Veterans Day Discounts 2026: Free Meals, Haircuts and More
This article is for general information only, not financial, tax or investment advice. Rules, rates and fees change, so check the details and talk with a licensed professional about your own situation.
By an American Dad
Checked Oct. 31, 2026. We only list an offer after reading it on the company’s own website or official press release. We’ll keep updating this page through Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11.
Every November, lists of Veterans Day discounts 2026 pop up all over the internet, and plenty of them are copied from last year. That’s how a veteran ends up at a counter asking for a free meal that isn’t running anymore. So this list is short on purpose. Every offer below comes straight from the company’s own page or newsroom, with a link so you can check it yourself before you go.
Two quick tips before the list. Most of these deals are dine-in or in-store only, and many are at participating locations, so a quick call ahead saves a wasted trip. And bring your proof of service.
Bring ID: a VA card (Veteran ID Card or VA health ID), your DD-214, or a driver’s license or state ID with the veteran designation. A current military ID works for active duty. Each company sets its own list, so check the link if you’re unsure.
Veterans Day discounts 2026 at a glance
| Category | Offer | When | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food | Chili’s free meal from a select menu | Nov. 11 | chilis.com |
| Food | Ruby Tuesday free Everyday Fresh Meal (up to $17.99) | Nov. 11 | rubytuesday.com |
| Food | Red Robin free Red’s Big Tavern Burger + Bottomless Steak Fries | Nov. 11 | Red Robin release |
| Food | Bob Evans free entrée from an 11-item menu | Nov. 11 | Bob Evans release |
| Food | Chipotle free chips + guac, queso or salsa with a $5 purchase | Nov. 11 | Chipotle newsroom |
| Retail & services | Great Clips free haircut (or a card for later) | Nov. 11 | greatclips.com |
| Retail | Lowe’s and The Home Depot 10% military discount | Year-round | lowes.com · homedepot.com |
| Phone | T-Mobile and AT&T military plans | Year-round | t-mobile.com · att.com |
| Travel | Free entry at national parks | Nov. 11 | nps.gov |
Swipe to see more → (on phones)
Food: free meals on Veterans Day
Chili’s. Veterans and active-duty military get a free meal from a select menu on Nov. 11, 2026, at participating restaurants. It’s for dine-in only, so call your local Chili’s first. See Chili’s page.
Checked Oct. 31, 2026.
Ruby Tuesday. Veterans, retirees, active duty and Reserve members get a free Everyday Fresh Meal (an entrée with the Garden Bar and a bottomless drink, worth up to $17.99) all day on Nov. 11. No purchase is needed. It’s dine-in only at participating locations, and not for to-go or delivery. See Ruby Tuesday’s page.
Checked Oct. 31, 2026.
Red Robin. Veterans and active-duty service members get a free Red’s Big Tavern Burger with Bottomless Steak Fries on 11/11/26 when dining in at participating restaurants. Bring a military ID or proof of service. Read Red Robin’s release.
Checked Oct. 31, 2026.
Bob Evans. Veterans and active-duty military can pick a free entrée from an 11-item Veterans Day menu, from breakfast through dinner, dine-in only. Bob Evans also hands out a thank-you offer for a future visit. Read Bob Evans’ release.
Checked Oct. 31, 2026.
Chipotle. Active-duty military and veterans get free regular chips with guacamole, queso blanco or salsa with a purchase of $5 or more on Nov. 11. It’s in-restaurant only at participating U.S. locations, not online, in the app or for delivery. See Chipotle’s newsroom.
Checked Oct. 31, 2026.
Retail and services
Great Clips. On Nov. 11, veterans and active-duty military can get a free haircut, or a free haircut card to use later, at U.S. Great Clips salons. If you’re not a veteran, you can pick up a free haircut card that day to give to one. Cards are good through Dec. 4, 2026. See Great Clips’ announcement.
Checked Oct. 31, 2026.
Lowe’s and The Home Depot (year-round, not a Veterans Day special). Both offer verified veterans, service members and their spouses 10% off eligible items, with exclusions. The Home Depot caps the discount at $400 a year; Lowe’s has no annual cap but doesn’t apply it to sale items. You verify once online. If a home project is coming up, it’s a good week to set it up. Lowe’s · The Home Depot.
Checked Oct. 31, 2026.
Phone and internet
As of Oct. 31, we hadn’t found a Veterans Day–only phone or internet deal for 2026 on the carriers’ own sites. What does exist is year-round military pricing, which can be worth more over a year than a one-day freebie.
- T-Mobile has military and veteran plans; you verify your status after signing up. See T-Mobile’s page.
- AT&T offers military and veteran savings on its unlimited plans through its Appreciation Savings program. See AT&T’s page.
- We’ve already walked through the Verizon military and veteran discount and Xfinity’s military discounts step by step.
Checked Oct. 31, 2026.
Travel and outings
National parks. Nov. 11 is one of the 2026 entrance fee-free days at National Park Service sites that charge admission. It covers U.S. citizens and residents; other fees, like timed-entry or reservation fees, may still apply. Veterans and Gold Star Families can also get a free Military Lifetime Pass any day of the year. See the NPS passes page.
Checked Oct. 31, 2026.
An official post from Great Clips
Great Clips posted its Nov. 11 free-haircut offer on its verified X account on Oct. 30.
A few tips so the day goes smoothly
- Call ahead. “Participating locations” means some stores opt out.
- Go early or late. Lunch rush on Nov. 11 can be long at restaurants giving away meals.
- Read the fine print on the link. Some deals are dine-in only, need a minimum purchase or exclude certain states.
- Bring a friend who served. Most offers are for the veteran only, but a free lunch is a good excuse to catch up.
Sources
- Chili’s — Veterans Day
- Ruby Tuesday — Veterans Day
- Red Robin — press release, Oct. 22, 2026
- Bob Evans Restaurants — press release, Oct. 27, 2026
- Chipotle newsroom — Veterans Day 2026 offer
- Great Clips newsroom — Vets Day free haircuts 2026
- Lowe’s — Everyday Military Discount
- The Home Depot — Military Discount
- T-Mobile — Military discount plans
- AT&T — Military discount
- National Park Service — Entrance Passes
An American Dad
Dad, researcher of everyday money and life questions, and the person friends ask before they buy. I write plain.tips so my family, and anyone else, have one place to find answers worth knowing.
