Fast Food Freebies: 5 Tips That Will Change the Way You Order Fast Food

If you are like most people, you love to get free stuff right? And one thing is for certain, we all need to eat. So in this fast paced, 24/7 world we live in, most of us eat out at fast food restaurants – for in nothing else – because of the convenience. Well what if you could get free food too? That would be worth it and the money you save!

Listed here are several ways for you to get food for free and it’s so easy that even your Mom can figure it out. Really, it’s not hard and there is more than one place close by to where you live, so why not take advantage of it!

Let’s start where even most retail stores have found huge success – loyalty cards. Now your sit-down chain restaurants are most likely to have these readily available to sign up and become a member for free. Every time you visit you give them your loyalty card when you pay for your meal. With each meal purchase you collect points that add up over time and free food coupons (for that restaurant) will begin to show up in your email inbox!

Some of them even have free appetizers every time visit (TGIFridays has free chips and salsa on Friday!). How cool is that? Review each program to see what it offers but in no time you’ll be reaping the benefits.

But we’ve only just begun…some fast food restaurants have free food when you purchase a card for multiple uses. What? Oh yes, make a one-time purchase and get free food all year long! The best examples of these are Wendy’s and Chick-fil-A. If you love Frosty’s then Wendy’s has an incredible deal for $2.

When you make a donation to the Dave Thomas Foundation with the purchase of their key tag, you receive a Junior frosty with each purchase/visit all year long! Now if you need a little more substance, check out Chick-fil-A’s calendar card (when you purchase their yearly calendar it’s the bonus we have all come to love). This card will give you a free item every month throughout the upcoming year. Sometimes it’s a sandwich, sometimes it’s a drink, but it’s always something yummy and worth having.

If you regularly go out to eat for like lunch all week long, or even the occasional food fix, what do you normally do with your receipt? Ummm, hopefully you haven’t been throwing them away.

Yeah, I’m guilty of it too, but not anymore! Have you ever flipped them over and looked at the back? Yes I know, a lot of little writing but that writing has some cool information – free food! Most of the time you will need to complete a short online survey but why not?

Once you have completed the required survey you will receive a coupon code that typically you will write on the receipt so that you can redeem it for the food offering listed. I keep them in my wallet so when I come across needing food on the go, I can whip out a receipt and get my free food. Make sure to read the fine print because some of them may require a drink purchase but hey, I needed something to drink anyway. And by the way, that receipt you just got with free food…turn it over because for another quick online questionnaire there’s more to get!

Then we have that one day a year that we all like to celebrate – our birthday! What better way to celebrate than with some free food? There are several places that want to know when your birthday is and they will treat you with something to eat. Chick-fil-A will give you a cookie during your birthday month if you have registered with a Calendar Card.

If you sign up for Arby’s Extras program you’ll get a free shake the week of your birthday. For those with VIP status at Boston Market, you’ll receive a desert. For more birthday offerings at several restaurants, check out our list of restaurants that Give you free food on your birthday.

 

And don’t forget that flat thingy that you are always caring around. You know, that smart phone! Well make it work for you while using apps from your favorite fast food restaurants. Some, like loyalty programs (that this might make them be a thing of the past), add up valuable points with every purchase which allows you to redeem for food items.

Even better, others allow you to get free food every time or even on the initial sign–up. Try the Burger King app before you order and you could find some great deal, BOGOs or even our right free deals! For a list of potential apps in your area to use, check out our 10 Fast Food Apps that You Need to Survive.

 

So the good news is, you are not likely to starve anytime soon, even if you don’t have a big food budget. Investigate some of the avenues we have listed here and then look around at your favorite restaurant the next time you eat there. Between receipts and loyalty programs, you should have a lot to choose from and more to eat and share with your family and friends.