National Tequila Day 2021: Where To Get The Best Food Freebies And Deals

There's a saying that goes: Sometimes tequila isn't the answer, but it may be worth the shot! That seems to be the motto for a lot of people in the U.S. lately. According to Forbes, the tequila industry saw a 46% percent growth in the U.S. last year, which means the agave-based Mexican spirit is likely a favorite for many drinkers. And if you're one of those people who (to this day) contributes to the tequila industry's sales, you'll be delighted to learn that National Tequila Day is this Saturday, July 24. 

There is, of course, no limit to the ways one can enjoy the Mexican spirit this weekend. If you're feeling like you wanna bust out your shaker, you could consult Patrón for one of their many tequila cocktail recipes, like the Mexican Martini. You could also whip up some tequila sunrise popsicles to enjoy in the hot summer weather. Or perhaps you could try attempting some tequila-inspired recipes, like Ina Garten's tequila lime chicken (via Food Network). But if you'd rather let someone else do the cocktail shaking and the cooking this weekend, you may want to check out some of the specials your favorite restaurants, bars, and brands are offering for this National Tequila Day.

Whether you plan to celebrate at home or out on the town, you won't want to miss out on taking advantage of these terrific tequila deals this weekend. Even better, the holiday falls on a Saturday, so you'll have all day Sunday to recover should you decide to down a few palomas to mark the occasion.

Several restaurants chains are offering terrific deals for this year's National Tequila Day (via RetailMeNot). Chili's, also known as the home of the famous $5 dollar Margarita of the Month deal is a spot tequila lovers will definitely want to check out this weekend for some solid discounts on drinks. Slip into one of their locations anytime on Saturday for $6 dollar classic Presidente Margaritas, or try July's Margarita of the month, the famous Stay-Cay-Rita, (which features a delicious combo of spiced rum and Lunazul tequila blanco, sour, grenadine, coconut purée, and pineapple juice) for just $5 dollars each. Looking to take the party home with you? Chili's has got you covered there too. For one day only, you'll be able to pick up a full gallon of their "Mar-Go-Rita" for just $30 dollars, per the Chili's website. This normally retails for about $40, so this is a deal you won't want to miss if you plan to celebrate with friends.

Next up, On the Border is another spot tequila fans may want to consider checking out this weekend. This Saturday, customers over the age of 21 will be able to purchase their choice of on-the-rocks or frozen 16-ounce margaritas for just $5, all day, per Daily Herald. Want to kick things up a notch? You'll also be able to add an extra shot of tequila or liqueur to your drink for just 99 cents to make it a "tequila meltdown" (aka an extra shot added to your drink, via Twitter.) Now that sounds like the perfect way to cool off on a hot summer day!

As much as we love classic margaritas, we'd have to agree it's a great idea to switch things up every once in a while! That's why we're so excited to learn that Applebee's, a chain that has turned heads with their drink deals like the Dollarita, is going all out for this National Tequila Day by teaming up with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to give guests the chance to try one of their brand new tropical-inspired Mana Margaritas that features Johnson's premium small-batch tequila for just $7 dollars. Choices include the Strawberry Coconut Margarita, as well as a Blue Aloha margarita, which uses pineapple juice and blue curacao. If you can't decide what to get, bring a friend along so you can try both!

And that's not all the chain is offering this weekend. In addition to their great deals on margaritas, guests who spend at least $25 dollars on their meal at Applebee's this weekend can get a chance to receive free tickets to see Disney's "Jungle Cruise" in theaters (via Applebee's).

In addition to deals offered by national chains, many regional restaurants plan to offer some killer drink specials to celebrate the holiday.

Those who will be in the Lone Star State for National Tequila Day are in luck because many Texas-based restaurant chains will be serving up some incredible drink deals this Saturday. All Taqueria La Ventana locations will be offering $3.50 cervezas and $3.50 house margaritas all day on Saturday (via Facebook). El Fenix will be offering a similar deal on Saturday, with their house margaritas going for just $3.50 each all day, along with offering $2 dollar deals on domestic beer and $3 dollar deals on imported beer (via Facebook).
Texas tequila fans can also celebrate by trying out specialty cocktails made just for the weekend. According to Dallas Morning News, Blue Mesa Grill locations will be serving up unique $5 blue margaritas for customers to enjoy for dine-in and takeaway on Saturday. So if you'd rather sip your frosty blue tequila at home, you can pop into one of their locations and grab one to-go.

East coasters can also join in on the tequila love this weekend with special deals on tequila at local bars and restaurants. New Yorkers can take advantage of the tequila day fun by swinging by Cantina Rooftop in Manhattan any time this Saturday only for $5 dollar tequila shots. Philly-based tequila drinkers, meanwhile, may want to pop into El Camino Real restaurant for half-priced margarita pitchers all weekend long, in addition to $12 dollar Cazadores tequila flights (via Philly Metro).

If you happen to miss out on the discounts from restaurants over the weekend, no worries. Some big tequila brands are offering fans contests to keep the fun going all week long.

And what better way to celebrate our favorite form of liquid courage than by entering a contest to win some cash? According to a press release on PR Newswire, this week only, award-winning tequila brand Camarena is giving tequila fans the chance to win money and win over that special someone as part of their "pick-up limes" campaign. Going on from now until July 30, fans over the age of 21 can visit the Camarena website for a chance to have actual limes adorned with pick-up lines mailed directly to their crush. Talking about "shooting your shot" indeed! Lucky winners will receive $30 dollars in PayPal to use toward that first date, provided they send Camerena the details. There's just one catch — to actually get the coupon, your date has to click through a special link to fill out a separate contact form, so yes, you'll have to actually ask someone out to get this deal.

While snagging some great deals on tequila is one way to celebrate this Saturday, many companies are also using this National Tequila Day as an opportunity to do more good for their communities and the world. From July 23 until September 29, tequila brand Jose Cuervo will be giving away free packs of their one-of-a-kind sustainable straws to customers who submit their information to their website. The straws are made of up-cycled agave fiber and are totally biodegradable, which means they are a much more environmentally friendly way to sip on your favorite margaritas.

And that's not the only way you can make a difference this weekend. According to ABC News, tequila brand Don Julio has partnered with DS projects, a mission-driven clothing company, to develop a custom tee shirt for National Tequila Day that benefits the workers who are helping to keep the drinks flowing this weekend.

Each unisex tee features a message in big blue letters that reads "Save bars. Drink Tequila" on the front, along with the names of several famous tequila cocktails on the back. Show your support for your local food service and bar workers by rocking this tee out in public all summer. Tees are currently available for purchase online at This T-Shirt for $40 dollars each. And $37 dollars of the proceeds received from each purchase will go towards No Us Without You, a non-profit that provides food support to undocumented hospitality workers in the Los Angeles area.