Election Day freebies abound for voters: Starbucks, Krispy Kreme, Ben & Jerry's and much, much more
Filed under: Bargains, Fantastic Freebies
In the old days, politicians would try to buy votes. Nowadays, corporations are trying to buy your affection if you vote.Works for me.
You've probably seen on WalletPop or elsewhere in the media that some big national chains are giving away free stuff to anyone who votes (or says they voted).
So far, these are the major players in the game:
Starbucks: Giving away a free tall coffee to people with proof of voting (or a pledge of having voted)
Krispy Kreme: Giving away free star-shaped donuts with red, white and blue sprinkles (while supplies last) to people with an "I voted" sticker all day
Ben & Jerry's: Giving away a free scoop in any flavor from 5pm to 8pm to anyone who says they voted.
But there's much, much more... (and we're hoping you'll feel free to tell us what's free in your neighborhood for voters).
This is in no way a list of all of them, but here are some:
- Todd Conner's, a bar in Baltimore, will give voters a free beer. (I'm guessing 18-20 year-old voters are disqualifed.)
- Selected Chick-fil-A locations will be offering free chicken sandwiches on Election Day to anyone with an "I Voted" sticker, and also giving away items on Nov. 5 for those who bring in lawn signs, but check first, to see if your local store is in on the deal.
- Rock the Vote is offering free song downloads to anyone who pledges to vote
- To its first 300 customers at each location, Shane's Rib Shack will give away a free "Vote America meal," which are chicken tenders and a beverage.
- Anaheim White House, a restaurant in California, are giving voters a free bottle of champagne. The catch seems to be that you have to order the $44 meal that comes with it.
- At Zov's, a three-restaurant chain, also in California, they're giving away a free slice of apple pie to anyone who votes.
- The Atlanta Zoo are cutting admission prices to half price on November 4 for voters and their families.
- In Chicago, at the restuarant Park 52, guests showing a receipt for voting will receive a free red, white and blue dessert--as in, red velvet cake with white cream cheese frosting and fresh blueberries.
- In Troy, Michigian, the Hot Spot Coffee Company will be giving out free 12-ounce cups of coffee to customers on November 4.
- And Babeland, an adult sex toy store in New York, Los Angeles and Seattle, is giving away, um, some free toys to anyone who says that they're voting.
- A Dallas tattoo-removal specialist is offering a free consultation to getting a tattoo removed.
- Even more deals are listed at slickdeals.net
Geoff Williams is a freelance writer and the author of C.C. Pyle's Amazing Foot Race: The True Story of the 1928 Coast-to-Coast Run Across America (Rodale).
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 14)
11-03-2008 @ 3:20PM
Joanie said...
... just want we need in connection with voting: more people at the trough!
As if it isn't bad enough with candidates trying to buy a vote, now corporate America steps in. Let's really the public expecting and addicted to be at one trough or another! Disgusting!
Reply
11-04-2008 @ 10:31AM
Jenna said...
Wow - that is a harsh reaction.
11-04-2008 @ 10:52AM
bea said...
People, can't we all just get along.......relax, it's just a cup of coffee and a donut. No one's forcing you.
11-04-2008 @ 12:39PM
Raphael said...
Um...they're not buying your vote. They're encouraging you to vote. Buying a vote means they are telling you WHO to vote for, which they are not doing.
You really need to relax.
11-05-2008 @ 6:05AM
mac said...
I own a business- a yoga studio (small but successful- in a Major Metropolitan area), we are giving free classes from today the 4th through sunday the 9th to anyone who brings in their voting receipt. It's not about "feeding from the trough" it's about building community and encouraging people to be part of the process. It's about putting your "money where your mouth is!" In an ideal world, one that wasn't chock full of apathy we wouldn't need to encourage people to vote- you wouldn't be able to stop them- but hey this is America, land of the discouraged- at least at the moment. Any little bit that helps to motivate my community to be involved rather than sitting on the sidelines, well I'm all for it!
11-04-2008 @ 2:03PM
Bert said...
Wow! Lighten up! They are not trying to buy votes, just rewarding people that do.
11-04-2008 @ 3:07PM
melissa said...
If it gets people out to vote and use their right then i am all for it. it bet the people out there that are like you set back a gripe about everything and everyone finds out that you didnt even vote.
11-04-2008 @ 3:16PM
Matt said...
Your response is right up there among the most harsh. If you believed in the way our government electes our leaders....you should be glad some businesses are doing what they can to encourage folks to vote.
Those that don't vote have no room to complain since they have removed themselves from the process.
Maybe you're just bitter about something...I don't know. The thing I do know is that your repy is not only rude, it's unpatriotic.
11-04-2008 @ 5:02PM
sam said...
Use your head! You must be hoping the Obama voters stay home. You should be!
11-03-2008 @ 3:25PM
Joanie said...
... just want we need in connection with voting: more people at the trough!
As if it isn't bad enough with candidates trying to buy a vote, now corporate America steps in. Let's really get the public expecting and addicted to be at one trough or another! Disgusting!
Reply
11-04-2008 @ 1:29PM
Ryan said...
Joanie is an uneducated retard!
11-04-2008 @ 2:13PM
Jeanine said...
.. it doesn't mean anything different the more you say it.
11-04-2008 @ 3:32PM
Mari said...
Responses clarifying the article seem to have no affect on your continued snide comments. I am reasonably sure by your responses that you didn't vote(or couldn't) and this is your way to vent because you will not be getting rewarded by those who care because you took the time out to exercise your right as a citizen to vote!
11-04-2008 @ 4:51PM
abc said...
Maybe you should get a donut
11-03-2008 @ 3:25PM
James said...
In todays economy free is hard to come by so quit complaining and get what you can while you can.
Reply
11-03-2008 @ 3:34PM
1SG Paul K. Hoffman said...
Freebies! How ironic, just the thing those not even working will be getting the next four years of Obama!
Reply
11-03-2008 @ 4:52PM
truck said...
That's why they want Obama...they want handouts not work. They want to poor me and blame it on someone else. They need to take responsibility for what is missing in their lives and get a job, better education, or whatever it takes to get ahead...not expect more handouts.
11-03-2008 @ 5:31PM
Amy said...
Do you really think that people want handouts? You have obviously never needed one (and should consider yourself lucky and/or blessed). Would you like to know what a famly of four gets for a monthly welfare check? $507. I know this because a close friend of mine's husband lost his job and the family was forced to live on this for 2 months. $507. That is supposed to pay rent, bills, household supplies, gas for their car (to drive to job interviews, grocery store, church, etc.) and whatever else. Believe me, very few people actually WANT to live that way.
11-03-2008 @ 6:21PM
anseleye said...
It's so funny to me that people are saying Obama is about giving out handouts to people NOT working. McCain is the one giving breaks to the rich CEO's who sit on their a**es all day while those of us REALLY work get taxed the crazy high rates. Obama wants to make sure that those of us who DO work can still afford to live in this great country. Do you really think those people making more than 250,000 a year need a tax break?!?!? It is the WORKING Americans that need Obama. If you're poor or working/middle class, and you're voting for McCain then you need your head examined... (by one of those super rich neurosurgeons that McCain wants to reward with more tax breaks!)
11-03-2008 @ 9:16PM
Kristina said...
As a social worker I see things that you could not even imagine seeing on a daily basis. I see homeless families struggling to find food and shelter. I see the single mother overcoming addiction and struggling to find a job to take care of her children. I see those with severe mental health disorders completely and totally unable to function the way YOU want them to. 99% of these people would choose a different life if they could. They were not given an easy life...and most did not ask to be where they are.
But people like you have no empathy...no form of understanding for others. Not everyone is dealt a good hand. People don;t want freebies...they want a system that can help them LIVE...not just survive.