Trick-or-treaters can get a lot more than free candy this Halloween.
A Halloween costume also is the ticket to a smorgasbord of free and cheap meal deals and goodies for kids of all ages at restaurants nationwide. In some cases, a costume or purchase isn’t required to score all the special treats.
Likely because of all the trick-or-treating and holiday parties, Halloween is often a slower than average day at local restaurants.
Brad Plothow, vice president of brand and communications for Womply, said the small business software provider’s data science team analyzed transactions at 42,000 local restaurants every day in 2018.
“Our projections show foot traffic should be lower than normal at local restaurants on All Hallow’s Eve,” Plothow told USA TODAY. “If you’re hoping to grab a bite at your favorite haunt on Halloween, you’re in luck.”
Free for all
No purchase is required for these freebies but a costume is required. Available at participating locations and while supplies last.
Edible Arrangements: Through Halloween, wear your costume to an Edible store and get a “free spooky pineapple eyeball treat.” The company’s other in-store Halloween deals, valid through Thursday, include 50% off select treats, $5 off all platters and a special Halloween six-count box for $9.99.
Insomnia Cookies: Get a free traditional cookie in-store when you wear a costume Thursday through 3 a.m. Friday.
Jeremiah’s Ice: Wear a costume to get a free small menu item from 6 p.m. to close Halloween.
Just Salad: If you dress like a salad for Halloween Thursday, you’ll get a free salad at all U.S. locations.
Krispy Kreme: Wear a costume to participating locations on Halloween and get a free doughnut of your choice. The costume offer is not available in Connecticut, Iowa and Nebraska locations.
Main Event Entertainment: Come dressed in costume Thursday and receive a free $10 video game play card.
Halloween specials
The following deals are available Thursday unless otherwise noted at participating locations. Some require an app and most are while supplies last. Offers can vary by franchise so check with your closest location.
7-Eleven: Get a buy-one-get-one pizza Thursday and Friday when you scan your 7Rewards membership code in the convenience store chain’s app. With the separate 7NOW delivery app, pizzas will be $3.
Applebee’s: The $1 Vampire is the chain’s Neighborhood Drink of the Month and is a tiki rum punch served with a cherry and fangs. Also, restaurants have boneless wings for 25 cents each for a limited time available for dine-in only. Some franchises are running other specials including a kids eat free Halloween promotion at locations operated by Doherty Enterprises in Florida, Georgia, New Jersey and New York. In Texas at 62 locations operated by the Apple Texas Group, there’s a 50 cents Long Island Iced Tea deal.
Baskin-Robbins: Get any regular or kids-sized scoop of ice cream for $1.70 Thursday.
Blaze Pizza: Through Nov. 7, Blaze is offering free delivery nationwide through the chain’s website and app. A large pepperoni pizza ordered online is $8.95 and hundreds of large pizza boxes across the country will reveal a secret message under black light. If you receive a black light-activated pizza box and post it to social media tagging @BlazePizza and using the hashtag #BlazeHalloweenSweeps, you’ll be entered in a contest. Learn more at www.blazepizza.com.
Bonefish Grill: Get free delivery on Halloween from DoorDash and Uber Eats for orders $15 or more. Or if you’re dining in, get the color-changing Indigo Sunset cocktail for $6 Thursday.
Carl’s Jr.: Visit a participating Los Angeles area location and use the phrase “Beyond Halloween” to get one free Beyond Famous Star burger or Beyond BBQ Cheeseburger with the purchase of any large drink Thursday.
Cheesecake Factory: Through Thursday, with DoorDash delivery and pickup orders of $30 or more, get a free slice of Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Cheesecake or Hershey’s Chocolate Bar Cheesecake with promo code TREATORTREAT, while supplies last.
Chili’s: The chain’s October Margarita of the Month is the $5 Fangtastic ‘Rita, which is available through Halloween and comes with a set of fangs on top. The drink is a blend of Lunazul Blanco Tequila, Cointreau, Monin Blood Orange and fresh sour.
Chipotle:From 3 p.m. to close Halloween, it’s Boorito time. Go to any participating Chipotle in costume and get a burrito, bowl, salad or order of tacos for $4.
DoorDash: Through 11:59 p.m. PT Thursday, the on-demand delivery service is rewarding customers for dressing up as their favorite food item with $10 off that item. To get the “Eat Your Costume” offer, you’ll need to take a photo of yourself, friend, kids or pets dressed as a food item that is orderable on DoorDash and follow @DoorDash on Instagram. Then post your costume photo on Instagram using #DashOWeen. DoorDash says it will then direct message $10 in DoorDash credit for the food.
Dunkin’: Members of the DD Perks loyalty program can get triple points on select items when they choose an offer before purchase Thursday. Also, get 10 Munchkins doughnut holes for $2.
Farmer Boys:Through Thursday, participating locations will be giving away scratch-off coupons with every purchase. Every scratcher is a guaranteed winner but the coupons must remain unscratched until returning to Farmer Boys between Nov. 1-15.
McDonald’s: Through Friday, McDelivery with Uber Eats has no delivery fees. Service and small order fees may still apply and offers may not be combined. See Uber Eats app for details.
MOD Pizza: Get a MOD-size pizza or salad for $5 Thursday when you wear a costume.
On The Border:Through Nov. 3, get the $5 Hallow’rita, a grande frozen margarita with a hint of mango puree, a candy corn meltdown and garnished with a spider ring.
Papa John’s:The pumpkin-shaped Jack-o-lantern pizza is available through Halloween and has a pepperoni border and smiley face. The pizza comes uncut and is available for $11 at participating locations.
Papa Murphy’s:Through Nov. 3, get the pumpkin-shaped Jack-O-Lantern Pizza.
Penn Station East Coast Subs:Play the chain’s Halloween Hangman game online at www.penn-station.com/hangman19 for a chance to win a coupon for buy-one-get-one free subs.
Potbelly Sandwich Shop:Through Thursday, get free delivery plus a free cookie on orders placed through Grubhub. Find the offers in the perks section of the Grubhub app and on the Potbelly menu online at Grubhub.com.
Red Lobster: Get free delivery on To Go orders of $30 or more placed on www.redlobster.com Thursday with promo code LOBSTER62.
Shari’s: All Shari’s Pies are just $9.99 through Halloween.
Sonic Drive-In: Get 50-cent corn dogs Thursday at participating locations while supplies last.
Taco Cabana:Get a $3 Witches’ Brew in a glow-in-the-dark cup, $3 draft beer and $3 lime margarita Thursday.
TGI Fridays: Through Nov. 3, get a cheeseburger with a side of fries for $5.
Wing Zone: Through Thursday, get 20 boneless wings for $14 with online orders. To redeem, click WZ Deals or Combo Zone and enter code 2126.
White Castle:Through Thursday, get $4 off a Crave Case with a coupon in-store or in the app with online code 4OFF.
Whole Foods Market:Through Nov. 5, Prime members get 50% off all frozen pizzas.
Yard House: An all-day Halloween Happy Hour includes half-price pizzas and select appetizers and $2 off draft beer, wine, spirits and cocktails.
Kids’ deals and freebies
Bass Pro Shops:The mega outdoor store has its annual Great Pumpkin Celebration with free kids’ activities and photos for Halloween. The festivities take place 4 to 8 p.m. Halloween with a costume parade starting at 6 p.m. Thursday. Learn more and find a full schedule of events at www.basspro.com/halloween.
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s: Kids in costume eat free Thursday with the purchase of an adult meal. One free kids meal per adult entrée purchase.
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.:Kids eat free on Halloween with the purchase of an adult entrée and a coupon posted at www.bubbagump.com.
Carrabba’s Italian Grill:Kids get a free kids meal with the purchase of an adult entrée at all restaurant locations nationwide for dine-in only. The restaurant also is offering 20% off car side to-go and delivery orders Thursday.
Chuck E. Cheese: Through Halloween, kids get 50 free tickets when they stop in wearing their Halloween costumes and play All You Can Play.
Cicis:Kids in costume get a free unlimited kid’s buffet with a coupon and purchase of an adult buffet and large drink.
Friendly’s: Through Thursday, kids 12 and younger wearing a Halloween costume get a free kid’s meal with the purchase of an adult entree.
IHOP: Through Nov. 3 from 4 to 10 p.m. daily, kids 12 and under get a free kids meal entrée with each purchase of an adult entrée.
Huddle House: Kids wearing a costume get a free kid’s meal Thursday when dining in.
Joe’s Crab Shack:Get a free kids meal with purchase of an adult entrée on Halloween with a coupon posted at www.joescrabshack.com/halloween.
McAlister’s Deli: Through Thursday, kids 12 and younger in costume get a free meal with the purchase of an adult meal. Up to two kids meals with the purchase of an adult entrée. A list of participating locations is posted on McAlister’s Facebook events page.
Mimi’s Bistro & Bakery:Kids eat free on Halloween with the purchase of an adult entrée. Up to two children per adult, dine-in only.
Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub: Kids 10 years old and younger eat free with purchase of an adult entrée on Halloween and every Sunday through Nov. 3.
Noodles & Company:All Noodles Rewards members will receive an offer for a free kid’s meal with purchase of a regular entrée, valid Wednesday through Nov. 3. To get the deal, you need to download the Noodles Rewards app and be signed up by Tuesday as the offer will be automatically sent to members accounts.
QuikTrip: Kids 12 and under dressed in costume Thursday between 4 to 10 p.m. get a free vanilla cone.
Rainforest Café: With purchase of an adult meal Thursday, get a kids meal for 99 cents. Must mention the offer.
Ruby’s Diner: Through Halloween, kids 12 and younger get a free kids meal with purchase of one adult entrée when they dine-in 4 p.m. to close.
Tijuana Flats:Get half-off a kids meal with purchase of an adult meal Thursday when you mention the Halloween promotion. Not valid with any other promotions including Throwback Thursdaze.
TooJay’s Deli:Through Nov. 4, kids eat free with purchase of an adult entrée and coupon.
Willy’s Mexicana Grill:Kids 12 and under wearing a costume Thursday get a free Kid Combo with each adult entree purchase.
Read more at usatoday.com.
