There are so many great free gift card offers this Christmas! Illustration by OConnorCartoons.com
This post is brought to you by familyFinds.com, a hot new deal site in Los Angeles.
Businesses go out of their way to entice you to buy gift cards around the holidays by offering with special perks and extras. Here are 36 gift card freebies this year. Some of them are as big as a 20% bonus! Thanks to so many readers who shared additional discounts. Am I missing any?
AMC Theaters - Buy $50 in gift cards and get a free $10 concession card.
Barnes and Noble – Buy a $100 gift card by Dec. 6, 2011 and get a free $10 e-gift card on Dec. 26, 2011.
Borders - Buy a $50 gift card and get a $10 bonus.
Applebee’s – Buy a $50 gift card and get a $10 bonus gift card through Feb. 29, 2011.
Arby’s - Participating locations are offering a free combo when you buy a $20 gift card.
Benihana – Join the Chef’s Table and get a $30 gift certificate mailed to you in your birthday month. Or get a bonus $10 gift card when you buy a $50 gift card. Ends Dec. 31, 2010 and the gift cards expire Mar. 31, 2011. If you can combine the two, you’ll pay $50 for $90 in gift cards!
Ben & Jerry’s – Get a free ice cream when you buy a gift card for $10 or more. Unclear when this deal expires.
Black Angus - Buy a $50 gift card by Dec. 31, 2010 and get a $10 bonus gift card.
New! Buca di Peppo - Reader Rachelle reports Buca di Beppo is offering a $10 Reward Card with every $50 in gift card purchases.
California Pizza Kitchen - Buy a $100 gift card and get a free $20 bonus card that is valid Jan. 10, 2011 through Mar. 25, 2011.
Cheesecake Factory – Get a voucher for a free slice of cheesecake on your next visit when you buy a $25 gift card. Ends Dec. 24, 2010.
Chick-fil-A - Select locations (check ahead of time) are giving away a free 2011 calender stocked with freebies when you buy a $20 gift card. Otherwise the calenders cost $6.
Chili’s – Gift card orders of $100 or more are 10% off.
Chipotle – There are rumors that if you buy a $25 gift card in stores before Dec. 24, 2010, you’ll get a free entree on your next visit with the original receipt. You must claim the freebie by Dec. 31, 2010, which is a tight window. Can anyone confirm this? Reader Stacy confirmed this by calling her local Chipotle!!!
CiCi’s Pizza – Buy a $20 gift card and get a free adult buffet card that is good through Jan. 2011. One per person. Beverages not included.
Claim Jumper – Buy a $50 gift card and get a voucher for a free slice of Chocolate Motherlode Cake on your next visit (good through Jan. 9, 2011) and a $10 gift card that is good Jan. 10, 2011 through Mar. 31, 2011. So you’ll have to make two visits to redeem both. Buy $500 or more in gift cards and get 20% back in gift cards that never expire.
Coffee Bean – Get a free 12-ounce drink of your choice when you buy a $25 gift card or reload an existing card (with $25 or more). Valid in AZ and CA, but not at Ralphs, casinos, school campus, and military bases. Not valid online.
New! Corner Bakery – Reader Rachelle reports that she bought a $25 gift card at The Corner Bakery and got a $5 gift card for herself to use after the holidays.
CVS – For every $25 gift card you buy, get a free $5 bonus gift card.
Del Taco – Get various freebies when you buy a gift card between $15 and $100, from free tacos to a free T-shirt. Offers may vary in restaurants. Unclear when they expire.
Denny’s – Buy a $25 gift card, get a $5 bonus card free. For a limited time. Each order has a $1.95 processing fee.
Friendly’s - Get a free $5 gift card with every $25 gift card you buy. No details on exclusions.
Fuddruckers – Get a $5 bonus gift card for every $25 gift card you buy. Ends Dec. 31, 2010. The bonus cards are valid Jan. 1, 2011 through Feb. 28, 2011.
Islands – Buy a $100 gift card and get a $20 gift card free. Ends Dec. 19, 2010.
Jamba Juice – Buy a $25 gift cards and get a free 16-ounce smoothie through Jan. 3, 2011. Not valid at Safeway, Vons, Pavilions or Hawaii store locations.
LL Bean – Get a free $10 gift card for every $50 you spend through Dec. 24, 2010. One card per customer per day. The free gift cards are valid through Feb. 15, 2011.
Macaroni Grill – Buy a $25 gift cards before Jan. 5, 2011 and get a free $5 gift card that is valid Jan. 1 2011 to Feb. 28, 2011. Not valid in Puerto Rico.
Maggiano’s – Get a $20 bonus card with a $100 gift card purchases. Ends Dec. 31, 2010. The bonus card is good Jan. 1, 2011 through Feb. 1, 2011 and requires a $50 purchase. Lame.
Outback – Buy a $100 gift card and get a free $20 gift card that is valid Jan. 1, 2011 to Feb. 10, 2011.
Panda Express – Word on the street is that you get a free two-item combo when you buy a $25 gift card. Unclear when this ends. Can anyone confirm? Reader Kelly S. confirmed this deal!
Qdoba – Get a $5 voucher with every $25 Qdoba gift card you buy. The bonus voucher is good Jan. 1, 2011 through Feb. 28, 2011.
New! Ralphs – Reader Linda reports that Ralphs in California is offering 4X bonus points for each gift card you buy from the grocery story. For example, if you buy a $25 Barnes and Noble card, you get 100 points.
Red Robin – Get a $5 bonus gift card for every $25 gift card you buy, or get $20 off a gift card of $500 or more. The $5 bonus is valid Jan. 1, 2011 through Feb. 28, 2011.
Ruth’s Chris – Buy a gift card for $250 or more and get 10% back in bonus cards that are valid Jan. 1, 2011 through Mar. 31, 2011. Promotion ends Dec. 31, 2010.
New! Safeway - Reader Shelley Hunter said Safeway/Vons is doing a $15 grocery coupon when you buy $150 in gift cards from them.
Subway – This promotion may only be happening in Canada, it’s unclear. Get a free 6-inch sub when you buy a $25 gift card. Some exclusions. Ask the cashier before you order.
Taco Bell – Get a free large soda when you buy a $10 or $20 gift card. The fine print says the free soda requires a purchase, but I’m assuming you can use your gift card to cover the balance.
TGI Friday’s - Buy a $25 gift card and get a $5 bonus card. Ends Jan. 3, 2011. Read fine print carefully for redemption rules.
The Children’s Place - Get a free $10 egift card for every $40 of egift cards you buy through Dec. 26, 2010.
UNO Chicago Grill – Buy a $25 gift card and get a free $5 bonus card that is valid Jan. 1, 2011 through Mar. 31, 2011.
What other gift card bonuses have you come across? Leave a comment and I’ll add it to the list.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:36 am
I hear that the CVS deal might be dead, but thank you for all the other listings! Oh so much holiday eating planned, haha.
There are a bunch of gift card deals at eBillme for stores like Zappos.com, JCPenney and Dell – on some merchants you can get either a $15 mail-in rebate or $15 off your next order with a $100 gift card purchase, and on others you get 10% in cash back rewards. Pretty sweet, maybe you can list some of those!
December 1st, 2010 at 12:38 pm
This is a great deal. Thanks for all your work on sending us the best of the deals.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:42 pm
@jackie You’re very welcome! This list took a long time to compile. Thanks for appreciating my work.
December 1st, 2010 at 1:57 pm
I bought a $25 gift card at The Corner Bakery and got a $5 gift card for me to use after the holidays. Sweet!
December 1st, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Ralphs in California is offering 4X bonus points for each gift card you buy from them. Example, if you buy a $25 Barnes and Noble card you get 100 points.
December 1st, 2010 at 6:04 pm
I called my local Chipotle, and they were honoring this deal, and also gave me those dates. Bonus Chipotle Meal…I’m so there….
December 1st, 2010 at 8:08 pm
@Stacy Thanks for confirming the Chipotle deal!
December 1st, 2010 at 10:14 pm
I can confirm the Panda Express deal. I saw the sign for it at the register @ the Los Feliz location and purchased one a few weeks ago.
Got my two item combo for free for buying the $25 gift card.
December 2nd, 2010 at 12:12 am
Great list! Thanks for posting. Safeway (I think Vons in your area) is also doing a $15 grocery coupon when you buy $150 in gift cards from their gift card mall. That seems like a lot, but you could buy yourself gift cards for your regular shopping (i.e. Target, Subway, etc.) just to qualify for the $15 grocery savings.
December 2nd, 2010 at 8:04 am
@Linda Thanks for bringing this up! A lot of grocery stores are offering great bonuses when you buy a gift card through them.
December 2nd, 2010 at 8:06 am
Chick-fil-a is not doing the gift card and calendar deal per corporate office.
December 2nd, 2010 at 11:53 am
Buca di Beppo is offering a $10 Reward Card with every $50 in gift card purchases.
December 3rd, 2010 at 7:37 am
Does anybody know if PF Chang’s has a gift card promotion? Last year I got a $10 gift card with the purchase of a $50 gift card. Thanks!
December 3rd, 2010 at 1:01 pm
DSW has a deal. Buy a $50 gift card and get a $10 card free.The bonus card is redeemable in January only.
December 3rd, 2010 at 1:02 pm
Culvers is offering a free double butterburger value meal when you purchased 20 dollars worth of gift cards.
December 3rd, 2010 at 1:29 pm
buffalo wild wings is giving $5 gift card with purchase of $25 gift card don’t remember seeing any exp. date on when the other $5 had to be used.
didn’t realize a couple place had a deal so I will be going back out to get more stuff.
thanks
December 3rd, 2010 at 2:22 pm
thru dec 12th at albertsons, if you buy $100 in gift cards, you will get a $20 coupon towards your next grocery purchase
December 3rd, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Check out your local Ruby Tuesday restuarant..I bought a $25 gift card there yesterday and received a free $5 gift card good from Jan. 1, 2011-Feb. 28, 2011.
December 3rd, 2010 at 2:50 pm
@Wendy That is a crazy good deal!!!
December 3rd, 2010 at 2:59 pm
Texas Roadhouse has a different deal every day. Usually it’s for every $25 gift card amount you purchase you get a $5 off certificate for your next meal. Sometimes it’s as good as if you buy a $50 gift card you get a $15 certificate for use on your next visit.
December 3rd, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Hardee’s will give you a coupon for a free 3-piece chicken tender with any gift cards (I don’t think there’s a minimum.)
December 3rd, 2010 at 4:48 pm
[...] you’re thinking about buying gift cards for the holidays, check out these deals (and maybe snag a little something for [...]
December 3rd, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Panera is giving out a $5 gift card to use Jan. 1- Feb.28th with a $25 gift card purchase.
December 5th, 2010 at 4:35 am
It is nice to see that community stores are giving back.
December 5th, 2010 at 8:23 pm
Steak n” Shake offers a $5 gift card good during Jan. and Feb. for a $20 or two $10 gift cards.
December 5th, 2010 at 11:59 pm
Fred Meyer Stores is offering Double Rewards on gift card purchases from November 21 thru December 11
December 6th, 2010 at 11:32 am
Barnes & Noble will be out of business end of the month/year, at least in Los Angeles/San Fernando Valley locations.
Use up gift cards now (including me).
December 6th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
I seen one for a pancake house doing the same thing. It may have been IHOP!
December 12th, 2010 at 11:03 pm
Here are some more that I found too! See 20+ retailers and restaurants offering buyers incentives with their gift cards. Especially since you’re going to already be buying gift cards for others, reward yourself w/ these reward cards:
http://geekettebits.com/information/christmas-gift-card-rewards/
December 13th, 2010 at 6:45 am
Also IHOP, buy a $25 gift card and get a free $5.00 gift card. Also at Logans (its a steak house, I think, )seen this on tv yesterday, I think it is buy $25 gift card and get a $10 gift card! I wish they had one for Panera bread, I could eat their Apple Cheese Tarts all day!!
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:13 am
[...] Name of Holiday Guide: Gift card freebies during the 2010 holidays [...]