I am so grateful to the brave men and women who served in the U.S. military. They make incredible sacrifices in an all-volunteer military to defend our freedoms.
Every November, it’s nice to see businesses honor our veterans too. Here’s a list of freebies, discounts offer, and more available to veterans on Nov. 11, 2014 and beyond.
This list is by no means exhaustive; it represents a small selection of offers from the top 25 restaurant chains and other businesses that we’ve been able to confirm have active offers.
If you know of a legitimate offer that’s not listed here, write in below in the comments section and let us know!
Unless otherwise noted, these deals listed below are good for 1-day only on Nov. 11, 2014.
Free food and more for active and retired military on Veteran’s Day
| Name of business | What they’re offering | Web address for deal |
| Great Clips | Military members who visit Great Clips on Nov. 11 receive either a free haircut that day or the free haircut card to redeem by Dec. 31. | GreatClips.com |
| Olive Garden | Free entree from a special Veterans Day menu. Includes unlimited soup or salad and breadsticks. | N/A |
| Panera Bread | Varies by location. | N/A |
| Longhorn Steakhouse | Will offer veterans and active military members a complimentary Texas Tonion appetizer and non-alcohol beverage with proof of service. | N/A |
| Bargain Hunt Superstores | All veterans and active military get 10% discount on regularly priced items. | BargainHunt.com |
| Publix | Publix is proud to honor the men and women of the armed forces, along with their families, by offering a 10 % discount. Excludes all gift cards, alcohol, tobacco, lottery items, money services, postage stamps and prescriptions. | Publix.com |
| Starbucks | Participating U.S. locations will offer a free tall (12 fl. oz.) brewed coffee to veterans, active duty service members, and military spouses. | Starbucks.com |
| Applebee’s | Veterans and active duty military can choose a dish from the FREE Thank You Meal menu that includes some of Applebee’s signature and favorite items | Business Wire |
| Golden Corral | Free dinner buffet and beverage for veterans and active duty military on Monday, Nov. 17 from 5-p pm ONLY. | GoldenCorral.com |
| Baskin Robbins | Will dontate 10 cents from every scoop sold on Nov. 11 to the USO | BaskinRobbins.com |
| Ruby Tuesday | Free appetizer on Nov. 11 for veterans, active duty, and reserve service members with proof of service | RubyTuesday.com |
| Red Robin | FREE Red’s Tavern Double burger with Bottomless Steak Fries to all veterans and active duty military guests at participating restaurants. | RedRobin.com |
| Bob Evans Restaurants | Veterans and active duty military enjoy free all you can eat hotcakes on Nov. 11. | BobEvans.com |
Check out these other ongoing offers for military
The deals don’t end after Nov. 11. After Veteran’s Day is over, these organizations are keeping the best interests of veterans at front of mind!
Start a Small Business
- Small business help is available for you. The Veterans Pledge Initiative can help with obtaining loans to start or expand small business. Potential lending to veterans may result in as much as $475 million in new funding over the next five years, which will be 5% above the existing lending baseline to veterans.
Enjoy a Discounted Vacation
- Military members have special ways to save on Disney vacations. ShadesofGreen.org is a special program offered for military personnel and families in partnership with Disney. Discounted lodging at parks starts at $95 a night. A similar service I’ve talked about in the past is Armed Forces Vacation Club.
Get Free Financial Advice
- The certified military counselors at Clearpoint ReConnect can help you create a family budget, start a debt management plan, become a homeowner, avoid foreclosure, or just get your finances in order. This service is free and confidential.
Get a Free Credit Score
- The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), which oversees the brokerage industry, has a special website at SaveandInvest.org/Military that offers the real FICO score for active duty personnel and spouses. You’ll also get an explanation why it is what it is; how you can raise your score; and how your score compares to others.
