Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026 | 2 a.m.
Editor’s note: “Behind the News” is the merchandise of Sun unit assisted by the Sun’s AI lab, which includes a assortment of tools specified arsenic Anthropic’s Claude and Google Gemini.
Veterans Day falls connected Wednesday, and restaurants and retailers crossed the U.S. are again thanking veterans and active-duty work members with escaped food, discounts and different perks.
The deals see escaped meal items, burgers, slices of pastry and java [1]. Retailers are adding covering and merchandise discounts, and immoderate businesses are offering escaped haircuts and car washes [8].
A little past of Veterans Day
The vacation began successful 1919 arsenic Armistice Day [1]. It marks Nov. 11 due to the fact that warring successful World War I stopped astatine the 11th hr of the 11th time of the 11th period successful 1918 [1].
Nov. 11 became a national vacation successful 1938, and its sanction changed from Armistice Day to Veterans Day successful 1954 [2]. Congress did not make a caller vacation that year; it amended the existing Armistice Day law, replacing "Armistice" with "Veterans," and President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the archetypal statesmanlike Veterans Day proclamation [3].
Popular chains statesman offering escaped nutrient arsenic appreciation
Golden Corral has served escaped dinners to veterans since 2001 [4]. This twelvemonth marks its 26th yearly Military Appreciation Night [5]. The concatenation says it has served astir 6.9 cardinal escaped meals and raised much than $21.5 cardinal for section Disabled American Veterans chapters [1].
Applebee's helped popularize the escaped Veterans Day repast astatine casual-dining chains. The concatenation says it has served much than 12 cardinal escaped meals during its promotion, present successful its 19th twelvemonth [1], which started successful 2008.
Coffee and doughnuts
- Starbucks: Veterans, work members and subject spouses tin get a escaped 12-ounce blistery oregon iced brewed java [6].
- Dunkin': Veterans and active-duty members tin get immoderate doughnut escaped connected Veterans Day [7].
Pancakes and breakfast
- IHOP: Veterans tin get a escaped red, achromatic and bluish pancake combo from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., dine-in only, astatine participating restaurants [1].
- Cracker Barrel: Veterans and active-duty subject tin get a escaped Sunrise Pancake Special astatine participating locations [1].
- Denny's: Veterans and active-duty members tin get a escaped Original Grand Slam meal connected Nov. 11 [5].
Lunch and dinner
- Applebee's: Veterans tin take a escaped entree from 7 options, dine-in only, and besides person a $5 paper for a aboriginal repast [1].
- Cracker Barrel: Veterans and active-duty work members person a escaped Sunrise Pancake Special. [10]
- Golden Corral: The concatenation offers a escaped meal buffet and beverage from 4 p.m. until adjacent for active-duty military, retirees, reservists, Guard members and veterans [1].
- Chili's: Participating restaurants connection a escaped entree from a Veterans Day paper [6].
- Red Lobster: Veterans, active-duty members and reservists tin get a escaped Shrimp & Chips repast [6].
- Red Robin: The concatenation offers a escaped Red's Big Tavern Burger with bottomless fries, dine-in lone [1].
- Outback Steakhouse: The concatenation offers a escaped Bloomin' Onion and soda oregon home draught brew contiguous and Wednesday [5].
- Texas Roadhouse: The concatenation offers a escaped repast portion eating in, oregon a voucher for later, from a 10-entree paper [1].
- Buffalo Wild Wings: Participating locations connection 10 escaped boneless wings and fries [1].
- In-N-Out Burger: Veterans, active-duty military, reservists and National Guard members tin get a escaped burger, fries and portion [8].
- TGI Fridays: Participating locations connection a escaped repast from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. [8].
Casinos
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South Point: Veterans and active-duty subject devour escaped astatine Garden Buffet. One further impermanent besides eats free. 7 a.m.–9 p.m. Bring subject ID, VA paper oregon DD-214.
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Palms: Complimentary brunch for veterans and progressive oregon retired subject 9 a.m.–2 p.m. astatine A.Y.C.E. buffet. Free Club Serrano rank required. Bring subject ID oregon DD-214 and photograph ID.
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The Resort astatine Summerlin: Free luncheon buffet for veterans astatine Market Place Buffet. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Bring subject identification.
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Eureka Casino: Veterans person $25 successful escaped slot play and 50% disconnected eating astatine Fat Choy. Military ID verification required.
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Silverton: Through Friday, veterans enrolled successful the Military & Veteran Salute programme person 1 complimentary repast astatine participating restaurants: Mi Casa Grill Cantina, Su Casa Sushi, Sundance Grill oregon WuHu Noodle. Print coupon astatine a casino kiosk.
Today: Free Veterans Day chapeau giveaway astatine the promotions center.
Wednesday: Veterans enrolled successful the programme person 10X points connected reel slots and 2X points connected video poker. Players nine enrollment required.
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M: PENN Heroes members tin person a complimentary $20 eating recognition astatine participating PENN Play destinations done Nov. 18. Check eligibility and enrollment requirements.
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Sam's Town: Veterans Day Bingo promotion. Veterans and subject members person a escaped Electronic Small Rainbow with a minimum physics bingo buy-in. Bingo sessions passim the day. All you tin vessel for $15 per idiosyncratic from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
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Jerry's Nugget: Veterans Day bingo acquisition promotion. Bingo players with a minimum $40 buy-in tin person a reddish oregon bluish astute bracelet portion supplies last.
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The Strat: Veterans Day chapeau giveaway. True Rewards members who gain 111 qualifying basal points person a acquisition voucher for a Veterans Day hat. Show subject ID astatine the True Rewards Center.
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Tuscany: Veterans person a escaped drink, 20% disconnected eating and 20% disconnected acquisition store purchases. DaVinci Rewards players paper and valid subject ID required.
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MGM Resorts International: Through Nov. 17, peculiar MVP Veterans Day offers for subject members, veterans and spouses. Discounts connected nutrient and beverages, shows, attractions, spas, retail and more. Participating resorts see Bellagio, Aria, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Excalibur, New York-New York, Park MGM and the Cosmopolitan. Bonus: MGM Rewards MVP subject programme offers escaped self-parking benefits for eligible veterans.
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Caesars Entertainment Properties: Veterans tin enroll successful the SALUTE programme and person a complimentary Caesars Rewards Platinum status, with escaped self-parking and valet parking benefits astatine participating properties. Check enrollment and eligibility requirements.
Important: Casino promotions whitethorn necessitate players nine membership, subject verification, minimum gaming enactment oregon a qualifying purchase. Check straight with each casino earlier visiting. Gaming-related offers are not currency and are taxable to idiosyncratic casino rules.
Clothing and retail
- Kohl's: Active-duty military, veterans, retirees and contiguous household get 30% disconnected in-store purchases contiguous and Wednesday, with immoderate exclusions [9].
- Target: The retailer offers 20% disconnected 1 in-store acquisition done Wednesday, which is besides disposable to subject household members [7].
- Five Below: Veterans and subject families get 10% disconnected done Sunday, with a information of income going to payment Blue Star Families [9].
- Walgreens: Veterans, active-duty subject and contiguous household get 20% disconnected eligible regular-priced items done Wednesday [8].
Haircuts and car washes
- Great Clips: Veterans and active-duty members tin get a escaped haircut oregon a paper for a aboriginal 1 [8].
- Sport Clips: Participating locations are offering escaped haircuts Wednesday [8].
- WOW Carwash: Participating car washes nationwide are offering escaped washes from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday [8].
Before you go
Most restaurants necessitate impervious of service, immoderate deals are offered lone during definite hours, and astir bash not screen taxation and gratuity [1]. Many offers are constricted to participating locations, truthful telephone ahead.
Sources
[1] Detroit Free Press, "Where to find escaped meals connected Veterans Day for those who served," Nov. 8, 2026. https://www.freep.com/story/life/food/2026/11/08/find-free-meals-veterans-day/92609652007/
[2] The Washington Times, Nov. 11, 2025. https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/nov/11/trump-marks-veterans-day-extolling-muscle-spine-steel-us-military/
[3] The Christian Science Monitor, "Which president signed archetypal Veterans Day proclamation?" Nov. 11, 2014. https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/Decoder/2014/1111/Which-president-signed-first-Veterans-Day-proclamation
[4] Fox News, "Restaurants connection escaped Veterans Day meals to past and existent subject members nationwide." https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/restaurants-offer-free-veterans-day-meals-past-current-military-members-nationwide
[5] WROC-TV (Rochester, N.Y.), "Veterans Day 2026: Free meals, car washes and deals astir Rochester." https://www.rochesterfirst.com/community/community-events/veterans-day-2026-free-meals-car-washes-and-deals-around-rochester/
[6] Patch, "Veterans Day 2026: Free Meals, Discounts And Deals In PA." https://patch.com/pennsylvania/across-pa/veterans-day-2026-free-meals-discounts-deals-pa
[7] Military.com, "Top 7 Favorite 2026 Veterans Day Discounts." https://www.military.com/veterans-day/top-7-favorite-veterans-day-discounts.html
[8] ConsumerAffairs, "Veterans Day 2026 freebies: Free meals, haircuts, nationalist parks, and more." https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/veterans-day-2026-freebies-free-meals-haircuts-national-parks-and-more-110526.html
[9] Military.com, "2026 Veterans Day Deals, Discounts and Freebies," Nov. 4, 2026. https://www.military.com/veterans-day/veterans-day-military-discounts.html
[10] Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/DfaTjkrlxgZ/


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