10 Chains Scaring Up Business With Free Food & Other Halloween Deals For these businesses, Halloween is about more than trick or treating, with deals designed to pull costumed customers into restaurants.
By Kate Taylor •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You may be too old to trick or treat. However, many businesses are trying to pull families off the neighborhood candy collection route and into their restaurants with deals this Halloween.
Last month, Krispy Kreme celebrated Talk Like A Pirate Day, with free doughnuts for customers who arrived in costume. But Halloween provides a more mainstream marketing peg for Krispy Kreme, along with these nine other chains. Fast casual restaurants, such as Chipotle and IHOP, are especially eager to get in on the family-friendly fun.
Check out the slideshow below to learn which chains are providing spooky deals this Halloween.
Related: Krispy Kreme's Quirky 'Pirate' Promotion Lures Hungry Buccaneers
Image Credit: OC RegisterChipotle
From 4 p.m. to close on Halloween, the Mexican chain is offering burritos – or boo-ritos – as well as burrito bowls, salads and tacos for only $3. Proceeds of up to $1 million will benefit the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, dedicated to supporting sustainable agriculture, family farming and culinary education.
Image Credit: myhouseiscuterthanyoursKrispy Kreme
The doughnut chain that celebrated National Talk Like A Pirate Day is back with more free treats. Show up in costume on Halloween in any participating stores in the U.S. or Canada and get a free doughnut.
Image Credit: spendlessshopmorePanda Express
Free food for kids in costume during dinner time on Halloween at Panda Express. It's for kids under 12 only, so don't try and finagle a free meal after grabbing your free Krispy Kreme.
Image Credit: indianapolisonthecheap.comBob Evans
Savvy parents probably already knew that Bob Evans was stretching Halloween out all month, offering free food for kids the last three Tuesdays in October. For "Trick or Treat Tuesdays," children are encouraged to show up in costumes for an evening of games.
Image Credit: raisingarizonakids.comIHOP
From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., all kids 12 and under can get a "scary face pancake." No costume needed to snag a breakfast with candy corn teeth and Oreo eyes.
Image Credit: WikipediaOlive Garden
Free kids meals with adult entrees all week at Olive Garden. The catch—you need to sign up for their email newsletter, which means the company is trying to keep you in the loop all year long.
Image Credit: coupons-land.comRed Lobster
Olive Garden isn't the only Darden chain offering Halloween specials. Red Lobster is also offering coupons for a free kid's meal.
Image Credit: freebiefindingmom.comLongHorn Steakhouse
LongHorn is the last of the three Darden chains with the Monday to Thursday Halloween deal. LongHorn requires users to like their Facebook page for the free kid's meal, adding to the chain's 635,000 plus "Likes."
Image Credit: arizonafamiliesBoston Market
Boston Market is not a Darden chain (it's owned by private equity firm Sun Capital Partners) but it's offering a similar deal of a free kid's meal with the purchase of any individual meal from now until Halloween.
Image Credit: wilger.comThe Village Inn
The Village Inn has been ready for Halloween all week, with a coupon for $2 for a Pumpkin Pancake Combo on Monday and a free kid's Sunday for kids who dress up on Tuesday. On Halloween itself, dress up for a free pumpkin pancake short stack with any adult entrée purchase.
