There’s only one day left until my birthday. And the week that leads up to my birthday is great.
Why? Because, as an avid joiner of restaurant mailing lists and “e-clubs,” I get inundated with coupons and free meals or portions of meals from many different restaurants the week before the big day arrives.
It usually starts 7 days out, and none of them really require them to be used on the exact birthday anyway. It’s more like all of mid-February is a big cheap eats zone.
My favorite consistent birthday treat is the Red Robin coupon, which nets me a free burger with no purchase necessary. What’s more, telling the waiter that it’s your birthday also gets you a free sundae dessert. It’s essentially a completely free meal for me, which is something that most other places can’t match.
Being on the Dave and Buster’s email list is also rewarding, although we don’t go there all that much, as the nearest D&B is a good half hour drive away. Still, I get small amounts of free game play to add to my card throughout the year, meaning that I rarely have to spend much to play games when I get there.
I like it when huge faceless corporations wish me a happy birthday a week early by giving me a coupon. A free Arby’s shake with a combo? Yes please! A free milkshake or dessert from Armadillo Willy’s? Why not! 20% off DVDs from the Warner Brothers online store? That’s just what I always wanted!