16 Amazing Birthday Freebies

Birthday Surprise

As a kid, you tore open presents and demolished slabs of cake with gleeful abandon; now you dread the weight gain and kitschy gifts.

This year, reclaim that birthday magic by treating yourself to discounted dinner, sweet treats, and gifts from Canadian businesses. There are plenty of deep discounts or outright freebies for consumers so this year, you’ll be singing, ‘Happy Birthday to me!’

1. Discount Dinners

• Boston Pizza (Canada-wide) – Celebrate your special day with a complimentary plate of pasta (or dessert). Sign-up at bostonpizza.com

• Milestones (Canada-wide) – Bring three pals and get your meal for free. Sign-up online 

• Vera’s Burger Shack (BC and Ottawa) – Sign-up online to receive a $10 gift certificate to use on your birthday.

• Sawmill Prime Rib and Steak House (Edmonton) – Join the birthday club for $25 off your cheque when you and three pals celebrate your special day.

2. Sweet Treats

• Baskin Robbins (Canada-wide) – Join the birthday club for a free 2.5 oz scoop on your birthday. 

• Dairy Queen (Canada-wide) – Get a coupon for a free 16 oz blizzard (with purchase of another 16 oz blizzard) when you join the Blizzard Fan Club.

• Sunterra Market (Edmonton and Calgary, AB) – This Alberta chain offers a free coffee and piece of cake on your birthday when you register a Sunterra card. 

3. Delicious Drinks

• Starbucks (Canada-wide) – Coffee lovers enjoy a free beverage of their choice. Just register a Starbucks card.

• Booster Juice (Canada-wide) – Get your vitamin C fix for free on your birthday. Sign up online.

4. Fantastic Freebies

• Sephora (Canada-wide) – Enjoy a free Philosophy shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath in vanilla cupcake on your birthday by signing up for a Beauty Insider membership (it’s free).

• Tilly Endurables (Canada-wide) – It’s a more practical birthday gift, but charming nonetheless: get a free pair of socks or underpants on your birthday, in store.

• Old Navy/Gap (Canada-wide)- Get a free mystery gift when you register for the company’s birthday club.

• What a Bagel (Ontario) – Before you head out for your birthday dinner, stock up on your breakfast bagels at What a Bagel, which offers a dozen free bagels when you present ID.

5. Fun Stuff To Do for Free

• Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament (Toronto): Experience 11th Century Spain – complete with horses, knights and even a castle – for absolutely nothing. Birthday boys and girls get free admission.

• Skorpion Paintball (Laval, QC) – Free entrance on your birthday! 

• Bronzage Total Eclipse (Montreal, QC) – Get your UV fix with 10 free tanning minutes on your birthday. (P: 514-354-1234)