The 2016 U.S. Presidential Election Day, held on November 8, 2016, was marked by a wide array of promotional offers from national brands, local restaurants, and service providers. These promotions were designed to acknowledge the civic participation of voters, with many offers requiring proof of voting in the form of an "I Voted" sticker or a specific verbal cue. The offers spanned multiple categories, including food and beverage, fitness, childcare, and transportation, providing consumers with various ways to engage with the day's events. This article details the verified freebies and discounts available on that day, based on information compiled from multiple contemporary news sources and deal blogs.
Verified Food and Beverage Offers
A significant number of food and beverage establishments participated in Election Day promotions, offering free items or discounts to customers who presented proof of voting. Many of these offers were contingent upon an in-store purchase, while others were completely free.
National Chains with Free Items
Several national food chains offered free items to voters. Krispy Kreme, a popular doughnut chain, provided a free doughnut of choice to any guest wearing a voting sticker or wristband at participating U.S. shops. This offer did not require a purchase and was available at most locations, though specific non-participating locations were listed, including stores in Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Virginia, Utah, and Wisconsin.
Great American Cookies offered one free regular cookie with an "I Voted" sticker. Similarly, Nestle Toll House Cafe By Chip provided one free chocolate chip cookie to customers wearing the sticker. Firehouse Subs gave a medium drink for free upon presentation of an "I Voted" sticker. California Tortilla offered free chips and queso with any purchase when customers used specific verbal cues: "Make queso great again," "I’m with queso," or "I vote for queso."
Other national offers included a free personal pepperoni pizza with the purchase of any pizza at Chuck E. Cheese's (using coupon code #5253), a free regular-size side to anyone with a sticker or wristband at Nando's Peri-Peri Chicken, and a free medium one-topping pizza voucher from Marco's Pizza for customers who cast a vote for Marco's on their website. Toppers Pizza offered a large up to 2-topping pizza or a Triple Order of Original Topperstix for $5.99 with a carry-out order. East Coast Wings & Grill provided a free order of five honey barbecue chicken wings with each entrée.
Discounts and Purchase-Based Offers
Several restaurants offered discounts rather than completely free items. Bob Evans provided a 30% discount on the entire dine-in or carryout order via a coupon. P.F. Chang's offered 20% off takeout orders on November 7 and 8. Sbarro ran a special for two 17" XL pizzas for $20.16. Bertucci's offered a free cannoli with an entrée purchase for customers voting for their favorite new cannoli. Schlotzsky's offered a "Buy One, Get One Free" coupon for mac and cheese. BurgerFi offered a $5 Conflicted Burger (regularly $8 or $9) with an "I Voted" sticker. Tijuana Flats gave a free small side to anyone with a sticker. Duffy’s Sports Grill provided free Red Velvet Mini Donuts to customers with a sticker. Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt served an election-inspired smoothie for 45 cents to celebrate the 45th president.
Convenience Store and Coffee Offers
7-Eleven offered free any-size coffee to customers using the Free 7Rewards app on Election Day. This was available at participating locations. Dunn Bros. Coffee offered 50% off select drinks from November 7-9. World of Beer offered a first beer for $1 with mention of the Election Day deal.
Non-Food Freebies and Services
Beyond food, several businesses offered services or products for free or at a discount to voters.
Fitness and Health
Gold's Gym offered free access to local gyms for customers presenting a valid "I Voted" sticker. This was a nationwide offer at participating locations.
Childcare and Transportation
The YMCA offered free childcare at select locations to allow parents to vote without hassle. Customers were advised to call their local Y to confirm participation. Zipcar offered a free rental for Election Day, specifically from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. local time, to help members "zip to the polls during the last few hours." Members could reserve vehicles starting at 9 a.m. on November 3. Lyft offered a 45% discount on rides to the polls in select metropolitan areas, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Miami, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nashville, New Orleans, New York City, New Jersey, Orange County, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Raleigh, San Diego, and Washington, D.C.
Media and Retail
AMC Theatres offered free passes to watch Election Night coverage. C-Span provided a free Electoral College Map. Hillsdale College offered a free copy of The Constitution & Declaration of Independence. NYTimes.com offered open access from November 7-9. Macy's offered an extra 20% off via coupon code "VOTE" during its Election Day Sale, with free shipping on orders of $50 or more (otherwise a $9.95 fee applied). The deal ended November 9.
Eligibility and Redemption Details
Most offers were valid only on Election Day, November 8, 2016, though a few extended to November 7 or 9. Participation was typically limited to "participating locations," and customers were advised to call ahead to confirm. The primary eligibility requirement for most free items was proof of voting, most commonly an "I Voted" sticker or wristband. Some offers, like those from California Tortilla and Marco's Pizza, required a specific phrase or website action. Others, like 7-Eleven's coffee, required the use of a mobile app. Offers were generally non-transferable and subject to availability while supplies lasted.
Conclusion
The 2016 Election Day promotions demonstrated a broad corporate and local business effort to engage with the electorate. The offers ranged from free food and beverages to discounts on retail purchases, fitness access, childcare, and transportation. While the specific deals were tied to the 2016 election, they illustrate a common marketing strategy used during major civic events: rewarding participation with promotional incentives. For consumers, these offers provided tangible benefits for exercising their right to vote, though terms and conditions, including participation limitations and purchase requirements, applied to most promotions.