Why splash out on your birthday when you can get free meals, cake and fizz, plus discounts on shopping? Here’s our round-up of the best birthday freebies and discounts.
It’s your birthday? Many happy returns! We think you should treat yourself – you deserve it.
If you’re looking for some inspiration, here’s our rundown of some of the best birthday discounts from the biggest retailers and restaurant chains. Plus check out the freebies up for grabs, from meals and cocktails to cakes and toiletries.
Starting to think about Christmas? Find out how to save money on supermarket deliveries. Check out our Black Friday buyer’s guide in readiness for bargains. And look into the best TV streaming deals for the long nights ahead.
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Before you get started...
In most cases, snapping up some birthday freebies is as easy as signing up to a free newsletter, or downloading a loyalty app. You’ll usually have to opt-in to receive emails too, as part of the terms and conditions.
If you’re signing up to lots of stores and restaurants and don’t want your email inbox inundated, it can be worth setting up and using a separate email account for promotions like this.
With any deal, it’s always worth checking the small print. With some restaurant offers, certain days may be excluded, and in most cases, any discount or freebie can’t usually be used in conjunction with other deals or vouchers.
Best birthday discounts from retailers
Lots of retailers will send you vouchers for discounts around the time of your birthday. If you get a discount, it may seem like an added incentive to go shopping. But it’s only worth using these discounts if really do want to buy something from these shops. Otherwise it’s a false economy as you’re just spending money to ‘save’ money.
Here are some of the best birthday discounts we found from big retailers.
H&M | 25% off | Valid for two weeks
H&M offers 25% off one item for your birthday. All you have to do is sign up as a member online, or via the app.
You will then be emailed a discount code, to use online or in-store. Offer lasts up to two weeks from your birthday. However, to qualify for the birthday discount, you must have a least one in-store or online purchase registered on your member account.
Boohoo | Birthday discount | Expiration varies
Boohoo gives customers a discount on purchases as a birthday treat. All you need to do is create a Boohoo account online. You’ll then be sent a unique code by email on your birthday along with an expiration date. In the past this has been as much as 20%.
Cult Beauty | 15% off | Valid for one month
When you sign up for a Cult Beauty account, and opt into emails, you’ll get a 15% off code emailed to you on the first day of your birthday month. This code can be used on a minimum £25 spend.
To qualify for the birthday offer, you must sign up and provide your birthday details by no later than the 28th day of the previous month.
Urban Outfitters | 15% off | Expiration varies
Sign up to the free Urban Outfitters reward programme to get 15% off on your birthday. You’ll get a unique code by email including details on how long the code is valid for.
Asos | 10% off | Valid for 2 weeks
Asos gives customers 10% off on their birthday. All you have to do is create an account and you’ll receive a unique code two weeks before your birthday.
The code will expire at 11.59pm on your birthday. Discount valid on full price items only.
Oliver Bonas | £5 voucher | 30 days
Sign up for the newsletter and you’ll get £5 to spend on your birthday. The way this works is that after signing up, you receive a welcome email. At this stage you can then submit details of your birthday.
Minimum spend of £20 excluding delivery. Code valid on both full price and sale items, but excludes gift cards and e-gift cards.
Hobbycraft | £5 voucher | Valid for 35 days
You need to join the Hobbycraft Club for this one, which means downloading the app and agreeing to receive emails. You’ll then get 15% off your first purchase and a £5 voucher on your birthday. This will either appear in the app or be emailed to you.
No minimum spend, but you can’t get change if you spend under £5. Valid for 35 days.
Sweaty Betty | 50% off
Join the Sweaty Betty Insiders Loyalty programme and you’ll get 15% off your first full price purchase, and 50% off on your birthday. Free to join and you must be signed up one week before your birthday to qualify for the discount.
The Body Shop | £5 voucher | Valid for one month
Sign up to the ‘Love Your Body’ loyalty scheme and you’ll get a £5 voucher on your birthday. Can be spent in-store or online with no minimum spend. However, you must make at least one purchase within twelve months to qualify for the birthday voucher.
Joining the loyalty scheme entitles you to an initial 15% discount.
Lindt | Sweet treat
If you join the myLindt Rewards loyalty scheme, you’ll get a free sweet treat on your birthday. Plus signing up also means 10% off your next purchase.
Best birthday discounts from restaurant chains
Zizzi | One free main meal | Valid for 28 days
Zizzi offers a free main meal on your birthday if you sign up for its newsletter. The offer is valid for 28 days from the date of your birthday. To activate the free meal offer, at least one other main meal must be purchased, and terms and conditions state that you should show your voucher before ordering.
You’ll receive the voucher by email. It isn’t valid for takeaways or in conjunction with another discount. Sign up two weeks before your birthday to get the discount.
Cote | Free bottle of fizz
Sign up to the newsletter and you can get a bottle of sparkling Cremant de Bourgogne for tables of four or more. You each need to buy a main course to qualify for this.
And you don’t miss out if there are less than four of you. If this is the case, you each get a glass of Cremant.
Bella Italia | One free main meal | Expiration varies
Bella Italia offers one free main meal to customers who sign up for their newsletter. Terms and conditions apply, which includes buying one full price main meal to activate the offer.
Las Iguanas | One free main meal | Valid for 14 days
If you sign up for the Las Iguanas newsletter, you’ll receive a free main meal when you buy another main.
You’ll get the voucher by email seven days before your birthday, and it’s valid for 14 days from the date you receive the email. You can’t use another offer at the same time as this voucher.
Beefeater | One free main meal | Expiration varies
Get one free main meal on your birthday when you buy another main at Beefeater. All you need to do is sign up for its ‘Reward Club’ card and opt in to receive emails. You’ll get your voucher by email. You can only use this discount when purchasing at least one other mail meal. Also check it’s valid at the branch you are visiting.
Table Table | One free main meal | Expiration varies
Table Table is giving customers who sign up for its Tasty Rewards card one free main meal to celebrate your birthday when you buy another main. You can’t use this offer in conjunction with other discounts and you’ll receive the voucher by email.
Signing up for the Tasty Rewards card also entitles you to 50% off main meals, excluding certain days over Christmas.
TGI Fridays | Free drinks for up to six people | Expiration varies
When you download the TGI Fridays free rewards app, you can get one free cocktail or mocktail for every main course you buy (valid for the app user and up to five others).
The offer will show up on the app seven days before your birthday, and any expiry date will also be listed. The Ultimate Cocktail is excluded from this deal.
All Bar One | A birthday treat | Expiration varies
When you sign up for the All Bar One newsletter through its app, you get ‘Birthday Treats’ as well as a £20 welcome gift. The £20 welcome gift can be redeemed on purchases of £40 or more.
Birthday treats have in the past included fizz. However, right now no further details are given on the website.
Miller and Carter Steakhouse | Glass of Prosecco for all guests
Download the Miller and Carter loyalty app and you and your guests can all enjoy a glass of Prosecco each when dining.
With this offer, you need to sign up at least two weeks before your birthday. And when you first sign up, you’ll also get a free complimentary glass of wine.
Bill’s | Bottle of Prosecco | Valid for 5 weeks
You can celebrate with a free bottle of Prosecco or non-alcoholic Cherry Blossom version. To get this, what you need to do is sign up to the Bill’s newsletter at least four weeks before your birthday and you’ll get sent a voucher.
The T&Cs do say you must pre-book with this offer, and that each diner must order a main course. Valid for five weeks from the date of email.
Pizza Express | Free dessert or pizza
Join the Pizza Express Club by downloading the app and you’ll be in line for instant freebies.
On your first visit you can get free dough balls. And birthday treats include a free dessert or pizza, depending on how often you visit.
Birthday freebies and gifts
Here are some freebies to take advantage of on your birthday.
Rituals | Free shower oil
When you create a Rituals account, you get a free shower oil gift for your birthday. You’ll receive a unique code via email that you can use online or in-store.
Muffin Break | Free muffin
Sign up to Muffin Break’s rewards card online to get a free muffin on your birthday.
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts | Free doughnut | Valid for birthday month
Valid throughout your birthday month, you can get a free doughnut from Krispy Kreme when you download its rewards app. The offer will show on the app, and you can claim your treat in-store.
Lidl | Free doughnut | Valid for seven days
Download the Lidl Plus app and you can get a free doughnut on your birthday. No minimum spend and you’ve got seven days to redeem the voucher.
Costa Coffee | Free slice of cake | Valid for seven days
Download the Costa Coffee app and join the Costa Club account to get a free slice of cake on your birthday. This also includes pies, tarts and muffins.
You will need to opt in to receive marketing emails and will receive the voucher by email. It must be used within seven days of your birthday.
Greggs | Free sweet treat | Valid for one month
Get the Greggs app and sign up for Greggs Rewards to claim a free sweet treat. Sweet treats include doughnuts, muffins, buns and cookies. The voucher, which you can find on the app, is valid for one month.
Burger King | Free Whopper or plant based Whopper | Valid for seven days
Download the Burger King app and register for its ‘Your Burger King’ loyalty scheme to claim a free Whopper burger. You’ll need to look within the ‘offers’ section of the app to claim this. Can also be redeemed for a plant based Whopper.
You must register your date of birth on the app at least seven days before your birthday to qualify, and opt in to receive emails.
Tortilla | Free birthday burrito
You need to sign up for the Tortilla Loyalty Club, opt into receiving emails and let them know your birthday at least 24 hours in advance.
You should then get a voucher for one free burrito on your birthday.
Hotel Chocolat | Free surprise gift
Join the chocolate retailer’s free VIP loyalty scheme and you can get a free birthday treat. In the past the surprise has been a £5 voucher, that can be redeemed on purchases of £5 or more.
Vouchers are usually issued two weeks prior to your birthday and are valid for 30 days.
