Chick-fil-A
Something sweet on the house for your birthday.
How: Join Chick-fil-A One in the app. On your birthday, check the Rewards tab.
Chick-fil-A's rewards pageBirthday freebies in Ames, IA
Free food, drinks and treats on your birthday at places in Ames. Most need you to join a free rewards program first.
Most of these need you to join the chain's free rewards program a week or more before your birthday, so sign up early. Every one was checked on the chain's own website.
Restaurants
Buffalo Wild Wings
Free wings on your birthday.
How: Join Blazin' Rewards and add your birthday.
Buffalo Wild Wings's rewards pageChipotle
Free birthday reward: pick chips, guac, queso or a drink.
How: Join Chipotle Rewards and add your birthday. Choose the reward during your birthday month.
Chipotle's rewards pageNoodles & Company
Free birthday reward: dessert at the base tier, a small or regular entree at higher tiers.
How: Join Noodles Rewards and add your birthday. Reward size depends on your tier.
Noodles & Company's rewards pageRed Lobster
A special birthday reward.
How: Join Red Lobster Nation (free) and add your birthday.
Good for 30 days after it is issued; U.S. locations, dine-in or to go.
Red Lobster's rewards pagePanera Bread
Free You Pick Two on your birthday for MyPanera+ and Sip Club members.
How: Be a MyPanera+ or Sip Club member and add your birthday. Pick the reward at checkout.
Up to $18; good 7 days; no lobster items, catering or third-party orders. Free MyPanera members may get a bakery treat.
Panera Bread's rewards pageApplebee's
A free dessert for your birthday.
How: Join Club Applebee's (free) before your birthday.
Needs a $15 minimum purchase; exclusions may apply; must be 13 or older.
Applebee's's rewards pageFirehouse Subs
A free medium sub on your birthday with the purchase of any item.
How: Join Firehouse Rewards, add your birthday, and make a $1+ purchase in the 6 months before (at least 7 days before) your birthday.
Use it the day before, day of, or day after. One per year, participating locations.
Firehouse Subs's rewards pageJersey Mike's
72 Shore Points on your birthday, enough for a free regular sub.
How: Create a MyMike's account, add your birthday, opt in to emails, and buy a sub, wrap or sub bowl in the 12 months before.
Opt in at least 24 hours before your birthday.
Jersey Mike's's rewards pageTropical Smoothie Cafe
A free smoothie for your birthday.
How: Join Tropic Rewards at least 7 days before your birthday and add your birth date. The reward lands on your birthday.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe's rewards pagePotbelly
A free cookie on your birthday; higher tiers can pick a shake or entree.
How: Join Potbelly Perks at least 7 days before your birthday, add it, and make one purchase before it each year.
Valid on your birthday only.
Potbelly's rewards pagePapa Johns
A free dessert for your birthday.
How: Join Papa Rewards, add your birthday, and make a purchase in the past year. Order online or in the app.
Good for 14 days from your birthday; online only.
Papa Johns's rewards pageCoffee
Starbucks
One free handcrafted drink, food item or bottled drink on your birthday.
How: Join Starbucks Rewards at least 7 days before your birthday, add your birthday, and make one Star-earning purchase before it. Reward appears in the app.
Green level wording; excludes alcohol, merchandise, packaged coffee and multi-serve items.
Starbucks's rewards pageScooter's Coffee
200 bonus Smiles (points) on your birthday, more at higher levels.
How: Join Scooter's Coffee Rewards in the app and add your birthday.
300 Smiles at Bestie level, 400 at Ride-or-Die.
Scooter's Coffee's rewards pageDunkin'
3x points on purchases for a day around your birthday.
How: Join Dunkin' Rewards and add your birthday. Activate the offer the day before, on, or the day after your birthday.
Not a free drink.
Dunkin''s rewards pageDesserts and treats
Cold Stone Creamery
A birthday reward every year.
How: Join My Cold Stone Club Rewards and add your birthday. The coupon loads 7 days before your birthday.
Good from 7 days before to 7 days after your birthday, in store or online.
Cold Stone Creamery's rewards pageCrumbl
A free single cookie on your birthday at Silver level and up.
How: Join Crumbl Rewards and add your birthday. Silver unlocks at 500 Crumbs earned this year.
Not offered at the base level.
Crumbl's rewards pageDairy Queen
A birthday offer in the DQ app.
How: Join DQ Rewards and place an order of $1 or more while signed in within the 45 days before your birthday. Check the Deals tab.
Good for 7 days.
Dairy Queen's rewards pageInsomnia Cookies
Something free on your birthday.
How: Join Insomnia Rewards and add your birthday.
The site does not say which item.
Insomnia Cookies's rewards pageShops
Ulta Beauty
Choice of a birthday gift plus 2x points during your birthday month.
How: Join Ultamate Rewards (free), add your birthday and opt in to emails.
Members only; email opt-in and birthday needed.
Ulta Beauty's rewards pagePetSmart
A gift on your pet's birthday or Gotcha Day.
How: Join PetSmart Treats Rewards (free) and add your pet's birthday or adoption day.
PetSmart's rewards pageTarget
A birthday gift every year for Target Circle members.
How: Join Target Circle (free) and add your birthday in your account.
Target's rewards pagePetco
A gift on your pet's birthday (toys, treats, points or promo codes).
How: Join Petco Perks (free), add your pet's birthday 10 days ahead, and opt in to marketing emails.
Petco's rewards page