submit a rebate form between April 7-18, 2025, to receive their free product. Missing this window would result in forfeiting the savings opportunity.

Comparing deals across multiple retailers can help consumers maximize their value. For example, those interested in pizza might compare Mountain Mike's offer (buy one, get one free) with any specials offered by local Kansas City pizza establishments during the same period. Similarly, families planning to dine out might compare the various entrée deals available at different restaurants to determine which offers the best value.

Conclusion

Kansas City residents have access to several significant savings opportunities during tax season. Missouri's Back to School Sales Tax Holiday provides substantial savings on school supplies, while national chains offer various Tax Day promotions and freebies. By planning ahead, joining loyalty programs, and comparing deals across retailers, consumers can maximize their savings during these shopping events.

The Missouri tax holiday represents one of the most valuable annual shopping events for Kansas City families, with potential savings of nearly 10% on qualifying school supplies. Meanwhile, Tax Day promotions offer opportunities to enjoy free food and discounts at popular restaurant chains. While Kansas does not offer similar tax-free weekends, the proximity to Missouri provides Kansas City residents with access to these valuable savings opportunities.

As tax season approaches each year, consumers should stay informed about the specific dates and qualifying items for both the Missouri tax holiday and various Tax Day promotions. By doing so, Kansas City shoppers can make the most of these limited-time offers and reduce their overall expenses.

Sources

1. KSHB - They shop very hard: Early birds snap up tax-free school supplies
2. KCUR - Shoppers take advantage of Missouri's first truly tax-free weekend
3. The Krazy Coupon Lady - Tax day freebies deals
4. USA Today - Tax day food deals 2025
5. CJOnline - Tax day food deals 2025
6. Living on the Cheap - Tax day freebies and deals