If the mere mention of Memorial Day already has you salivating at the thought of summer barbecues, ice-cold drinks and frosty treats (but you’re not quite ready to fire up the grill yourself), there are plenty of opportunities to snag some free food and discounted meals this Memorial Day weekend. And we promise, it doesn’t include charming your way into an invite to your grillmaster neighbor’s barbecue!
The unofficial kickoff to summer lands on Monday, May 25, 2026 this year and brings with it lots of promos from your favorite restaurants and fast food eateries — especially if you’re active military or a veteran. There’s also some overlap of Memorial Day deals with promos for Armed Forces Day (May 16), National Burger Day (May 28), Military Appreciation Month (May), as well as seasonal menu launches.
We’ve rounded up the best Memorial Day food deals below, but keep in mind that participation may vary among franchise locations. Also, take note that some food freebies and delicious discounts are often placed behind a bit of red tape, like downloading the restaurant’s app or joining its free rewards program to get the deal. So check the details before you go!
Quick Glance: Top Memorial Day Food Deals for 2026
Best Freebie: Get a free burger at Shake Shack with any $10+ order.
Best BOGO Deal: Buy one sandwich and get one free at Arby’s.
Best Military/Veteran Discount: Active military, reserve and veterans get 10–20% off at Outback Steakhouse.
Best Delivery Deal: GrubHub+ members get $10 off at Starbucks, a free Wendy’s Baconator, a free Popeyes chicken sandwich, and BOGO deals from Buffalo Wild Wings, Burger King, Sweetgreen and more.
Best Fast Food & Burger Deals for Memorial Day
Arby’s
Deal: Buy one sandwich and get one free every weekend in May, including Memorial Day weekend (May 22–24, 2026). You can redeem the offer once per weekend in the Arby’s app.
Casey’s
Deal: Score 25% off all pizzas from May 22 through May 25, 2026 — including the seasonal Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza just added to the menu. Use Code: USA to save.
GrubHub+
Deal: GrubHub+ members are being treated to a month’s worth of deals, and you can sign up for just 99 cents per month (that’s 90% off!), now through May 31, 2026. You’ll gain access to the Gold Days of GrubHub+ deals, which include these in the week leading up to Memorial Day (May 18–24, 2026):
- Starbucks: $10 off $20+ order
- Buffalo Wild Wings: BOGO Wings with $20+ order
- Wendy’s: Free Baconator with $20+ order
- Jack in the Box: BOGO 50% off Build Your Own Munchie Meal with $15+ order
Then, on Memorial Day and all the way through May 31, 2026, tap into even more great deals like:
- Popeyes: Free Chicken Sandwich with $15+ order
- Burger King: BOGO Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich with $15+ order
- Sweetgreen: BOGO Harvest Bowl, Miso Glazed Salmon, Crispy Rice Bowl orders with $15+ order
- Jersey Mike’s: BOGO Turkey and Provolone Sub with $25+ order
Shake Shack
Deal: While not explicitly a Memorial Day deal, Shake Shack is celebrating National Burger Month with a bunch of freebies. Each week, customers can score a free Shake Shack single burger with a $10 purchase. Just use Code: FREEBURGER when you order online, in the Shack App or in-person at a Shake Shack kiosk. You’ll get a free SmokeShack from May 11–17, a free Bacon Cheeseburger from May 18–24 and a free ShackBurger from May 25–31, 2026.
White Castle
Deal: Craver Nation Rewards members get 20% off their mobile order from May 23 through May 25, 2026. And, if you’re picking up in-store, you might as well take advantage of this gift card deal for National Hamburger Month: Get a $25 White Castle just gift card for $19.21, available in-store only from May 1 through 31.
Best Drink & Coffee Specials for Memorial Day
HTeaO
Deal: Keep your Memorial Day barbecue guests’ thirsts quenched with two gallons of Texas-born-and-brewed tea for just $12. Mix and match two gallons of any HTeaO tea in-store or through the HTeaO app from Friday, May 22 through Monday, May 25, 2026.
Best Dine-In & Casual Restaurant Deals for Memorial Day
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
Deal: Get $10 off orders of $50 or more when you use Code: MEMDAY85 for your online or in-app order, only on Memorial Day, May 25, 2026.
Huddle House
Deal: Huddle House Rewards members get $5 off $25 during Memorial Day weekend, valid May 24–26, 2026. You can also save on more deliciousness throughout the week, including a free golden waffle with an $8 purchase every Wednesday in May, and a free biscuit and gravy with a coffee purchase on Friday, May 29, 2026 — aka National Biscuit Day. Military may also get a special discount with valid ID at participating locations (more details below).
Newk’s Eatery
Deal: Feed the whole crew with two pizzas and a salad for just $20! The family meal deal is available throughout the long Memorial Day weekend, May 22 through May 25, 2026.
Pokeworks
Deal: Get one free Spam Musubi with any entree purchase every Monday this May (including Memorial Day) when you use Code: MAYSPAM. Plus, Pokeworks Rewards members will earn 20 bonus points with any entree purchase from May 23 through May 25, 2026.
Best Memorial Day Deals for Military & Veterans
In addition to Memorial Day, May is also National Military Appreciation Month, so many restaurants and eateries offer discounts throughout the entire month (if not the whole year). Active military and veterans can also expect to see extra savings around Armed Forces Day on May 16. Whichever day you go, note that most restaurants will require you to show a valid military or veteran ID to apply any special discount.
Also, keep in mind that many military discounts are often unadvertised — even on Memorial Day — so definitely check with your favorite local restaurant to see what they might offer!
Bonefish Grill
Deal: The seafood restaurant chain Bonefish Grill offers a 10% off Heroes Discount for all service members and veterans when you show valid ID, all year-round.
Cracker Barrel
Deal: Cracker Barrel Rewards members who are also verified military personnel get a 10% in-store discount. Just log into your rewards account and verify your service with ID.me.
Dave & Buster’s
Deal: Military get 15% off food and drinks with a valid military ID at Dave & Buster’s. Mondays (such as Memorial Day) are also a great time to go because they have $1 wings and half-price games!
Huddle House
Deal: Participating locations of Huddle House offer a discount to guests with a valid military ID throughout May for Military Appreciation Month.
Logan’s Roadhouse
Deal: Active duty and retired military personnel are honored with 10% off at many participating Logan’s Roadhouse locations year-round.
Mission BBQ
Deal: Mission BBQ is hosting a week of military appreciation days when all active duty service members and veterans can get a free sandwich. Check the schedule for your particular branch, or head over on May 16 for Lunch with the Heroes. While Armed Forces Week is the current focus, you may find a special Memorial Day discount as the holiday gets closer, too.
Outback
Deal: Outback Steakhouse offers a 10% off Heroes Discount every day, but it is sometimes boosted to 20% off for holidays like Memorial Day. If you plan to dine a little sooner, active military, reserve and veterans can also take advantage of a boosted 20% off in honor of Armed Forces Day from May 14 through May 17, 2026.
Smalls Sliders
Deal: The cheeseburger slider joint will grant 10% off to military members with a valid ID on May 25, 2026 as a “Smalls” bit of appreciation for their service.
Texas de Brazil
Deal: Service members enjoy 10% off dine-in dinner and lunch prices at Texas de Brazil as a “thank you” for their bravery, dedication and service.
Texas Roadhouse
Deal: Most Texas Roadhouse locations offer a 10% discount to active duty military, veterans and retirees year-round.
Wendy’s
Deal: Wendy’s partners directly with WeSalute to honor the military community with exclusive savings delivered via email and in the Wendy’s app. Certain locations may also boost their discounts for veterans, service members and their families on Memorial Day, so check with your local restaurant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are restaurants open on Memorial Day?
Yes, almost all restaurants stay open on Memorial Day, and most keep their normal business hours. These restaurants know that people are out and about between barbecues and road trips — so not only do they stay open, but they typically offer special deals to attract customers as well.
Do restaurants give free meals to the military on Memorial Day?
While some restaurants offer free meals, most Memorial Day specials consist of steep discounts rather than completely free food. Many deals also require users to download an app or join a rewards program to claim the offer.
Which restaurants have Memorial Day deals?
Many restaurants are offering Memorial Day deals around May 25, 2026, from burger joints like White Castle and Shake Shack to dine-in spots like Outback Steakhouse and Huddle House. Since Memorial Day is the official gateway to summer, pay close attention to eateries that offer summery treats — like ice cream and cold, refreshing drinks — as they tend to be favorites for Memorial Day deals, too.
Will there be more Memorial Day food deals in 2026?
Yes, we’ve seen Memorial Day freebies and food deals from many of the most popular restaurants in the past, including Denny’s BOGO Slams, $3 Dunkin’ Refreshers, free ices from Rita’s, free biscuits at Popeyes, discounted beer and wings at Hooters, rotating freebies at Burger King, BOGO summer lemonades at Taco John’s, half-off shakes at Zaxby’s and free Insomnia Cookies. We expect to see many similar Memorial Day promos, specials and deals in 2026, so keep an eye on your favorite spots as announcements often pop up closer to the MDW holiday!
The post Best Memorial Day Food Deals & Restaurant Freebies 2026 appeared first on The Real Deal by RetailMeNot.
If the mere mention of Memorial Day already has you salivating at the thought of summer barbecues, ice-cold drinks and frosty treats (but you’re not quite ready to fire up the grill yourself), there are plenty of opportunities to snag some free food and discounted meals this Memorial Day weekend. And we promise, it doesn’t […]
The post Best Memorial Day Food Deals & Restaurant Freebies 2026 appeared first on The Real Deal by RetailMeNot.
No comments:
Post a Comment