Election Day 2016 saw a wide array of national brands, local restaurants, and service providers offering free products, discounts, and special deals to celebrate civic participation. These promotions ranged from free food and beverages to complimentary services and educational materials. The offers were generally available to any customer, though some required specific actions like showing an "I Voted" sticker or using a mobile app. This guide compiles the verified offers from the 2016 election cycle, detailing the participating brands, redemption methods, and any stated restrictions.
Food and Beverage Freebies
A significant number of food and beverage chains offered free items on Election Day, 2016. These deals often did not require a purchase, though some did have conditions.
Krispy Kreme was one of the most prominent brands offering a free item. According to multiple sources, customers could receive a free doughnut at participating locations. There was some variation in the redemption requirements across different reports. One source indicated that no "I Voted" sticker was required to receive the free doughnut. Another source specified that the free doughnut could be obtained by showing an "I Voted" sticker. A third source confirmed that the offer was available whether or not an individual had voted. The brand provided a list of non-participating locations, which included stores in Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Utah, and Wisconsin. For example, in Arizona, the state was listed as a non-participating region, though specific cities within other states were also excluded.
7-Eleven offered a free cup of coffee to customers on Election Day. This deal was available through the 7-Eleven mobile app, which could be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play. The offer was valid at participating shops, and the coffee was available in any size.
Great American Cookies provided a free cookie at participating locations to customers who showed an "I Voted" sticker.
Firehouse Subs offered a free medium drink to customers who wore an "I Voted" sticker on Election Day.
Gold's Gym offered free access to its facilities for individuals who brought a valid "I Voted" sticker. This was not a food item, but it was a common freebie included in various roundups.
Nestle Toll House Café gave out free cookies to anyone who showed an "I Voted" sticker.
Other food-related deals that required a purchase included: * Bertucci’s: Free cannoli with a purchase. * California Tortilla: Free chips and queso with a purchase. * Chuck E. Cheese’s: A buy-one-get-one-free pizza deal. One specific coupon code (#5253) was mentioned for a free personal-size pepperoni pizza with any pizza purchase. * Duffy’s: Free red velvet mini donuts. * East Coast Wings & Grill: Five free wings with a purchase. * White Castle: A free gallon of iced tea with the purchase of a Crave Case.
Additional food and beverage deals did not require a purchase but were not listed as free items in all sources. These included: * Dunn Bros. Coffee: 50% off select drinks from November 7-9. * Marco’s Pizza: A free pizza voucher. * P.F. Chang’s: 20% off takeout on November 7 and 8. * Piola: Free pizza. * Sbarro: Two 17-inch XL pizzas for $20.16. * Toppers Pizza: A large up to 2-topping pizza or triple order of Original Topperstix for $5.99. * Bob Evans: A 30% off coupon. * Noodles and Co.: Buy One, Get One coupons.
Non-Food Freebies and Services
Beyond food, several brands offered free products, services, or experiences.
Foot Locker was reported to be giving out free "I Voted" Pintrill pins.
Macy's had a 20% off sale with the promo code VOTE.
Zipcar offered a unique service for Election Day. On election night, over 7,000 Zipcars across the country were made free from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. local time. Members could reserve these vehicles starting at 9 a.m. on November 3 up to Election Day, either online or through the mobile app, to "zip to the polls during the last few hours."
C-Span provided a free Electoral College Map.
Hillsdale College offered a free copy of The Constitution and Declaration of Independence.
NYTimes.com had open access from November 7-9.
YMCA offered free childcare so individuals could vote.
AMC Theatres provided free passes to watch Election Night coverage.
Geographic and Eligibility Considerations
The available source material does not provide specific state-by-state or city-by-city breakdowns for all offers, with the notable exception of Krispy Kreme's non-participating locations list. For most other brands, the offers were described as being available at "participating" locations, but the specific geography was not detailed in the provided chunks. The search query specifically mentioned "Arizona," but the only Arizona-specific information in the sources was that Arizona was listed as a state where Krispy Kreme was not participating. No other Arizona-specific freebies or deals were identified in the provided data.
Eligibility for most offers was straightforward: customers could redeem them by visiting a participating location. Some offers, like the free coffee at 7-Eleven, required the use of a specific mobile app. Others, like the free cookie at Great American Cookies or free drink at Firehouse Subs, required the customer to show an "I Voted" sticker. The Krispy Kreme offer had conflicting reports regarding the sticker requirement, with some sources stating it was not needed and others stating it was.
Conclusion
The 2016 Election Day featured a diverse range of freebies and deals aimed at rewarding voters and encouraging participation. The offers spanned multiple categories, from food and beverage to retail and services. While many deals were available nationwide at participating locations, some, like the Krispy Kreme doughnut, had specific geographic exclusions. Redemption methods varied, with some requiring an "I Voted" sticker, a mobile app, or a purchase. The information compiled here is based on reports from the time of the event, and consumers should note that specific participation and terms may have been subject to change or local variation. For the most accurate and current information on any brand's promotions, consulting the official brand website or contacting local stores is always recommended.