Getting a good meal without emptying your pockets is sometimes necessary. Whether you're trying to make your budget stretch to payday, or just in need of a splurge to brighten a rough week, everyone can appreciate free food. If you or a friend needs to eat for free, check out these tips for scoring delicious bites without the pricey check.
1. Stretch your birthday celebration
Many local eateries and larger national chains offer birthday presents in the form of free food. You might be eligible for a free drink with your purchase, an appetizer, or even a whole entre. Smaller places usually limit this present to your specific birthday date and may ask for proof. Others may extend the benefit to your whole birthday month.
2. Backyard Bites
Growing your own food can feel like a free meal. Look for seed swaps or local gardening groups that give out free packets to get started. Look for ways to repurpose food-grade buckets and bowls for planting and make your own compost to keep your costs down. Even if you have to pay a few dollars for the initial seeds, you won't need cash in hand to harvest delicious fruits and veggies. Even if you only have a single windowsill, you can grow fresh herbs and lettuce that will give you free salads all season long!
3. Look for event goodie bags
Even when they don't advertise it, local events often have goodie bags, resource fairs, or give away stations that feature free snacks or coupons for food. Keep an eye out for job fairs, community holiday events, or other public gatherings happening near you. You may find a table of complimentary drinks and snacks to enjoy on the spot or even luck into collecting a bag of samples and discounts to use in the future.
4. Get a job with perks
One of the benefits of working in the food industry is there is usually free food involved. Some places are very formal about feeding employees and require you to "buy" a meal for free or at a heavy discount during your shifts, while others let employees eat any mistakes that can't be resold. Almost all restaurants encourage workers to taste new offerings for free. You get a free drink or meal, and a better sense of how to help customers understand then new menu items. You can also look for jobs like event promotion or entertainment where you will be expected to eat for free on the clock!
5. Eat to compete
Eating competitions are an actual thing, and even if you don't stand a chance at winning, anyone can sign up. Professional competitive events will charge an entrance fee, so look for free local events or those sponsored by a company. It won't be a leisurely meal with lots of choices, but you certainly will get full.
6. Grand openings
When a new business opens, they like to create a buzz and get people together. Nothing gets people talking like free food, so store-openings are good events to keep an eye out for. Arriving early means you can scope out the offerings and snag the best food and giveaways before they run low.
7. Receipt surveys
More and more businesses are collecting feedback using online surveys linked to your receipt. Restaurants, in particular, often offer incentives for the surveys in the form of free sandwiches or combo meals. You may even get entered into sweepstakes for larger prizes. There isn't usually a limit on how many of these you can do, so saving your receipts can add up to a lot of free food!
8.Mystery shopping meals
It's no mystery that restaurants are willing to pay for information about the customer experience in their establishments. Sign up to be one of their shoppers and you can get paid for your time AND get your meal for free. If you work for the company directly, you may get to keep any loyalty card points you accumulate for even more bonus food for days when you're off the clock. If you work for an agency that tests multiple restaurants, you'll be trying out cuisine all over town without spending a dime.
9. Free samples
Lots of business offer tastes of their food to entice customers in the door. Look for larger buildings that host multiple stores, such as a mall or food court to maximize your sampling. Many large supermarkets also set up tasting stations around the store during high traffic times such as Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. It's fun to taste small bites of many things, and you can think of it as a tapas style dinner!
10. Sign up for restaurant loyalty clubs
Restaurants and supermarkets have embraced the loyalty club model for promotions. That means you can sign up to receive their emails, and you'll get coupons or promotional event flyers send right to your emails. When a sponsor sets up in front of your local supermarket for a free cookout, or your favorite pizza place offers a BOYO on Monday nights, you'll be the first in line. You can even sign up online for companies you've never tried before and still take advantage of their free offers.
No matter why you're interested in free food, these tips and tricks that can help you eat well at no cost. Knowing what to look for can pay off in full bellies and happiness all year long. After all, everything tastes better when it's free!
1. Stretch your birthday celebration
Many local eateries and larger national chains offer birthday presents in the form of free food. You might be eligible for a free drink with your purchase, an appetizer, or even a whole entre. Smaller places usually limit this present to your specific birthday date and may ask for proof. Others may extend the benefit to your whole birthday month.
2. Backyard Bites
Growing your own food can feel like a free meal. Look for seed swaps or local gardening groups that give out free packets to get started. Look for ways to repurpose food-grade buckets and bowls for planting and make your own compost to keep your costs down. Even if you have to pay a few dollars for the initial seeds, you won't need cash in hand to harvest delicious fruits and veggies. Even if you only have a single windowsill, you can grow fresh herbs and lettuce that will give you free salads all season long!
3. Look for event goodie bags
Even when they don't advertise it, local events often have goodie bags, resource fairs, or give away stations that feature free snacks or coupons for food. Keep an eye out for job fairs, community holiday events, or other public gatherings happening near you. You may find a table of complimentary drinks and snacks to enjoy on the spot or even luck into collecting a bag of samples and discounts to use in the future.
4. Get a job with perks
One of the benefits of working in the food industry is there is usually free food involved. Some places are very formal about feeding employees and require you to "buy" a meal for free or at a heavy discount during your shifts, while others let employees eat any mistakes that can't be resold. Almost all restaurants encourage workers to taste new offerings for free. You get a free drink or meal, and a better sense of how to help customers understand then new menu items. You can also look for jobs like event promotion or entertainment where you will be expected to eat for free on the clock!
5. Eat to compete
Eating competitions are an actual thing, and even if you don't stand a chance at winning, anyone can sign up. Professional competitive events will charge an entrance fee, so look for free local events or those sponsored by a company. It won't be a leisurely meal with lots of choices, but you certainly will get full.
6. Grand openings
When a new business opens, they like to create a buzz and get people together. Nothing gets people talking like free food, so store-openings are good events to keep an eye out for. Arriving early means you can scope out the offerings and snag the best food and giveaways before they run low.
7. Receipt surveys
More and more businesses are collecting feedback using online surveys linked to your receipt. Restaurants, in particular, often offer incentives for the surveys in the form of free sandwiches or combo meals. You may even get entered into sweepstakes for larger prizes. There isn't usually a limit on how many of these you can do, so saving your receipts can add up to a lot of free food!
8.Mystery shopping meals
It's no mystery that restaurants are willing to pay for information about the customer experience in their establishments. Sign up to be one of their shoppers and you can get paid for your time AND get your meal for free. If you work for the company directly, you may get to keep any loyalty card points you accumulate for even more bonus food for days when you're off the clock. If you work for an agency that tests multiple restaurants, you'll be trying out cuisine all over town without spending a dime.
9. Free samples
Lots of business offer tastes of their food to entice customers in the door. Look for larger buildings that host multiple stores, such as a mall or food court to maximize your sampling. Many large supermarkets also set up tasting stations around the store during high traffic times such as Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. It's fun to taste small bites of many things, and you can think of it as a tapas style dinner!
10. Sign up for restaurant loyalty clubs
Restaurants and supermarkets have embraced the loyalty club model for promotions. That means you can sign up to receive their emails, and you'll get coupons or promotional event flyers send right to your emails. When a sponsor sets up in front of your local supermarket for a free cookout, or your favorite pizza place offers a BOYO on Monday nights, you'll be the first in line. You can even sign up online for companies you've never tried before and still take advantage of their free offers.
No matter why you're interested in free food, these tips and tricks that can help you eat well at no cost. Knowing what to look for can pay off in full bellies and happiness all year long. After all, everything tastes better when it's free!
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