Veterans Day (Sunday, Nov. 11) Free Food / Special Offers

This Veterans Day (Sunday, Nov. 11), Olive Garden, Red Lobster and LongHorn Steakhouse, Chhiles, AppleBee's, SubWay, Champps Americanaare and many other restaurantsare   honoring veterans and active-duty military with special offers at all locations across the country.

Veterans and active-duty military can simply show proof of service for dining specials, which includes U.S. Uniform Service Identification Card, U.S. Uniform Service Retired Identification Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), Veteran’s Organization Card (i.e., American Legion and VFW), DD214 Certificate, Veteran’s Identification Card (VIC), photographed in uniform or wearing uniform or their Canadian equivalent.

2012 Veterans Day Free Meals and Discounts

Note: We are in the process of tracking down all the 2012 Veterans Day discounts. Check back frequently for updates!
Veterans Day is soon approaching and there are many restaurants and companies who want to thank our veterans by providing them with discounts or a free meal. To those companies offering veterans a free meal or discount, the military community gives a collective thanks!
Two notes before jumping in:

• Proof of Military Service. Most companies require some form of military ID. These include: a Military ID Card (active/reserve/retired), Current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), Drivers License with Veterans Designation, Photograph in uniform, be wearing uniform (if your service permits), Veterans Organization Card (e.g., American Legion and VFW), DD214, discharge paperwork, or other form of identification. Other restaurants and companies may go by the honor system.
• Participation. Second, always call ahead to verify locations, times, and participation. Many of the listed companies are franchises and may have different policies. We will do our best to keep this page updated as we find new info.

2012 Free Veterans Day Meals

Please credit this resource: We are frequently updating this list with new deals and offers for the military community. If you use items this list, please direct your visitors to this page so they can find the most up to date information:

Applebee’s – free meal, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012: Last year, Applebee’s served over one million free meals to military veterans and active servicemembers. Applebee’s is again offering a free meal to military veterans and active-duty service members on Veterans Day, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012. There will be 7 entrées to choose from, beverage and gratuity not included. Military ID or proof of service required. More.
Bar Louie, Free meal on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. 2012. Active duty military members and veterans can receive a free meal, up to $10 in value, and a free non-alcoholic beverage. Available at all locations, military ID or proof of service is required (source). Find a location near you.
Champps Americana, Nov. 11, 2012. We’re celebrating our Veterans with an All American Meal! All Veterans and Active Military will receive a free burger. Proof of service required. Offer not valid for the Pepperjack Bacon Stack Burger or Kobe Burger. Dine in only, valid at participating locations. More info, Find a location near you.
Chili’s – free meal, Sunday, Nov. 11 2012. Chili’s is offering all military veterans past and present their choice of one of 7 meals. This offer is available from 11am – 5pm on November 11, 2012 at participating Chili’s in the U.S. only. Dine-in from limited menu only; beverages and gratuity not included. Veterans and active duty military simply show proof of military service. Visit their website to find locations.
Denny’s Veterans Day Appreciation Event, Nov. 12 2012. Free all you can eat pancakes from 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 12 for all active, retirees, and veterans with a valid military ID or proof of military service. Offer available in every Denny’s nationwide.
Famous Dave’s – Sunday Nov. 11 2012. Free or discounted meals on Veterans Day. Offer varies by location, please check the Famous Dave’s Veterans Day page or call your local restaurant for more information.
Golden Corral – Free meal, Monday Nov. 12: The 12th annual Golden Corral Military Appreciation Monday dinner will is available to any person who has ever served in the United States Military. If you are a veteran, retired, currently serving, in the National Guard or Reserves, you are invited to participate in Golden Corral’s Military Appreciation Monday dinner. For more information visit http://www.goldencorral.com/military/.

Special thanks to Golden Corral: To date, Golden Corral restaurants have provided over 3.2 million free meals and contributed over $6.1 million to the Disabled American Veterans organization. Amazing!

Hooters – Free Meal, Sunday, Nov. 11 2012. Hooter’s is serving up a free meal to military veterans all day on Veterans Day. Offer good for all veterans and active duty military personnel. Get 10 Free Wings – Boneless or Regular, drink purchase required. Offer valid at participating Hooters only; open to all active duty and military veterans with valid military ID or proof of military service. For more information, visit, www.HootersVeteransDay.com.
Hy-Vee, Free Breakfast, Monday, Nov. 12, 2012. Free Veterans Day breakfast from 7am – 11am at all Hy-Vee supermarkets with in-store dining. Please call ahead to verify participation, and bring proof of service.
Krispy Kreme – Free doughnut, Nov. 11, 2012. Available only at participating Krispy Kreme stores. Offer available to all active-duty, retirees & veterans. Be sure to call ahead to verify your local Krispy Kreme is participating.
Little Caesars® Pizza, Monday, Nov. 12, 2012. Little Caesars is honoring the men and women of the United States armed forces this Veterans Day by providing veterans and active military members with a free Crazy Bread® with proof of military status or proof of service at participating stores nationwide. Call ahead to verify participation. Find a location near you.
Lone Star Steakhouse, Monday, Nov. 12, 2012. Free Appetizer for military members and veterans. Taste of Texas Sampler not included. ID required, please call ahead for verification.
Max & Erma’s, Sunday, November 11, 2012. Participating Max & Erma’s locations are offering military members and veterans a free Best Cheeseburger in America Combo, which includes tortilla soup or side Caesar salad, seasoned fries, and chocolate chip cookies. Locations.
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants – free lunch or dinner, Sunday Nov 11, 2012: McCormick & Schmick’s is celebrating their 14th annual Veteran’s Appreciation Event on Sunday, November 11th. Veterans will be able to choose a complimentary lunch or dinner entrée. Veterans must provide proof of military service. Be sure to contact your local McCormick & Schmick’s as this is valid at participating restaurants only. Also, space is limited and reservations are highly recommended. For more information visit: M&S Veterans Appreciation Event.
Outback Steakhouse – A week of Free Bloomin’ Onions and Cokes Nov. 7 – Nov. 11 2012. Outback Steakhouse is honoring America’s military veterans by offering active duty military and veterans a free Bloomin’ Onion and a Coca-Cola product during the week leading up to Veteran’s Day. This offer is available to Military Personnel with ID. More information.

The Outback understands commitment. For the past two years, The Outback, with the help of their patrons, has donated $2 Million to Operation Homefront, a non-profit organization providing everyday and emergency support for active troops, wounded warriors and their families.

Spaghetti Warehouse, Monday, Nov. 12, 2012. Buy one entrée, get one free, coupon required. Choose any of 11 Original Recipe Spaghetti entrées and receive a second entrée free. This offer is open to everyone, not just veterans. Download the coupon at their website (available starting Nov. 5th).
Sizzler Restaurants, Nov. 12, 2012. Free lunch served until 4pm. Choice of 3 entrees. Valid with proof of military service. More info and locations.
Subway – Free Six Inch Sub, November 11, 2012. Select SUBWAY® Restaurants will offer a FREE six inch sub or flatbread to military veterans on Veterans Day. This offer is valid only on November 11, 2012 at participating local SUBWAY® restaurants, Military ID or proof of service required. Note: SUBWAY® Restaurants are franchises, so this offer may not be available everywhere. Please call ahead for participation and times.
Texas Roadhouse – free lunch, Monday Nov. 12, 2012. Every Texas Roadhouse location across the country will participate in the free lunch event to honor the men and women of our armed forces. Choose from one of 10 free meals, plus sides and a drink. Offer good for All veterans – including all active, retired or former U.S. military. ID Required. Find locations.
T.G.I. Friday’s – Free Lunch, Monday Nov. 12, 2012. Valid for all US Military personnel and veterans. Must wear uniform (if permitted by your service) or present military ID or other proof of service. Only valid at participating locations for anyone with an old or current military ID. More details on TGIFridays.com.
The Olive Garden, Free entrée, Nov. 11, 2012. Offer good for veterans and active duty military, on Sunday, November 11th during regular business hours. Chose from a special menu; all entrées inlcude freshly baked garlic sticks and choice of soup or salad. Off er good in US and Canada, proof of service required. More info.
Tim Hortons – all US locations are offering a free donut to all veterans (check out the Star Spangled donut!).
7-Eleven – Free small Slurpee on Sunday, Nov. 11 from 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Offer good to all current and former military members. ID or proof of service required.

Home Depot and Lowe’s Military Coupon Updates

Update: Home Depot and Lowes 10% Military Discount Available Everyday.
Home Depot Military Discount: The Home Depot(R) is offering all active duty personnel, reservists, retired military, veterans and their families a 10 percent discount off their purchases in honor of Veteran’s Day. The offer is valid on purchases of up to $2,000 for a maximum of $200 and is available at The Home Depot stores, The Home Depot Design Center locations, Yardbirds and EXPO Design Center(R) locations. The 10% military discount is available everyday for active duty and retirees, but not all veterans. Home Depot makes this offer available to all veterans on most military holidays. You can also find Home Depot discounts online.
Lowe’s Military Discount: Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will offer all active, reserve, honorably discharged, retired military personnel and their immediate family members a 10 percent discount on in-store U.S. purchases made during the Veterans Day holiday. The discount is available Nov. 7 – Nov. 11. The discount is available on in-stock and special order purchases up to $5,000. To qualify, individuals must present a valid military ID or other proof of service. Excluded from the discount are sales via Lowes.com, previous sales, and purchases of services or gift cards. Like Home Depot, Lowes offers this discount daily to active duty military members, but not to veterans. However, they extend the offer to military veterans on military holidays. You can also find exclusive discounts at Lowe’s.com.

Free Park Admissions for Veterans Day 2012

Anheuser-Busch Parks. Anheuser-Busch Parks offers Active Duty Service Members free admission for them and up to 3 dependents to any of their parks once a year. Throughout 2012, members of the military and as many as three direct dependents may enter SeaWorld, Busch Gardens or Sesame Place parks with a single-day complimentary admission. The Here’s to the Heroes program is only available to Any active duty, activated or drilling reservist, or National Guardsman. Eligible parks include: Adventure Island, Busch Gardens (Tampa Bay or Williamsburg), SeaWorld (Orlando, San Diego, or San Antonio), Sesame Place, and Water Country USA. Not valid at Discovery Cove and Aquatica. Christmas Town at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va. is not included as part of this program. For more information and to register, visit: Free admission summary, and ticket application.
Colonial Williamsburg Free Admission. Colonial Williamsburg offers free weekend-long admission tickets to active-duty military, reservists, retirees, veterans, and their immediate dependents from Thursday, Nov. 9 through Monday, Nov. 12th. The complimentary ticket includes admission to Colonial Williamsburg exhibition sites, art museums, and most daytime programs, as well as free parking and use of the shuttle bus system. Tickets are only available at on-site ticket sales locations. Tickets are also available to families of deployed servicemembers. Tickets available on the following dates: Nov. 9-12, 2012.
Fee Free Day at National Parks. To honor America’s service men and women, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that areas managed by the National Park Service would not charge entrance fees for Veterans Day weekend – November 10-12, 2012. Everyone is eligible, not just veterans. Over 100 national Parks will be participating in this event.
Historic Jamestowne – Free Admission. The National Park Service commemorates Veterans Day with Fee Free days at Historic Jamestowne November 10-12. Free admission for everyone. See events calendar.
Knotts Berry Farm Military Tribute Days – Free Admission – 2012. Knott’s Berry Farm has an annual Military Tribute event in which they offer military members past and present by offering free park admission. This year the Military Tribute Days run from November 1 – 21 November. Veterans or current serving military personnel plus one guest get in FREE with proper ID presented at Knott’s turnstile (DD214, Veterans Administration Hospital ID or Active Military Service ID). Purchase up to six additional tickets for just $19 each. More info.
Pro Football Hall of Fame – Free Admission, Nov. 3. 2012. Annual Veterans Day Salute, Saturday, November 03, 2012, 09:00 AM – 05:00 PM. Any veteran or member of the armed forces and their spouse or a guest will be admitted free of charge to the Hall of Fame for a day-long recognition of US Military veterans. Members of the Blue and Gold Star Mothers will also be eligible for free admission. Veterans and guests also receive a 10% discount in the Hall of Fame Store. There will be a special ceremony beginning at 10:00 a.m. in the Hall of Fame’s NFL Films Theater. More information.
San Jacinto Monument and Museum (La Porte, TX). No charge for the military and their families all week. Free admission to the theatre, Observation Floor, and the special exhibit to all veterans and their families. More info.

Bed and Breakfast for Vets

In the third year of the program, B&Bs for Vets has organized over 230 (and counting) participating Bed and Breakfasts and Inns across the US and Canada which will be offering veterans a free night’s stay on November 10th, the night before Veterans Day. This offer is available to both active duty military members and veterans with ID, but space is limited. Each Inn and B&B has at least one room available for this promotion and reservations must be made directly through the participating Inns and B&Bs. For more information visit B&Bs for Vets.

2012 Veterans Day Discounts – Retail Stores & More

Here are some additional Veterans Day Discounts. In all cases, be sure to provide proper ID or proof of service. In addition, some of these stores are franchises, so verify participation before assuming the discount is in place.

• Amazon.com – Free MP3 album download “Veterans Day Honor” This free downloadable album includes 12 songs as performed by the military bands and ensembles of the U.S. Armed Forces. Visit Amazon now through Veterans Day to download the album for free (album will be full price again starting Nov. 12).
• Big Lots – 10% off your entire purchase. Offer available to active duty, Guard/Reserve, veterans, retirees and their immediate family members, with valid ID. Please call ahead to verify.
• Cabela’s. Cabela’s is giving their standard employee discount to all US military veterans, active duty military, Guard/Reserves, law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel on Nov. 10-11. Discount varies from 5% to 20%, depending on the item.
• Dollar General. 10% discount on entire purchase on Veterans Day. Offer good for all active-duty military, retirees, veterans, Guard/Reserve, & immediate family members. The coupon can be found in the store circular, or by asking an employe. Also good online from Nov 11-13, use Coupon Code VETERANSDAY. More info.
• Free Business Cards and Checks. Get 25 FREE Checks – Choose from 6 different designs or upgrade to premium checks and choose from many more designs. Bonus Offer – Get 250 Free Business Cards! FREE Checks & Business Cards offer.
• Free Car wash, Nov. 11, 2012. Thousands of car washes around the country are offering vets a free car wash on Veterans Day, 2012. Find a list at Grace for Veterans, which helped veterans receive 101,537 FREE Washes on Veterans Day in 2011.
• GameFly: Video game rentals – Gamefly – Free Trial
• Jos. A. Bank Specials: Veterans Day Sale- 1 Day Only! JoS. A. Bank Veterans Day Sale Orders.
• Netflix: One Month Free Trial, coupon code.
• Sports Authority – 15% off all purchases. All Veterans and Military personnel please stop by your local Sports Authority store to receive 15% OFF YOUR ENTIER PUCHSASE on 11.11.11 ONLY! Please show proper identification or proof of service at check-out to receive this special offer.
• Sport Clips – Veterans Day National cut-a-thon and Help A Hero program. Sport Clips is the official haircutter of the VFW and will donate $1 from every haircut during the National Cut-a-Thon to VFW’s Operation Uplink, which provides free phone time to active-duty military personnel and hospitalized veterans. Sports Clips stores also offer a offer a Heroes discount which includes active and retired military. Find a location near you.
• Steve Madden. We’d like to salute our heroes by doubling our everyday military discount of 15% to 30% OFF for Veteran’s Day ONLY. Valid with a form of Military identification (past or present) in Steve Madden stores only (not valid online). *Full priced merchandise only. Find a store near you.
• VA Loan Rates. VA Loans and mortgage rates are currently the lowest they have been in over 50 years.
• $100 for opening new Chase Freedom VISA.

Regional Veterans Day Discounts

There have been multiple request to include local and regional Veterans Day discounts. We are happy to include these in our list. Please use our Contact Page to send us the information. Please be sure to include a link to the website so we can verify it and share it with our readers. If a website is not available, then please use the company e-mail address so we can verify the offer.

• America’s Incredible Pizza Company, Nov. 11th. Free meal Nov. 11th. Not all locations participate. Please call ahead to verify availability, hours and locations.
• Aquarium of the Pacific (Long Beach, CA), Nov. 11, 2012. Free admission for veterans, military personnel, police officers, and firefighters who show valid service ID. More info.
• Barmuda (Iowa) – free meal (TBA). Barmuda is offering a free meal to all active duty members and veterans in all restaurants. More information.
• Brevard Zoo (Melbourne, FL), Nov. 9-11, 2012. Free Admission to military veterans with proof of service. More info.
• Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse (NY, NJ, PA), Nov. 12, 2012. Veterans Eat Free, with valid military ID or proof of service. Cannot be combined with any other coupon or offer. Get coupon.
• Des Moines Botanical Center, Nov. 11, 2012. Free admission for active duty, veterans and their families. More info.
• Detroit area Ponderosa, Monday, Nov. 12, 2012. All 7 Detroit area Ponderosa Restaurants will offer a free buffet meal for military veterans from open to close. View locations.
• Phoenix Zoo, Friday, Nov 9 – Monday, Nov. 12, 2012. Free admission for military members with ID and $4 discount for those in their party.
• San Antonio Symphony and the United States Air Force Band of the West. Free Veterans Day Concert November 11, 2012, beginning at 7 p.m. More info.

2011 Veterans Day Specials (Awaiting Confirmation for 2012)

BJs Restaurant and Brewhouse, Fri. Nov. 11th (2011 – awaiting 2012 update). Complimentary lunch entree or a one topping mini pizza for dinner. Offer valid to all active duty military and veterans, with proof of service. More info.
Fox & Hound and Bailey’s Sports Bar (2011 – awaiting 2012 update). Veterans and Active Duty Military will receive a free item from the 7 under $7 menu. Active military ID, retiree card, or other proof of service required. Visit site for location information.
Twin Peaks, Friday, Nov. 11 (2011 – awaiting 2012 update). Free entrée for service men and women (up to $10). Good for veterans and active service personnel with valid ID or proof of service. Dine in only; gratuity not included. Find a location near you.
Uno Chicago Grill, Friday, Nov. 11 (2011 – awaiting 2012 update). Veteran’s Day Discount: 19.43% discount on their food and non-alcoholic beverage beverages purchases from11/7 through 11/11. Why 19.43%, do you ask? That is the year UNO invented deep dish pizza. Offer good for all military for veterans and active duty military. ID or proof of service required: Show up in uniform (if your service permits), provide military ID, show a picture of yourself in uniform, or have other ID showing proof of service.
Free Hugo® Canes for Veterans (2011). Sam’s Club® locations nationwide will distribute 36,000 Hugo® canes free of charge on November 9th, 10th, 11th, 2011 to U.S. military veterans in need of mobility assistance. Limited quantities available, while supplies last. Sam’s Club® Membership is not required, but proof of military service may be required. For more information, visit HugoSalutes.com.