Businesses Honor Our Heroes for Veterans Day 2013

Our heroes in uniform deserve our gratitude 365 days a year, but there is one day each year that they get extra special attention.  Veterans Day 2013 is this Monday, November 11 and each year many businesses honor veterans and service members by offering veterans discounted or free goods and services during Veterans Day weekend.  Below is a partial list of some of the tokens of gratitude available for service members this Veterans Day.

Keep in mind that not all franchise locations participate in their national chain’s Veterans Day programs, so be sure to contact your local establishment to make sure that the offer is good there.  Also keep in mind that, in most cases,  proof of military service may be required.  This might include military ID, DD-214, VA card, VFW/DAV/AmVets identification, etc.

Have a great Veterans day and, as always a big THANK YOU to all of our men and women in uniform, past and present!  So, without further ado, here’s the list:

• Applebee’s offers veterans and active duty military a free meal on Veterans Day at all US locations.  Details and menu here.
• Bar Louie gives veterans free lunch on Nov 10 & 11.
• Bob Evans restaurants will offer veterans free all-you-can-eat hotcakes (PDF) on Veterans Day.
• California Pizza Kitchen offers all veterans or active duty military personnel any pizza from the menu for free (dine-in only).  Details here.
• Champps offers veterans a free burger and fries all day on Veterans Day.
• Chili’s is also offering a free meal to veterans (PDF) in addition to donation 10% of proceeds from November 10 sales to Wounded Warrior Project when patrons bring this flyer (PDF).
• Dollar General stores are giving veterans and active duty military 11% off of their purchases.
• Golden Corral is giving veterans free dinner from 4PM-9PM on Veterans Day.
• Hooters is offering a free meal to veterans as well as the opportunity to purchase a Hooters calendar that will be sent to overseas troops.
• Home Depot used to offer military members a 10% discount during  military-centric holidays but have since expanded the discount to be effective year round.  Home Depot likes our military.
• Krispy Kreme offers a free donut and coffee with a uniform or military ID.
• Little Caesar’s is giving US veterans a free order of Crazy Bread.
• Longhorn Steakhouse – From Nov. 11 – Nov. 14, service members receive a complimentary Texas Tonion appetizer and non-alcoholic beverage.
• Lowe’s, not to be outdone by Home Depot, has offered year round 10% discounts to military members since 2010.
• Max & Erma’s are giving vets a free burger, soup or salad and a cookie on Veterans Day.
• McCormick & Schmick’s is giving veterans a free meal on Veterans Day.
• National Parks Service (now that they’re back open) offers free entry several times throughout the year, including Veterans Day.
• O’Charley’s offers a free meal from a limited menu on Veterans Day.
• Olive Garden is going all out, giving veterans an their families 10% off all November and free entrees on Veterans Day.
• On The Border is offering veterans a free “Create Your Own” combo.
• Outback Steakhouse is offering  active and former service members a free Bloomin’ Onion and a beverage on Veterans Day. Outback is also offering active and former service members 10% off their meals November 12 through the end of 2013.
• Red Lobster gives veterans one of ten complimentary appetizers from Nov 11-14.
• Red Robin (Yum!) is offering a free burger and bottomless fries to veterans and active duty military on Veterans Day.
• Shoney’s, in addition to their usual 15% off for uniformed heroes, is offering a free burger to vets and active duty military on Veterans Day.
• Sizzler is offering vets a free lunch on Veterans Day.
• Starbucks, in addition to their recent announcement to hire 10,000 military members and spouses, will be offering a free tall coffee for veterans, active duty and military spouses on Veterans Day.
• Texas Roadhouse is giving veterans a free lunch.
• TGI Fridays is offering a free lunch for veterans at participating locations.
• Tim Horton’s gives veterans a free coffee and donut.

Of course, “there’s no such thing as a free lunch.”  Keep in mind that our heroes in uniform have earned our respect, gratitude and much more than a free meal or discounts many times over.  These discounts are just small tokens of that gratitude that pale in comparison to the sacrifices that these men and women have made.

If we missed some Veterans Day specials above, feel free to share them in the comments below or on the GunLink Forums.  And remember to Thank a Veteran not just this weekend, but at every opportunity.