Where and how to save money this month

July’s month full of freebies and deals comes to an end with National Avocado Day Wednesday.

Wednesday brings a chance to save some green with free guacamole. 

It has been a month primed with specials including Amazon Prime Day, which was held July 15-16.

Other deal days already passed: National Fried Chicken Day (July 6), National French Fry Day (July 13), National Hot Dog Day (July 17), National Ice Cream Day (July 21) and National Tequila Day (July 24) and National Lasagna Day and National Chicken Wing Day (both July 29). 

Independence Day kicked things off with patriotic specials and discounts for active and retired military.

Year of freebies and deals: Free coffee, cheeseburgers and more, here’s what is coming up

Back-to-school teacher discounts: These stores offer teachers discounts and are holding events. Is your favorite included?

Deals and freebies

Here are some of the big days for free food and discounts along with ongoing specials, available at participating restaurants. To be on the safe side, always check with your closest location before heading out. Also, some will require you to have a restaurant’s app or be signed up for emails.

Bookmark this page because it’ll be updated frequently with more specials. Businesses with 20 or more locations can submit meal deals here.

White Castle: From Thursday through Sunday, get $5 off a Crave Case ordered through delivery partners UberEats, GrubHub or DoorDash with a coupon that will be sent out Wednesday. Sign up for offers at www.whitecastle.com.

July 15-Aug. 25: Wendy’s Baconfest

Through Aug. 25, Wendy’s is celebrating Baconfest with a few deals.

• July 16-Aug. 25: Get free Baconator Fries with any purchase using Wendy’s mobile app.
• Check the Wendy’s app for other bacon specials.  Download the app at www.wendys.com or at app stores.

July 30: Free White Castle sliders

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the movie “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle” and the launch of White Castle on Uber Eats, the on-demand delivery service is giving away 1 million free White Castle sliders.

To add a 10-pack of free sliders to your order, select the “Sack of 10 Original Sliders” option from the White Castle menu in the Uber Eats app and use the promo code 1MILLIONSLIDERS.

Also through Aug. 31 and exclusively on Uber Eats, the Harold & Kumar order, which includes 30 sliders, five orders of fries, four Cherry Coke or four Diet Cokes will be available. For the first two days of the promotion, July 30-31, it’ll cost $23.40, the cost of the order in 2004. 

July 31: National Avocado Day

Save some green Wednesday for National Avocado Day.

National Avocado Day 2019: Chipotle, other chains giving away free guac Wednesday despite higher cost

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Ongoing offers

Applebee’s: The July Neighborhood Drink of the Month is the Malibu DOLLARMAMA. For $1, get the 10-ounce drink, which includes Malibu Coconut Rum and Tropicana orange and Dole pineapple juices.

Buffalo Wild Wings: The chain has brought back its Wing Tuesday promotion on traditional wings. Buy one traditional wings order and get one of equal value free. 

Burger King: For a limited time, the fast-food chain has a $4 Whopper Jr. meal, a $5 Whopper meal and a $6 Double Whopper meal. No coupon is needed.

Carrabba’s: For a limited time, dine-in and order any regularly priced entrée and take home a select entree with soup or salad for $10.

Chili’s: The $5 Margarita for July is the “Southern Back Porch ‘Rita,” featuring Southern Comfort whiskey, Lunazul tequila, mango puree, fresh sour and topped with unsweetened tea.

Clamato: Get a free six-pack or larger of beer up to $6.50 through July 31 with a rebate on the Ibotta app when you purchase one 64-ounce, two 32-ounce or 1-liter bottle of Clamato.

Cumberland Farms: Through Sept. 3, get any small or large fountain beverage from the Chill Zone, including frozen HYPERFREEZE, for 79 cents.

Firehouse Subs: Through July 31 with any platter purchase and a coupon get a free gallon beverage.

Krystal: For a limited time, All-You-Can-Eat original Krystal burgers and fries for $5.99 per person available at participating locations.

Long John Silver’s: Through July 31, get $2 off any variety platter or $5 off an eight-piece meal with coupons on the chain’s website.

Olive Garden: Starting July 29, Olive Garden is offering $5 Take Home meals all year long. Order any entrée in-restaurant, including kids’ entrées, and take home up to five ready to heat meals for $5 each. The Take Home meals include Fettuccine Alfredo, Five Cheese Ziti al Forno and Spaghetti with Meat Sauce.

On The Border: Through Sept. 15, get the two for $22 Border Feast, which includes two appetizers and choice of two select entrees. Learn more at www.ontheborder.com.

Pilot Flying J: Through Sept. 2, get the new Cinnabon Cookie Frosting Sandwich for $3.29 at select Pilot and Flying J Travel Centers that have Cinnabon bakeries.

Sonic Drive-In: Sonic has multiple ongoing specials. Through July 31, app users, get three-piece Cinnasnacks for 99 cents through the SONIC app as the July reward. Through Aug. 4, Sonic has Summertime BLTs starting at $3.99 and a new, limited trio of Mocktail Slushes. And through Sept. 2, shakes and ice cream sandwiches are included in the ongoing Sonic Nights promotion and are half-price after 8 p.m. Download the app at www.sonicdrivein.com/app.

Taco Bell: Through Sept. 1 at 2:59 a.m. ET, get 15% off one Party Pack. Sign up for offers at www.tacobell.com/register.

Tijuana Flats: Through Aug. 31, enter for a chance to win free tacos for a year and other prizes with a scratch-off game promotion. After ordering at the restaurant, get a free game piece but you’ll need to wait until your next visit to scratch off the piece in front of a Tijuana Flats manager or cashier. Learn more at www.tijuanaflats.com.

UNO Pizzeria & Grill: For a limited time, dine-in and choose from a selection of five Signature pastas entrees and take home a free Classic pasta or pizza dish as part of the chain’s “UNO Now, UNO Later” nationwide program.

Ongoing fast-food sign-up offers

Most of these are ongoing offers and require signing up for email clubs or downloading and using smartphone apps. Participation varies by location.

• A&W: Get a free A&W Root Beer Float for your birthday and monthly deals when you join the Mug Club at www.awrestaurants.com.
• Arby’s: Sign up for email coupons including a birthday freebie at www.arbys.com/get-deals.
• Bojangles’: Join the E-Club at www.bojangles.com and get a free half gallon of Legendary Iced Tea with purchase after sign-up and a free Bo-Berry Biscuit with purchase every year on your birthday. 
• Boston Market: Join the VIP club for a coupon for $3 off a $10 purchase and other offers at www.bostonmarket.com. 
• Brueggers Bagels: Sign up for the chain’s Inner Circle www.brueggers.com for offers.
• Burger King: Find coupons on the restaurant’s smartphone app, which can be downloaded at www.bk.com/app.
• Carl’s Jr.: Get a coupon for a free small fries and beverage with the purchase of a select burger for signing up for emails at www.carlsjr.com/email_signup.
• Checkers: Get a coupon for a free large fry with any purchase when you sign up for emails at www.checkers.com/deals.
• Chick-fil-A: Earn freebies by using the chicken chain’s Chick-fil-A One smartphone app. Download and learn more at www.one.chick-fil-a.com.
• Church’s Chicken: Sign up for coupons, the email club and download the mobile app at www.churchs.com/coupons.
• Culver’s: Sign up for the MyCulver’s at www.culvers.com for offers.
• Dairy Queen: Get weekly deals on the Dairy Queen app, which you can download at www.dairyqueen.com/app. Limit one offer per person per visit. In Texas, use the DQ Texas App, which you can download at www.dqtexas.com.
• Del Taco: Get a freebie for joining the Raving Fan eClub at www.deltaco.com/ravingfan. Plus get other deals by downloading the app at www.deltaco.com/app.
• Dunkin’: Earn free drinks with the DD Perks rewards program, plus a birthday freebie. Sign up at www.ddperks.com.
• Einstein Bros. Bagels: Join the chain’s Shmear Society for offers and a birthday freebie at www.einsteinbros.com.
• El Pollo Loco: Get a free Original Pollo Bowl when you download the chain’s app and join LOCO Rewards program at www.elpolloloco.com/loyalty.
• Hardee’s: Get a coupon for a free small fries and beverage with the purchase of any “One-third pound Thickburger” for joining the chain’s email list.
• Jack in the Box: Unlock special offers when you enter your email or cell phone at www.jackinthebox.com/offers.
• KFC: Join the Colonel’s Club for email offers at www.kfc.com/colonels-club.
• Krispy Kreme: Earn rewards with the doughnut chain’s app, which can be downloaded at www.krispykreme.com.
• Long John Silver’s: Find coupons and sign up for offers at www.ljsilvers.com/coupons.
• McDonald’s: The fast-food chain’s app has ongoing coupons. Download the app at www.mcdonalds.com.
• PDQ: Join the chain’s Fan Club for coupons and a birthday freebie at www.eatpdq.com.
• Panera Bread: Earn rewards for your purchases and get a birthday freebie with the MyPanera loyalty program. Sign up at www.panerabread.com.
• Pollo Tropical: Sign up for email and text offers at  www.pollotropical.com/rewards.
• Popeyes: Find coupons at www.popeyes.com/coupons.
• Quiznos: Get a free 4-inch sub with purchase when you download the chain’s Toasty Points loyalty app at www.quiznos.com/toastypoints.
• Raising Cane’s: Visit a participating location and ask for a Caniac Club card and register for a free box combo and other deals.
• Rally’s: Get a coupon for a free large fry with any purchase when you sign up for emails at www.rallys.com/deals.
• Shake Shack: Sign up for exclusive offers at www.shakeshack.com.
• Sonic Drive-In: Find deals at www.sonicdrivein.com/deals and download the Sonic app for a free slush or drink at www.sonicdrivein.com/app.
• Starbucks: Earn free drinks with the Starbucks Rewards program and get perks including free in-store refills and a birthday freebie. Learn more and register at www.starbucks.com.
• Steak ‘n Shake: Join the rewards program at www.steaknshake.com/rewards and get a free shake with your first purchase.
• Subway: Earn free subs and get other offers with the Subway MyWay Rewards program. Download the app at www.subway.com.
• Taco Bell: Sign up for offers at www.tacobell.com/register, plus from save on drinks and freezes during Taco Bell’s Happier Hour from 2 to 5 p.m.
• Taco Cabana: Get a freebie for signing up at www.tacocabana.com/loyalty.
• Taco John’s: Sign up for emails or texts at www.tacojohns.com, plus earn rewards with the chain’s smartphone app.
• Wendy’s: Download the smartphone app at www.wendys.com for offers. 
• Whataburger: Earn free food with the smartphone app, which can be downloaded at whataburger.com.
• White Castle: Find specials at www.whitecastle.com/promotions.
• Wienerschnitzel: Find coupons and sign up for the Wiener Lovers’ Club at  at www.wienerschnitzel.com/specials.
• Zaxby’s: Sign up for email, text and snail mail Zax Clubs at www.zaxbys.com/zax-club.

Follow USA TODAY reporter Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @KellyTyko