Cookie fans are crrrrumbling in the best way possible today as national chains dish out free treats and limited giveaways. From Crumbl’s extra-cookie promo to Pepperidge Farm’s jolly mailer and a drop of Nestlé Toll House baking kits, brands alike are using the holiday to turn sweet cravings into foot traffic and app sign-ups.
Free cookie offers to grab now on National Cookie Day 2020
- Crumbl has winked to the much-memed “6-7” with a deal: come in store and order a six-pack, and receive for free an item while supplies last. Among the current weekly rotations is a Sticky Toffee Pudding cookie, meaning there’s one more reason fans should make the stop before it’s all clean trays.
- 2 p.m. ET: Nestlé Toll House is offering a free Cookie Tacos kit until its supply runs out. The kit contains all the essentials for baking at home a batch of cookies that could easily be mistaken for cookie “shells.” Expect a fast sellout — limited drops themed around dessert holidays tend to vanish in minutes once social posts announcing them go live.
- Pepperidge Farm sent out free Holiday Cookie Courier boxes — curated packages of milk chocolate Milano Mint and classic Chessmen with a personalized note. The allotment sold through swiftly, but the brand is not above replenishing stock on big food holidays, so keep an eye out again later.
- Is everyone feeling down and out that it’s only Tuesday? Panera Bread is handing MyPanera members a victory: Buy one cookie, get one free. If you don’t already have the loyalty program, sign-up is simple and can trigger more rotating perks through the app.
- Insomnia Cookies is offering the first 100 rewards members at each participating location a free Snowball Classic cookie. Hidden inside one Snowball at each location is purple buttercream — find it and you’ll win a golden-ticket prize of free cookies for a year. Anticipate lines; at city places, the first-100 cutoff can be early.
- Jimmy John’s is bringing dessert to the sandwich run: JJ Rewards members can get a free Holiday Magic Cookie with red and green M&M’s packed in when ordering digitally with a $5 purchase. Be sure you’re logged in on the website or app before checking out so the offer attaches properly.
- Milk Bar is offering a limited in-store giveaway of the McCormick x Milk Bar Eggnog English Toffee Cookie at select flagships in Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. The first 50 to 100 customers at each participating store receive one free; after that, the seasonal cookie is available for purchase, and McCormick publishes the recipe on its website for home bakers.
- (Cookie-adjacent but timely: Dairy Queen’s Frosted Sugar Cookie Blizzard Treat leads its holiday promotion lineup.) Through June 30, rewards members can get $3 off a small Blizzard and there is a free mini Frosted Sugar Cookie Blizzard with purchase of a six-piece chicken strip basket or a Signature Stackburger combo.
Tips to make the most of today’s free cookie giveaways
- Download the apps and sign up for loyalty programs before you leave. Most of the current offers are gated to members, and require mobile ordering or account log-in. Enable push alerts; brands will often release additional drops or extend deal windows if the interest is there.
- Put a calendar reminder in your phone for timed releases like Nestlé Toll House’s kit and refresh right at the hour. For first-100 giveaways (Insomnia, Milk Bar), arrive early and make sure the location is participating — day-of updates are typically posted to store social feeds by staffers.
Why brands are all going big on National Cookie Day
Cookie Day — a traditional day of engagement and sales — reliably spikes engagement. Circana and the National Confectioners Association have both found cookie sales crossing over with holiday sale windows, as people gift them or eat at parties or make for themselves. App-driven freebies have long been a reliable acquisition lever: all the industry surveys from organizations like Deloitte show that a big majority of diners are now part of at least one restaurant or QSR loyalty program, and national “food holidays” often drive spikes in sign-ups.
Chains that traffic in flavors that are limited, like Crumbl and Milk Bar, do well with urgency. Placer.ai has recorded a spike in foot traffic directly associated with drop calendars and promotion days, particularly when exclusives are tied to the first few hours of opening. Scarcity on top of novelty alongside a free add-on is the formula intended to turn one trial into repeat visits up through December.
What you need to know before you go for free cookies today
All deals are subject to availability and can be claimed at participating locations. Some promos are buy-one-get-one, or available with a minimum order, and most member specials aren’t stackable with other promotions. Check store hours, confirm in-app that stores are participating, and if you’re allergic to nuts or dairy or eggnog-related spices, check ingredient lists — holiday cookies frequently contain all these things.
If you miss a drop, don’t panic — many brands will continue their Cookie Day promos through the week or you may see surprise restocks. The sweetest move today is an easy one: You just need to grab that free treat near you and keep your apps open for the next round.
