Memorial Day is first and foremost an opportunity to remember and honor members of the American military who have given their lives in service to our country. In doing so, many restaurants use the day as a chance to give a break to current or former members of the military and their families, by offering Memorial Day free meals, freebies and discounts as a gesture of appreciation.
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We've got a list of places where active duty and retired military personnel can find Memorial Day freebies, deals, discounts, and other special offers. Most of these are pitched toward Monday, May 30, but some of them cover the whole Memorial Day weekend. You will need a valid U.S. military ID to receive the military discounts, and it's always good to double-check your specific location if the special discount or Memorial Day free meal is offered by a chain.
Hooters
Veterans and active duty service members can get a free entrée on Monday, May 27 at participating Hooters locations nationwide.
Outback Steakhouse
Every day the Steakhouse chain offers its "hero's discount" which gives military personnel, nurses, doctors, medical staff, police officers, and firefighters 10% off their bill with a corresponding ID.
Bonefish Grill
Active-duty service members and veterans get 10% off their check all day, every day at Bonefish Grill with a valid ID.
Golden Corral
Golden Corral is providing 10% off to all active duty military personnel and veterans at participating locations.
Mission BBQ
The BBQ chain shop will be giving out free sandwiches to veterans and active-duty military members from May 16th to May 20th. The restaurant will be closed on Memorial Day out of respect for its employees.
Old Village Inn
All active-duty military members and veterans can enjoy a free Rolling Rock draft this Memorial Day!
Village Inn
Although there are no specific discounts for Memorial Day, veterans and active-duty military get a free breakfast on Veterans Day, which includes two eggs, two bacon strips or sausage links, and two buttermilk pancakes. This is valid for dine-in or to-go.
Chuck E. Cheese
Chuck E. Cheese is another supporter of military service. Just come into your local Chuck E. Cheese and ask about Memorial Day freebies and discounts for military families!
Fogo de Chao
Fogo de Chao is offering 50% off a meal for any veteran or active duty personnel on Memorial Day, along with a 10% discount for up to 3 of their guests.
Subway
Although Subway doesn't have a discount specific to military personnel, participating locations are offering 15% off food-long sub sandwiches with promo code 15OFF through July 11th.
LaMar's Donuts
Active duty and retired military get a free donut and coffee at participating locations on Memorial Day. This Memorial Day freebie is made for those with a sweet tooth!
Cotton Patch Café
Although Cotton Patch Café doesn't have a specific Memorial Day discount, they offer a free Chicken Fried Steak or Chicken Fried Chicken Entrée on November 11 for Veteran's Day.
Costco
While Costco doesn't offer discounts specific to Memorial Day, they do provide a military offer to join Costco as a new member and receive a $20 Costco Shop Card.
This post was originally published on April 23, 2021.
