Updated Nov. 4 with updates on Starbucks
Free coffee at Starbucks. Bailout appetizers. Free bottle of bubbly. Extended Happy Hours.
Times are tough, and Orange County restaurants — from fast food to fine dining — are pulling out all the stops to lure diners on Election Day. Here is a list of a few Nov. 4 specials:
Note: Is it illegal to reward voters? See related story on this issue here. Attention early voters: See comments below about your concerns. My guess — you won’t be turned away if you say you voted, but don’t have proof.
Starbucks: Starbucks said it would give voters a free Tall coffee on Nov. 4. The freebie was announced during a national TV ad last night (Nov. 1) on Saturday Night Live. All you have to do is say you voted, the commercial said. Limit one per customer. To view the ad go to, http://www.youtube.com/starbucks.
Nov. 4 update: Now, Starbucks is stating that EVERYONE gets a free coffee. I guess the chain is doing this to make sure cafes comply with voting laws. Read more here.
Anaheim White House: Diners ages 21 and over will receive a complimentary bottle of champagne for voting. The restaurant will offer a $44, four-course dinner that night.
In an unusual twist, the award-winning fine dining establishment will also have plasma TVs in the restaurant so diners can watch live election coverage. More info: Address: 887 South Anaheim Blvd. Phone: (714) 772-1381. The free bottle of bubbly is valid, per couple.
Krispy Kreme: The doughnut chain, which has two locations in Orange County, is giving a free “star-shaped” doughnut to voters. To find locations, go here.
Pizza Hut: The chain expects orders to surge on Election Day. To encourage diners to plan ahead, Pizza Hut is will give a 20 percent discount to all online orders scheduled for delivery or pick-up on Nov. 4. (One catch: The deal is valid for new online customers only.) To order, go to PizzaHut.com.
Ben & Jerry’s: All ice cream stores will give one free scoop of ice cream to customers from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. This deal is good for “everyone” not just voters, says spokesman Sean Greenwood. I can only imagine the lines. Click here for all locations, including O.C.
Pat & Oscar’s: Voters get 20% off on Nov. 4. Dine in only. Pat & Oscar’s locations.
Zov’s (Tustin, Irvine, Newport Beach): Voters can get a free slice of Apple Pie with purchase. Locations of Zov’s.
Daily Grill (all locations): From 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Daily Grill will give a free appetizer to voters. Happy Hour will also be expanded with prices ranging from $2.95 to $3.95 throughout the evening. (Bar only). More info: Daily Grill locations, including Irvine and Newport Beach.
Salt Creek Grille (Dana Point): A few cool things going on at this Dana Point restaurant. First up: free money. In the bar, the customer who comes closest to guessing the correct “percentage of total votes” for the winning presidential candidate will win a $200 restaurant gift card. During happy hour, the restaurant will offer $3 beers. Servers will also pass out free Brandt beef sliders and house-made chips twice during happy hour. That night, the chef is offering an “All-American” Prime Rib dinner — three courses for $27.95. For more information and location info, go here.
Scott’s Seafood (Costa Mesa near South Coast Plaza): Show your “vote” sticker, and you get $10 off your lunch or dinner check. http://www.scottsseafood.com/southcoast/private.html
Morton’s The Steakhouse: Presidential Martinis will cost $11, a $1.50 off regular price. (Tell me: Is this really a deal?)
Outside O.C.
Michael’s on Naples (Long Beach): The Long Beach dining establishment will televise election coverage on a large-screen plasma TV, and offer a “bailout recovery” prix fixe dinner for $35. It will also serve complimentary gourmet pizzettes to voters. Phone: (562) 439-7080.
Know of more Election Day deals? Make sure to post your food tips here.
California Tortilla Kitchen will give you a free burrito if you have an “i voted” sticker
what about those of us who voted by mail and didn’t get an “i voted” sticker?
Fullerton: I think Starbucks will believe you if you say you voted …as will some of the others like White House, and Daily Grill.
Notice Salt Creek Grille isn’t giving away their Ahi appetizer that cost them a few million.
There’s a huge number of people in OC who vote by mail.
Mac n Madi in San Clemente is giving away a free webkinz elephant or donkey on Tuesday with a “I Voted” sticker
I remember when I was younger, (too young to vote) my parents would bring their voting stubs to various restaurants for a “I voted” deal. My brothers and I would look forward to going with them to whatever place it was giving away something cool for voting. Then there was a big scandal that it was illegal to give away things for voting and the “I Voted” promotions ended. Recently I started hearing about the promotions again and have been curious about if the law changed or if they just found a loop hole.
Jenn: Thanks for sharing your voting memories with your parents. As for the legality of this voting freebies, I inserted a link at the top of the post to a KTLA news story on this very topic.
glow22 Says:
November 3rd, 2008 at 7:49 am
There’s a huge number of people in OC who vote by mail.
Exactly why they’re doing this.
Shucks, I voted by mail. Always do.
Lisa, and others — make sure you read the comments..As I stated before, I don’t think any of these places are going to force voters to hand over proof.
Too bad sent in my vote by mail this year!
What about those of us who voted early? My “I Voted” sticker is long gone now.
If you voted by mail & if you still have it, perhaps show your ‘Vote by mail voting Instruction Guide! Good Luck! All the best… to us all!
ha ha, people obviously are not reading your comments Nancy!
Also Java city (http://www.javacity.com/index.php) is giving away a cup of it’s free capitol blend on Tuesday.
After Obama is president, the $11 martini at Mortons will remain the same price for those who make less than $250,000, but will increase to $22 for those who make more.
Melting Pot Irvine has got some good drink/food specials - I think their website has details…
Check this out.
If you vote I will come to your house and sing you a song.
go to registar of voters or http://www.ocvote.com and then under quick links go to vote by mail ballot tracking then follow the steps. It will even tell you if your ballot was good or not.
I went online to my “secretary of state poll locator” and printed out proof that my absentee ballot was recieved! (That should work!)
In GA the site is:
http://www.sos.georgia.gov/elections/polllocator/PollLocator.aspx
Hope it works out.
I voted and went to Starbucks and got a coffee. No problems. It’s not illegal to give out coffee to people who voted. What is illegal is to do that within a certain amount of feet from the polling area. It’s then called bribing for votes. It’s to stop people from bribing voters to vote for a particular party or candidate. Starbucks is doing none of the above.
Go to a polling place and ask them for a sticker if you voted by mail… depending on who is working, I’m sure they wouldn’t turn you away.
I heard the In-N-Out was doing a free burger.
Does anybody know if it is tree?
sorry, is it True, not tree like I typed last time.
It
don’t think it’sis NOT true. In-N-Out, as previously stated before during the HOAX incident, does not GIVE ANYTHING AWAY for FREE. Also, just confirmed it with INO. Also a rumor: No free food at Chick-fil-A, according to employees in O.C.my mother-in-law gave me a free piece of pumpkin pie this morning, but i had to vote for obama to get it…
The Pizza Hut deal isn’t an election deal at all. They give you that discount automatically for first time online orderers regardless of it being election day. I think they just wanted the free publicity.
Starbucks is giving them out free, I went through my drive thru at 6 am obviously have not voted and I got free coffee
I voted by mail, but I sent in 100 of them, just to be sure.
In case they got lost in the mail.
Vote “Yes” on “No”!
Alfred E Neumann
Chick-Fil-A in Norco is giving away a free chicken sandwich to each person with an I voted sticker, they have an in-store flier on this.
Sign me for Josh Groban singing at my house…we just won’t tell him I didn’t vote for his candidate…hehehe
Chick-Fil-A in SC is giving out free milk shakes!!!
Well, Chick fil-A says this promotion is not nationwide. Read more here:
http://fastfood.freedomblogging.com/2008/11/04/chick-fil-a-responds-to-election-day-freebie-rumors/5414/
I will only eat at a place that promises not to show election coverge.