I love a good deal! Free? Even better!
At the cost of sounding cheap and slightly OCD, I will let you in on a little secret: I spend my birthday month, and especially birthDAY, running around town getting all the birthday deals I can! Over the past few years, it’s become a tradition I have with myself. I keep an updated list of all the things I’ve discovered and as my birthday approaches, I map out when and where I need to go before my birthday deals expire. I know, it sounds a little obsessive, but what’s a birthday without a cookie, a milkshake, a sub, a pie, a smoothie, AND a Starbucks!
Below is a list of birthday deals I know of and any instructions you may need so you’re not disappointed when you show up. Word of advice: if you sign up too close to your birthday, you may not qualify yet, so make sure you create accounts or get apps at least a month before your big day.
Food
Auntie Anne’s – If you spend at least $10/year at this pretzel shop, then you can get a free one on your birthday! Make sure to download the app and sign up!
Baskin-Robbins – Sign up for their Birthday Club on the website or app and you can receive some free ice cream for your big day. You can even add up to five other family members so they can also get a free treat on their special day. Birthday coupons will automatically be added to your app or sent via email.
Buffalo Wild Wings – Get six free wings during your birthday month when you sign up for their Blazin’ Rewards!
Buttermilk Sky – This place knows how to make pies and I love that they make little mini 4-inch ones which are a perfect size for an on-the-go treat or to share with a friend. If you subscribe to their Pie Perks Club on their website or in-store, they will send you an email for a free 4-inch pie with the purchase of another one. Redeemable the month of your birthday.
Chick-fil-A – If you’re a parent, then you most likely already have the CFA app on your phone. Each year, my app lets me know there is a birthday reward – my choice of dessert! It lasts from your birthday to 30 days later. Do yourself a favor and head there without the kids this time and get yourself a treat!
Chili’s – Free dessert for your birthday when you join their rewards program!
Connor’s Steak & Seafood – This is one of my favorite restaurants. Although you’ll have to pay for the pricey meal, they do offer a free strawberry shortcake if you’re celebrating a birthday. They’ll even pack it up to go if you’re too full.
Crumbl Cookies – Sign up with Crumbl and download their app to receive a free cookie for your birthday! You need to be bronze status, but you can get to that level by just signing up and downloading the app.
Culver’s – Sign up with MyCulver’s rewards and keep an eye out for an email to receive a cold treat for your birthday. One scoop of frozen custard with one topping and flavor of your choice including the flavor of the day. You can show the email or download the app. Lasts for two weeks from your birthday.
Dairy Queen – Receive a special birthday surprise when you sign up for Dairy Queen rewards on their website or app.
Dunkin’ Donuts – Dunkin’ may not give you a free coffee or donut on your birthday, but if you make a purchase the day before, the day of, or the day after your birthday, you’ll receive 3X the points if you’re already a member. These points can later get you a free item!
Dutch Bros – Dutch Bros has recently made its way to Knoxville! Join their rewards program via their app and you’ll get a drink of any size you want starting on your birthday and redeemable for the following 30 days.
Firehouse Subs – At Firehouse Subs, you can get a free medium sub as long as you spend $1 on something else. You’ll need the app and an account, and you will have a few weeks before it expires.
Fresh Market – If you sign up with Fresh Market, you can get a free slice of cake around your birthday!
Kooky Cookies – If you sign up for emails or text alerts from Kooky Cookies, they’ll send you a notification that you can grab a free cookie on your birthday! This deal doesn’t last long once you receive it, so get there quick!
Krispy Kreme – Don’t let your birthday pass you by without a glazed donut! Sign up for KK’s rewards and get a sweet treat!
Nothing Bundt Cake – These mini cakes come in so many flavors! If you go to their website and sign up, they will send you an email for a free bundtlet around your birthday. They also have an app now so you don’t have to print off or show the email.
Olive Garden – Join their eClub and you can receive a complimentary dessert on your birthday if you dine in. Make sure to enter your birthday when you sign up!
Publix – If you do your grocery shopping at Publix, download the app and they’ll let you choose between a gallon of Publix ice cream or a bar cake for your birthday for free! They even have a half off deal of those two items on your half birthday! This lasts for about two weeks around your birthday.
Red Robin – They make this deal a little difficult, but if you really like Red Robin, I guess it’s worth it. You’ll need to download the app, create an account, provide email, verify your phone number, add your birthday, and opt into promotional emails or texts to get a free burger for your birthday. You’ll need to spend $4.99 to get the free burger and it’s dine-in only. Their app even has the option to add your kids’ birthdays so they can get deals too! Your deal should come in the form of an email, a text and/or show up on the app under your Rewards and is redeemable during your birthday month.
Smoothie King – If you have an account and app, you can get deals and gain rewards throughout the year, but on your birthday they add a reward on your app for a $2 20oz. smoothie. I don’t know why smoothie places are so expensive, so I get excited if I only have to spend $2 there. You’ll have 30 days to use.
Sonic Drive-In – All drive-in customers can receive a side as a birthday gift if they place an online order either through the Sonic app or website. You can also get a free shake in any flavor you like. This offer is good for 30 days after your birthday. Make sure you sign up and include your birthday on your account.
Starbucks – Make sure you have the app and are a member. The app will show you your free drink on your birthday, but you can ONLY claim it on your actual birthday! Choose a food item or a hand-crafted drink. I always get the Venti on this day, because why not — it’s free!
Steak ‘n Shake – Download this app and create an account to get a free milkshake from the day before your birthday until two weeks later! You’ll get an email reminder, but you need the app to redeem.
Wendy’s – If you have the Wendy’s reward app, make sure to add your birthday to the account and they’ll gift you a free small frosty or frosty-ccino valid the month of your bday.
Retail
Ace Hardware – If you’re a fan of this hardware shop, sign up for their rewards program and you can get either $5 or $10 off on your birthday based on your status.
Aerie – If you (or your child) like to shop at Aerie or American Eagle, you should receive $5 off around your birthday via email. This deal should last around 30 days.
Athleta – If you or your child are a fan of Athleta and you’ve purchased there before (thus giving your birthday and email), you should receive an email for 20% off during the month of your birthday!
Bath & Body Works – If you’re a rewards member, they will send you an email (and it will automatically add to the app if you have that) for a free birthday gift. Pick anything up to $9.95! Lasts 30 days from your birthday.
CVS – If you’re a CVS ExtraBucks Rewards member, you’ll get $3 off for your birthday. Mine showed up via email the day after my birthday and lasted for 28 days. And if you have other rewards, it all adds up!
Kohl’s – If you’re a Kohl’s member, you’ll get a $10 off Happy Birthday card in the mail. Redeemable during your birthday month.
Nike – Become a member at Nike.com and receive 10% off $100+. They’ll send you an email or it can be applied to their app.
Sephora – If you’re a member at Sephora, you may get an email for a free birthday gift: your choice from a selection of mini sets OR 250 bonus points added to your account. If you redeem in-store, you can just choose your free gift. If you redeem online, you have to make a $25 purchase to redeem. This is redeemable during the month of your birthday or two weeks before and after your birthday.
Ulta – Once you’re a member, you’ll get an email the first day of your birthday month giving you a selection of items you can choose from as your free birthday gift. Should be available the full month of your birthday.
Yankee Candle – You’ll need to head to their website, create an account, and subscribe to their emails. Make sure you enter your birth date to get this reward. Based on your points, you’ll either get a free small candle or a free large candle! There is currently no app for Yankee Candle. I did not receive an actual email this year, but when I logged into my account on the website, it showed my birthday deal in my Rewards Dashboard. It didn’t list an expiration date, so I just made sure to go within a few days of my birthday.
Services
Kat’s Lash Lounge & Wax Studio – I always get excited when I receive my $5 off email for my birthday! You’ll need to already be a client there to receive this deal and it will sit on your account for about two months before it expires.
Moda Nails – Schedule an appt with Moda in Turkey Creek and you get 10% off for your birthday!
Entertainment
AMC – I think there is only one AMC left in town, but if you live close to it, make yourself an account with them and they’ll give you a free large popcorn redeemable the month of your birthday. It automatically gets loaded on your account in the AMC app, so make sure you have that downloaded.
Craft Axe Throwing – If you join their club, you get one whole hour of free axe throwing on your birthday! You can redeem within seven days before or after your birthday.
Regal – If you sign up for Regal Rewards, they will give you a free small popcorn as long as you show them your card (which is on the app). This deal may come as an email, but it should also be on your app. Expires 30 days from when you receive the email. Mine showed up on my actual birthday.
Don’t be fooled. You can’t just show up at these places and demand your birthday gift. You need to make sure you are signed into any accounts and possibly even have apps to receive some of your gifts. One thing I’ve learned: MANY places have rewards programs, so if you’re a fan of any specific stores, restaurants, services or entertainment places, check to see if they have rewards programs at least a month before your birthday and get yourself signed up for some awesome deals! One other thing: many of these places send you a reward just for signing up in the first place, so you may even get a newbie deal AND a birthday deal! Happy shopping, or should I say freebie-ing!
Jimmy John’s does a free sub for your birthday and lasts a few weeks. Tropical Smoothie Cafe has a free smoothie with food purchase that’s good a few days. Bruster’s gives $5 off for a few weeks and the new Andy’s Custard you get a free cone, good for your birthday month. Lane Bryant and Torrid give you $10 off for a period of time. Red Lobster you get a free dessert to use within a few weeks. I know several pizza places have birthday coupons for using their rewards, I just can’t remember them specifically! Love this post, as I also do the same every year 😀