12 Ways to Earn Free Food (Earn Free Travel for Eating Out)
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Dine-in restaurant loyalty programs
TGI Fridays Rewards
- 50 points = a free dessert
- 80 points = a free sandwich or burger
- 90 points = a free select burger
- 100 points = free chicken, salad, or select entree or $8 off a food purchase
- 150 points = free ribs or steak entree
- Cashback rewards club that pays out real cash.
- Play games like Solitaire and Mahjong for a chance to win money.
- Watch videos and fill paid surveys to earn today.
- Includes a first-class referral program
Applebee’s Most Valuable Neighbor
Margaritaville
Buffalo Wild Wings' Blazin' Rewards
P.F. Chang’s Rewards
Dine Rewards
CPK Rewards
- Palm Members: New members begin as Palm Members, You'll get that free small plate as well as a free birthday dessert.
- VIP Members: Hit 150 points and become a VIP, with all of the freebies as well as a free birthday entree. Plus, you have ops to earn bonus point events throughout the year.
- Diamond Members: Once you hit 350 points you will also get a free entree for your “half birthday” entree. You'll also receive double points throughout your birthday month for more rewards.
- Elite Members: If you dine out enough and reach 1,000 points, you will get a free meal for yourself and three friends. And you get to jump the line if there is ever a line.
Fast food loyalty programs
Starbucks Rewards
- Free refills on coffee or tea while dining in-store (perfect if you are using the WiFi and doing some work)
- A free birthday drink or food item
- 25 stars = a customized drink
- 50 stars = a brewed hot coffee, hot tea, or bakery item
- 150 stars = a handcrafted drink, hot breakfast, or parfait
- 200 stars = a sandwich, protein box, or a salad
Dunkin's DD Perks
Chick-fil-A One
Chipotle Rewards
Wendy's Rewards
- Cashback rewards club that pays out real cash.
- Play games like Solitaire and Mahjong for a chance to win money.
- Watch videos and fill paid surveys to earn today.
- Includes a first-class referral program
Credit Cards
- Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card will give you 4% cash back on all of your dining expenses. (Entertainment too.) You'll earn 2% at the grocery store with this Capital One MasterCard that comes with a $95 annual fee.
- American Express Gold Card will give you 4 points per $1 when dining out or buying groceries. Although the Amex card comes with a $250 annual fee you do get a $120 annual dining credit so it's more like $130. The points you collect here can be used on travel or shopping.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve Visa works similarly on dining points but with 3 points for every $1. Notoriously the best travel rewards card, Chase Sapphire comes with a $550 annual fee but also provides $300 travel credit every year so it's more like $250 a year and comes with a big bonus and high rewards.
Airlines
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining will give you a point for each dollar, as well as 500 bonus points once you hit 1,500 points dining on the program for the first time.
- United MileagePlus Dining works like Rapid Rewards but its bonus is a VIP membership once you dine at 11 participating restaurants. As a United MileagePlus VIP you will earn 5 miles for every dollar.
- American Airlines AAdvantage Dining is the most basic of the airline programs, offering 1 mile per $1 spent without any bonuses. Although, if you use the Citi Advantage Platinum Select Card you can earn 2 more points per dollar.
- Delta SkyMiles Dining will give your rewards points for dining too with a VIP program that matches United's. You can earn 3,000 bonus miles in your first 30 days using the program.
- Cashback rewards club that pays out real cash.
- Play games like Solitaire and Mahjong for a chance to win money.
- Watch videos and fill paid surveys to earn today.
- Includes a first-class referral program
The bottom line
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Lissa Poirot is Joy Wallet’s Head of Content and an award-winning journalist and editor with a focus on finance, travel and health. Her work has appeared online and in print, and she has often been cited as a source on both. She currently resides in Pennsylvania.