Staying Fit
Outback Steakhouse is one of many restaurants that offers a veteran's discount year-round.
Outback Steakhouse
Among the many perks that come with veteran status is ongoing access to free and discounted restaurant food. While Veterans Day is the Super Bowl of military dining deals — with establishments ranging from coffee shops to steak houses that offer free eats — there are also a variety of year-round dining discounts that veterans can snag every day.
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It can be tricky to identify where to go for the best deals. Many U.S. restaurant chains are franchises, meaning that each location is independently owned. Every franchise owner is typically able to decide which discounts to offer, including any military discounts. As a result, discounts might be available at some locations but not at others.
With so many franchisees setting their own discounts, you should keep an eye on the local branches of your favorite restaurants in order to see if they offer a deal. Information about these local-specific discounts isn’t always posted online, and there is a lot of false information floating around about which eateries offer these deals.
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But good news: There are some chains that post the details of their military dining discounts online. Here’s a roundup of verified deals you can take to the bank … or restaurant. You’ll typically need to show military ID such as a Uniform Services ID Card, a Common Access Card (CAC) or a dependent ID Card.
Fuddruckers: A number of these classic burger joints offer a 25 percent discount, most of them in Texas.
The Original Pancake House: Veterans get 25 percent off their meal every Wednesday at this venerable breakfast spot in certain locations, at the discretion of the franchise owner.
Long John Silver’s: Participating locations of this seafood place offer 10 percent off any order every day and 20 percent off on Mondays.
The Greene Turtle: This sports bar and grill offers a 15 percent discount to military personnel every day, all day.
Texas de Brazil: This Brazilian steak house offers service members a 15 percent discount on dine-in dinner and lunch, except on national holidays.
Shoney’s: Get ready for a big breakfast because Shoney’s offers a 15 percent military discount at all company-owned locations and participating franchised locations.
Hard Rock Cafe: Some Hard Rock locations have great veterans’ discount programs, with varying deals such as 15 percent off in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and 10 percent off in Sacramento, California, plus other perks like discounts on spa services and hotel rooms.
Bonefish Grill: This seafood restaurant offers 10 percent off to military-connected diners and their immediate family members all day, every day.
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