All The Free Food Deals In November 2018

November kicks off the holiday season for a lot of people, and it tends to be a ridiculously busy time where many of us end up spending more money than we planned to, or should. So, what better time is there for some free food deals?

This month, there are plenty of deals on things from nachos to wings, and there are even some Buy-One-Get-One offers that are perfect for those days you're out and about with a friend. There are also a ton of places that are doing something for the other big day in November: Veterans Day. If you — or someone you love — is a veteran or active duty military, there are a ton of places that are offering free food as a way of saying thanks. Even better, there's a few that are doing fundraisers throughout the month, and it's a great way to say thank you at the same time you're lending a helping hand.

And isn't November a time for giving thanks?

Potbelly Perks Week is back, and it's running until November 4. That means customers have a limited time to make the most of the offers, and they can find them by downloading the app (for either Android or iPhone) and checking it daily to see what kind of goodies are on offer.

Business Wire got a peek at the freebies that they're going to be giving away, and it's everything from free cookies, chips, and soup to free sandwiches. You'll have to buy something to get the freebies, but when you can get an entirely free meal for a friend — or for dinner — it's worth it, right?

Your purchases will also be earning you other perks, and there's another thing worth mentioning, too. Potbelly is adding a limited-time Cheesesteak sandwich to the menu for the fall, so there's another reason to head over there and get your freebies. Did we also mention you can get actual Cheez Whiz on your Cheesesteak?

November 6 might be more firmly associated with elections, but it's also National Nachos Day. (Sure, there are a ton of random holidays that don't really need celebrating, but nacho day? That's important!)

To celebrate, Taco John's is going to be giving away — that's right, you guessed it — free nachos. QSR says you'll need to do a little bit of legwork for this one, and that involves downloading their app. Check the "News & Offers" section, and you'll find a coupon for a free order of chips and nacho cheese.

If you go to Taco John's a lot, that app is going to come in pretty handy. Every eight "punches" earns you a free combo meal, and there are a ton of other rewards and special offers that pop up for app users, too. Free nachos could be the start of a beautiful relationship that leads to even more free food, and you can't get any better than that.  

If you haven't been to Cracker Barrel for a while, November 11 is the perfect time to go back — especially if you or someone in your family is a military veteran or active duty military personnel.

For Veterans Day, Cracker Barrel is saying "thank you" in the form of a free slice of Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake. That sounds delicious, but that's not all that's going on.

On every November day up to and including Veterans Day, Cracker Barrel will donate 20 percent of the sales of certain items to Operation Homefront. The organization — founded in 2002 — provides things like transitional support and housing to military families with the goal of preventing the long-term struggles that many military families face. That means that even if you aren't a veteran, you can pick up Cracker Barrel's American, Camo, or Pink Camo Jelly Belly Mixes or their Big Little Fudge Camo Fudge Bites — and know you're making a donation to a good cause.

Applebee's is a nationwide chain, and that means there's a lot of military personnel they can reach on Veterans Day. This November 11, they have a very specific goal in mind: serve one million free meals to the country's veterans.

That's a huge number, and not only is that ambitious, but they've been doing it for a long time. This is the 11th year veterans and active duty military can head to Applebee's and pick a full-size entree to enjoy for free. There are eight dishes on the menu this year: the Classic Bacon Cheeseburger, the 6 oz. USDA Select Top Sirloin, the Chicken Tenders Platter, the Double Crunch Shrimp, the Fiesta Lime Chicken, the Oriental Grilled Chicken Salad, the Oriental Chicken Salad, and the Three-Cheese Chicken Penne.

They also have a November drink special going, and that's a $2, 10-oz. Bud Light draft beer. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?

Texas Roadhouse is treating veterans and active duty military personnel to a free lunch on November 11, and there are a ton of options to choose from. There's a steak, of course, along with chicken, pork, and BBQ platters.

November is also the time many people start their holiday shopping, and if that's you — or, if you just wish it was — Texas Roadhouse is giving you the chance to get some gifts out of the way and do some good at the same time. From November 1 to December 31, they'll donate 10 percent of every gift card purchase to Support Our Heroes. That organization focuses on providing injured veterans with special adaptations in their homes that allow them to lead full, independent lives upon their return.

It's also worth noting here that Texas Roadhouse — like all other restaurants doing a Veterans Day giveaway — require proof of military service for participation. That's something like a military ID card, Veterans Affairs card, or discharge papers.

Love subs? It's no secret that Primanti Bros. has some devoted fans, and their flagship sandwich is regularly featured as among the best of the sandwich world. And that makes it extra-awesome that they're going to be giving away a free Classic Primanti Bros. sandwich to any active duty military personnel or veteran who stops by to see them on November 11.

There are no strings attached to this one, either. There's no other purchase necessary, they only ask that customers bring in proof of military service. The offer is available from open to close at participating locations, which is perfect — because everyone knows there's no time of the day that's the wrong time for a sandwich.

If you're heading there anyway, they also have an app you can download. Once you do, you'll score a free sandwich with a drink purchase, and it'll keep you posted on their other offers and promotions. There's plenty of those going all throughout football season, including the chance to earn more free sandwiches. Visit during the week, scan your receipt with the app, and get a free sandwich on Sunday. It's that easy!

Are you a veteran or active duty military? Can you not get enough of Red Robin's Steak Fries? On November 11, they're giving all vets and active military a free Red's Tavern Double Burger with Bottomless Steak Fries, with no other purchase required. That's great for one day out of the year, but there are other rewards in the pipeline for not only military members, but teachers, too.

Sign up for their Royalty program, and everyone who signs up can get a free burger during their birthday month, and every 10th item they order is free. Any veterans or active military personnel can designate their status upon signing up, and they'll get even more rewards on top of that. Teachers can also sign up as such, and they'll get random freebies and rewards throughout the year. Let's be honest — teachers have a tough job, too, and they deserve it.

Chili's has a year-around commitment to working with organizations geared specifically toward lending a helping hand to veterans and their families. Throughout the year, they partner with Snowball Express, Wreaths Across America, and Veterans Jobs Mission, so it's no surprise that they have a Veterans Day offer going, too. On November 11, any veteran or active duty military personnel that visits them will get their choice of one of seven entrees for free.

This year, the choices are: Chicken Crispers, Margarita Grilled Chicken, a Bowl of Chili or Soup & Salad, Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadillas, the Just Bacon Burger, the Oldtimer with Cheese, or the Cajun Chicken Pasta.

If you're heading there for Veterans Day (or while you're out and about doing your holiday shopping), it's as good a time as any to start earning rewards. Sign up for their rewards program, and you'll be eligible for a free order of chips and salsa or non-alcoholic beverage when you stop in, as long as you go there once every 60 days. You'll also get a free dessert on your birthday, and who doesn't love free dessert?

There are a ton of places offering veterans and active duty military personnel a meal on Veterans Day, but Famous Dave's is going one step farther. Their Veterans Day meals are available on both November 11 and November 12, and it's pretty delicious. With military ID, customers will get a free 2 Meat Salute, which includes your choice of two out of: Georgia Chopped Pork, Country-Roasted Chicken, BBQ Chicken, Sweetwater Catfish Fingers, Southside Rib Tips, Texas Beef Brisket, and Hand Breaded Chicken Tenders. That comes with a side and corn bread muffin, and that's a reason not to fill up on the 11.

Before you go, you can also sign up for their email club. Like most other restaurant clubs, joining The Famous Nation will get you all kinds of special offers and a gift on your birthday. Being an adult might be tough, but at least you can get free food on your birthday, right?

If you're not a NASCAR fan, Outback Steakhouse is giving you a reason to at least keep an eye on the rankings for each race.

Outback is one of the sponsors for driver Kevin Harvick, so every time he places in the Top 10 they're giving customers a free Bloomin' Onion on the following Monday. How often does that happen, you might ask? Often enough that you really should keep an eye on race results. On July 22, he announced he was the first NASCAR driver to six wins, and what's that mean? It means Outback is giving away a lot of Bloomin' Onions.

As an added bonus, you don't need to dine-in to score your free Bloomin' Onion, as it's also on offer for carry-out customers as long as they purchase an entree to go with it. The NASCAR season ends on November 18, though, so Bloomin' Onion fans should keep their fingers crossed for a few more races.

NASCAR season winds down to an end in November, and that means Hooters' "When Chase Wins, You Win" promotion is also coming to an end... at least, for 2018. Their sponsored driver is Chase Elliott, and they've had a few things going on. Any time he places in the top 10, customers can request a free order of fried pickles with the purchase of at least a beverage.

It's even better when he wins, because customers can double the amount of boneless wings on the table. A first place finish means customers will get 10 free boneless wings with a purchase of 10 boneless wings, and let's be honest — we could all polish off 20 of those wings.

The promotion ends with the end of the season on November 18, but there's no reason to fret — it might not be gone long. Hooters has extended their sponsorship through the 2021 season, so it's likely that some kind of promotion will return once NASCAR kicks off again.

There are a ton of restaurants that offer special deals only through their apps, and McDonald's is no exception. They switch it up every month or so, and they've got some good ones for November.

For the entire month, you can get one McCafe beverage free with the purchase of five. Maybe it's time you treated your office to something fun? If that sounds like way too much, they also have a different offer: buy one medium or large McCafe drink, and get another for a penny.

Until November 30, they're also offering a Buy-One, Get-One-for-$1 deal on all their sandwiches (excluding only the Double Quarter-Pounder with Cheese and Signature Crafted sandwiches). There's also a Buy-One, Get-One-for-$1 offer going on Crispy Chicken Tenders and McNuggets, but that offer ends on November 25. Love their fries? Order a medium or large and get a free (any size) soft drink until the end of December. That might help make holiday shopping a little less painful.

Need a way to make Wednesdays a little less boring? Want a reason to look forward to the middle of the week? Carvel has you and a friend covered (although honestly, some weeks just call for keeping this all to yourself, and no one's going to judge).

Wednesday is Buy-One, Get-One-Free day at Carvel. It only applies to their sundaes, but who has ever complained about a free sundae? All the standard choices are there: pick your ice cream, your topping, then add the whipped cream and the cherry on top. Your friend does the same, and everyone's happy... at least, once you decide who's going to be paying. (Or, you just get two of the same and you're really, really happy.)

Best of all, this isn't just for the month of November, it's an ongoing promotion. Our advice? Grab a friend and reconnect over a weekly sundae date.

There are a few fun things going on over at Wendy's, although be warned: the first is a limited time offer, and there's no word when the end date is going to be. Take advantage while you can, because they're offering $1 any-size fries, and let's be honest here — if you order the small, you should probably reevaluate your life choices. (That's plain fries only, but that's where a Frosty comes in, right?)

The other isn't necessarily free food, but time is money and actually going to Wendy's? That takes time. Until November 25, they're going to be offering free delivery to lucky fans living in select markets on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. You have to place an order for $10 or more through the DoorDash app and there's a disclaimer that prices of items might be a bit higher than they would be in a restaurant, but isn't it worth it not to have to put on pants?

Orange chicken is a staple no matter where you're getting your Chinese takeout from, so how about a free order? Clark Deals says you can score a free small order of Orange Chicken from Panda Express with just a few easy steps. Place your order online, add a small Orange Chicken and another item, then use the promo code PANDA35YRS. You'll be refunded the cost of the chicken, and that's a win.

Also, if you order their Family Feast online and use the promo code 35YEARS, you'll get 35 percent off your order. Or, look at it this way — that's 35 percent more food you could order for the same price. With food that's this good as the next day's lunch, you can't go wrong. 

They also add that this is a limited time offer with no word on when the codes are going to expire, so if you try it and it doesn't work, you're too late.