10 Halloween Deals and Free Stuff in Philly

This year it doesn’t have to be just the little ghosts and goblins that benefit from the free stuff and deals available at Philly area businesses this Halloween. A number of restaurants and retail outlets have lined up frightfully terrific freebies and deals that, in most instances, nearly anyone can take advantage of on or around October 31. Some do require dressing up in costume but, hey, isn’t that the fun of Halloween anyway?

Here are 10 ways or places to go to get free stuff or food deals for Halloween 2012. Note: Links to more information appear in the headline of each Halloween deal whenever possible.

1. Save on a Boo-rito at Chipotle. Anyone who shows up in costume at Chipotle between 4 p.m. and closing time on Halloween will get a Chipotle burrito, bowl or salad for only $2. Here in the Philly area those entrees normally cost upwards of $6, meaning you’ll be saving big time with this $2 Halloween deal.
2. Kids eat free at Outback. When you dine out at Outback, you’ll actually be eligible for two freebies. First, when you bring the kids along and order an adult entree for yourself, your child will get a free kids’ meal. This is for dine-in only and, Outback says, while supplies last. However, while you’re waiting for your meal to arrive, look for a second freebie hidden inside the drink menu. It’s a coupon for a free steak dinner, which you can redeem on your next visit to Outback between November 1 and November 29, 2012.
3. Scare up a free donut at Krispy Kreme. Stop into the Krispy Kreme locations in the Philly area (Collingswood, Bensalem, Center City and Fox Chase) in costume on Halloween, and you can get a free Halloween or pumpkin spice doughnut — you don’t even have to say “Trick or treat” first. In fact, no purchase is necessary. One doughnut per customer.
4. Walk away with a free trick or treat bag at Subway. Like most fast food restaurants, Subway offers its version of a kid’s meal–called Subway Fresh Fit for Kids Meal. As part of its promotion for the new Halloween-ish movie “Frankenweenie,” every youngster who visits Subway in October and orders a kid’s meal will get a Frankenweenie reusable bag and a glow stick, while supplies last.
5. Get your game on for free. If your kids enjoy playing PopCap’s popular video game Plants vs. Zombies, you know that this gaming experience normally costs $20. Not this Halloween season. Parents and anyone else can head over to the “Stop Zombie Mouth” website and download free coupons to play the game free. The trick to this treat is you need to download the free coupons before October 30. Then recipients can redeem the coupons between October 30 and November 10. This freebie was created in partnership with the American Dental Association for people to have a candy-free giveaway for trick or treaters. For video game lovers, it means game on — for free!
6. Enjoy a free Frosty Jr. at Wendy’s. Every year Wendy’s sells coupon books that help benefit the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a good cause the Wendy’s founder set up to help kids find “forever families.” This year is no different. For $1 you can get a booklet with five coupons inside for free Frosty Jr. treats. The booklet is designed to hand out in lieu of candy on Halloween, but if you decide to keep it for yourself, you’ve supported a good cause and found a way to get five Frosty Jr. treats for only $1 or about 20 cents each — they normally cost about a buck each at Wendy’s.
7. Treat kids to a free meal at Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. There are two Dickey’s Barbecue Pit locations in our area–in Bethlehem and Allentown. If you bring your children in Halloween costumes on October 31, they’ll eat for free. It is part of the chain’s “Kids Eat Free in Costume on Halloween” offer. Here’s the best part — unlike other restaurants that allow kids to eat free only when you purchase an adult entree, this doesn’t seem to be the case at Dickey’s. All you need to do is have your children show up in costume on Halloween, and their meal is on the house.
8. Chomp on cheap corn dogs at Sonic. No costume is necessary to take advantage of Sonic’s Halloween deal. According to the Sonic Drive-In Facebook page, Sonic will be selling corn dogs on Halloween for 50 cents all day. Now that’s a deal that corn dog lovers could sink their teeth into!
9. Free kids meal at Chili’s. For the past three years, Chili’s has offered a Kids Eat Free promotion on Halloween and Halloween 2012 will be no different. This year bring your little ghosts and goblins any time between October 29th and October 31st to take advantage of this offer, which kicks in when you order an adult entree. This free meal is good for children age 12 or younger and at participating locations only, when you bring in this printable coupon.
10. Save on pet costumes at Pet Smart. PetSmart has some ghoulishly good deals on Halloween costumes for dogs and other pets. All costumes are now on sale for up to 75% off.
11. Kids can belly up to the buffet for free at Hometown Buffet. Hometown Buffet, which also owns Old Country Buffet, is welcoming kids in costume on Halloween for a free meal. Then on November 1st, come back when kids eat for $.99 only. There are Old Town Country Buffet locations in Fairless Hills, Philadelphia and Downingtown, Pa. as well as Deptford, NJ.

For fun ideas on things to do outside of these freebies, check out this trick or treat guide from Goldstar, the ticketing service. You can often score free tickets to events through them so definitely click through and see what’s available in Philly.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net