As college students, life can get pretty expensive, especially attending a university like UC Berkeley. Nonetheless, students still have to eat! So, what happens when the fridge runs low, or even worse, your pockets? While there are many university resources for free necessities (like food), sometimes students deserve a little treat, even when they can’t afford it! No need to worry; here are four food promotions that don’t require much from your wallet or a trip to the fridge!
1. Chipotle’s Free Guacamole
Across Berkeley, there are three different Chipotle locations, not including those in surrounding cities like Emeryville or Oakland. Chipotle is a popular choice for college students since the portions are large, containing quality ingredients and a satisfactory amount of protein, typically ranging from only nine to fifteen dollars for an entire meal!
One of the more expensive items at Chipotle (at least per volume) is the guacamole. Many of us won’t even buy the $2 avocados in-store, much less a small container of guacamole that only uses half an avocado (maximum) for the same price. Unless it’s an absolute necessity, this inflated price tag results in most people eliminating guac from their meals entirely.
Instead of doing that, the next time you visit Chipotle, get free guacamole just for downloading the app and signing up! Most apps require that you have an account for a full day before the deal is accessible, but this promotion becomes valid immediately after enrollment. If you’re looking for a couple of dollars off your meal, or even a free guac for chips you already have at home, take full advantage of this deal!
2. Baskin-Robbins’ Free Scoop
The closest Baskin-Robbins to Berkeley is in Emeryville, but this deal will make the excursion worth it! While there are some fantastic family-owned ice cream shops in Berkeley, sometimes you can’t help craving that nostalgic taste of childhood: Baskin-Robbins.
Upon downloading and signing up for the Baskin-Robbins app, you’ll immediately receive a free scoop of your preferred ice cream. In comparison, the same scoop of ice cream typically costs $2.79, which increases to $3.49+ when you add toppings. If you calculate this deal using Girl Math, you’re actually making about $3! While the savings don’t seem significant, that amount is three packs of ramen, a bus ticket, or even a drugstore lip gloss.
If the free price tag hasn’t persuaded you yet, the birthday rewards program certainly will! During sign-up, you can add your date of birth, instantly registering your account for the program. Once your special day comes around, you get an additional free single scoop of your preferred ice cream! Not to mention, various other coupons/savings randomly get added to your rewards account every day; some options include percentages off and more free scoops!
3. McDonald’s Free Fries Friday (With $1 Purchase)
Like Chipotle, McDonald’s is another prominent food chain for college students due to their low prices (albeit not as nutritious). While many of us try not to or don’t eat McDonald’s, their fries have always been an exception! While most menu items have inflated (like nearly all other chain restaurants), McDonald’s remains one of the cheaper fast food options. Now, the addition of “Free Fries Friday” has made the chain an even better option for students!
Even though you’ll be required to make a $1 purchase, you still save almost $4 with this deal! If you don’t have a dollar bill, try putting together some of the change that inevitably builds up over time! I find this deal to be most beneficial when I’m already planning a trip to McDonald’s!
For those interested in pursuing more free food deals, McDonald’s also has a rewards program that allows customers to earn 100 points for every dollar they spend. If you frequent the chain, this deal is most beneficial to you, but that shouldn’t stop occasional goers! Once you spend $15, you get to pick from menu items like a cheeseburger, ice cream cone, or hash browns. Sometimes, you don’t even have to spend $15 as random promotions for double and triple points are often added to the app. Alternatively, you can build up your points for more valuable items like a Happy Meal. Even though this system isn’t entirely free of cost, you can save your points for a few months and use them on a rainy day!
Bonus: Don’t want to wait for Friday? Sign up for the McDonald’s app and receive a free Big Mac with a $1 purchase any day of the week!
4. 7-Eleven’s Free Snack or Coffee
While 7-Eleven is a less traditional choice for food, you can’t beat free! With four locations throughout Berkeley, this option is the most accessible from the list. I understand the hesitation to eat gas-station taquitos and, even though they’re part of the promotion, they aren’t the only option.
After signing up on the 7-Eleven app, users receive a complimentary 800 points, which applies to nearly a dozen store items (ex: coffee, mini donuts, buffalo chicken taquitos, gum, and more). Similarly to McDonald’s, if you continue using your rewards account, you can even earn enough points for wings, a free salad, pizza, and tons of food/drinks in between! The app’s daily promotions on items throughout the store are even better! Instead of buying $3 Hostess donuts, they’re half off with a rewards account. In addition, there are punch cards for specific products and services that offer free items once you reach a certain number of purchases.
Despite 7-Eleven’s unconventional approach to selling food, their free offers and rewards cancel out the few questionable hot meals. If anything, we all need snacks once in a while. Why not get them at a reduced cost, sometimes even free? While you may have to open your wallet in some cases, it’s something you’d most likely do anyway if you’re purchasing from 7-Eleven. Nonetheless, if you’re only looking to get your free item and delete the app, that’s just as acceptable; it’s what this article is meant for in the first place!
We’ve all struggled with funds running short, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any options available to you; even the places I’ve mentioned don’t come close to what’s really out there. Hopefully, this is only the start of your search for all the free food you deserve. These endless deals are waiting to get used! Why not by you?