Today is July 11th, or 7-11 in convenience store parlance.

As is the yearly tradition, 7-11 locations in Canada and the US are giving away free small Slurpees to celebrate their 84th birthday. The special promotional size Slurpees weigh in at 7.11 ounces, and each 7-11 customer is entitled to one if they so desire.

Interestingly, according to USA Today, Slurpee sales were up 38% last year on Free Slurpee Day, as well as sales on other, pricier items:

That’s right: Folks bought more Slurpees, even though they could grab as many free tiny ones as they wanted… But many folks seem to be so enamored of the word “free” that they’ll spend whatever it takes to cash in. In many cases, customers will spend more on gasoline just to get to 7-Eleven and wait in line for a free Slurpee than the estimated $1 retail value of the corn-syrup-laden drink that has virtually no nutritional value.

Do you plan on attending Free Slurpee Day?

Free Slurpee Day is Today, 7-11 is a post from: The Inquisitr

If you’re willing to line up with the unwashed, freebie seeking masses at pancake-monger IHOP (more fancily known as the International House of Pancakes), you could totally score some free pancakes today.

Every guest gets a free short stack of pancakes for National Pancake Day, and there’s no obligation to buy anything if you visit IHOP for the deal. The company does, however, ask that guests leave a small donation for the Children’s Miracle Network. On a special site dedicated to IHOP Pancake Day, the company says:

Join IHOP on Tuesday, March 1, 2011, 7 a.m. – 10 p.m., for National Pancake Day and receive one complimentary short stack!* In return for the free flapjacks, we ask you to consider leaving a little something behind for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and other designated local charities. Thanks to our guests’ generosity, IHOP raised more than $2.1 million last year. IHOP began its National Pancake Day in 2006, and since then, has raised $5.35 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and other local charities and given away more than 10.1 million buttermilk pancakes.

As you might expect, IHOP locations tend to be super-crowded with people lured by the prospect of free pancakes. And if you’re a do-gooder with a pancake jones, the company is running a separate promotion here. Submitting a story of a good deed you’ve done enters you to win free pancakes for a year.

Hungry? Today is free pancake day at IHOP is a post from: The Inquisitr

If you’re a fan of the burger chain Whataburger, like wearing orange, and your dance card is open for tonight, you’re in luck.

The brand’s few hundred mostly Southern locations are celebrating the chain’s 60th birthday this week. In honor of that, stores are giving away one free Whataburger to everyone who comes into a Whataburger location tonight wearing orange and between the hours of 5pm and 8pm.

That will probably delight most customers this evening, but the chain is launching a promotion tomorrow (August 4th) wherein they are looking for the world’s biggest Whataburger fan:

Because Whataburger has inspired generations of fanatical fans, the company will also search for its biggest Whataburger fan with an online contest that begins August 4. Customers can submit pictures and essays or videos to show their love for Whataburger for a chance to win 60 years of free Whataburger, a trip to the Whataburger convention in Dallas, TX and other cool prizes.

Whataburger locations can be found in ten states.

Whataburger celebrates its 60th birthday with free burgers is a post from: The Inquisitr

Did you know that there was a National Cheesecake Day, and today’s it?

While food holidays generally don’t interest the general public, most people’s ears perk up when they discover free or deeply discounted food is involved. And cheesecake freebies abound today, so you might want to drop in on a local place- some big name non-chain joints are participating, too.

The Cheesecake Factory, an upscale casual dining chain with dozens of really good (and I say this as a New Yorker and former Brooklynite) varieties of cheesecake, is unsurprisingly leading the cheesecake promotion pack for National Cheesecake Day. Their normally pricey slices of cheesecake, available in flavors like Red Velvet, Tiramisu and various fruit options, is half off all day. But the brand threw a bone to social media users, offering an exclusive (printable) coupon for Facebook fans yesterday to receive cheesecake slices for $1.50.

Junior’s in Brooklyn, arguably the cheesecake, has an even better deal. People who order lunch or dinner today at the cheesecake mecca get a free slice, and to celebrate the NYC institution’s 60th anniversary, a la carte cheesecake is only 60 cents a slice. That’s Brooklyn only, though- Times Square and Grand Central locations won’t be giving away cheesecake or discounting it.

Where can you get free cheesecake for National Cheesecake Day? is a post from: The Inquisitr

We like free stuff here at The Inquisitr, so we couldn’t resist in sharing a site getting a lot of attention at the moment: Freebies4mom.

As the name suggests, Freebies4Mom offers free stuff if you’re a mother. Offers range from free photo books, food samples, free Coke, and other offers.

Like any freebie site though, there is a catch: to get the free items on Freebies4Mom you do have to sign up for lists, but it’s a not a bad swap if you’re looking for free items on the web.

At the time of writing, the main Freebies4Mom website was down, but you can visit their Facebook page here for the latest offers. Note, offers a primarily available only to U.S. residents.

Freebies4Mom Offers Some Good Freebies 4 Moms is a post from: The Inquisitr

Not every freebie deal involves just showing up and asking for ice cream or a donut.

Sometimes you have to sing for your supper, or more aptly, at Chick-Fil-A, you have to “moo” for your meal. The predominantly Southern chain is offering a free sandwich and fries to customers today, but there’s totally a catch. You’ve got to dress like a cow. Seriously. As if this whole sucky economy thing doesn’t come with built-in humiliations:

Cow Appreciation Day is now in its sixth year. Last year, more than 300,000 cow-clad customers visited  Chick-fil-A restaurants in a range of get-ups, from cow-spotted t-shirts to full cow suits.

Yes, cow patterned stuff counts. So it doesn’t have rubber udders- is it really worth being seen in Holstein spots in public? Chick-Fil-A’s marketing department seems to think so:

“It takes a loyal fan to dress like a cow for a free meal,” said Steve Robinson, Chick-fil-A’s senior vice president of marketing.

The deal goes on all day, if you’ve got lots of time and no shame.

Chick-Fil-A thinks you’ll dress like a cow for a free sandwich is a post from: The Inquisitr

If you’re into free or low-cost ice cream or are feeling aggrieved that you missed yesterday’s 31 cent Scoop Night at Baskin Robbins, you can still get an ice cream handout.

Carvel is promoting a new low-fat ice cream today with freebies. All day long, participating Carvel locations are giving each customer a free 3.5 ounce serving of the low-fat stuff, which comes with a choice of twelve flavor shots. (Acai Berry, Banana, Black Raspberry, Blueberry, Bubble Gum, Cotton Candy, Mango, Mint, Orange, Peach, Pistachio and Pomegranate.) According to a press release, the product has 75% less fat and 30% fewer calories than the standard soft-serve stuff.

According to the brand’s Facebook page, Fudgie the Whale is making appearances at some Carvel locations as well. You can click the link to “like” Carvel on Facebook and keep abreast of all their ice cream promotions. The event has a lower number of RSVPs than yesterday’s Scoop Night, so there will also probably be a shorter wait.

Free ice cream at Carvel today! is a post from: The Inquisitr

If you’re still not feeling the effects of the slow economic recovery and have put treats on the back burner, you might like to know that tonight is 31 cent scoop night at all Baskin Robbins locations nationwide.

The event goes from 5pm until 10pm, and Baskin Robbins locations will be selling 2.5 ounce scoops of hard ice cream or 3 ounce soft serve cones for 31 cents. (Scoops are limited to three per customer.) 31 cent Scoop Night is actually a fundraising initiative to support National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), and the company will be making $100,000 in donations to the organization for the event.

If you’re interested in reading more about the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation or are interested in ice cream promotions, you can friend Baskin Robbins on Facebook or follow them on Twitter. And if you do plan on showing up for the heavily discounted ice cream, you might want to block out some time. Nearly 38,000 people have RSVP’d to 31 cent Scoop Night on Facebook.

31-cent scoops tonight at Baskin Robbins is a post from: The Inquisitr

Americans with a sweet tooth have been in luck this week, with a bevy of freebies being handed out by beloved chain food outlets.

Rita’s celebrated the first day of spring this weekend with complimentary ices for customers. Starbucks offered a promotion this morning until 10:30am offering “free pastries,” but those without a printer are as out of luck as late sleepers for that particular giveaway.

However, one of the most popular annual giveaways also takes place today, and the terms aren’t restricted to a small window of time, nor do they require a printed coupon. Ben & Jerry’s celebrates their company’s birthday each year by giving out free cones to every customer, and outlets are participating today from 12pm until 8pm. All you have to do is show up, but you can read the full details on their website.

If the only locations in your area are far away, Ben & Jerry’s has a store locator on their site that allows you to find only shops that participate in Free Cone Day. You might want to get a move on though- there are over 130,000 confirmed attendees on Facebook.

Starbucks, Ben & Jerry’s offer freebies today is a post from: The Inquisitr

March 20th is one of the happiest days of the year for a multitude of reasons.

The Vernal Equinox ushers in the official end of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and one local summertime chain is celebrating. For almost two decades, Rita’s Italian Ices has been giving away free ices to customers to mark the occasion:

For the past 17 years, Rita’s has been giving away a free, regular size Italian Ice to each and every guest to mark the first day of spring! This is a sweet date for Italian Ice lovers, as each year, hundreds of thousands of our guests visit Rita’s in search of the first taste of spring.

A Philadelphia-born springtime tradition, the 17th annual Rita’s giveaway was held on Friday, March 20, 2009 from noon to 10 p.m. at participating Rita’s locations.  Rita’s guests showed their spring spirit and over 1.2 million cups of Italian Ice were given away in a ten hour period!

So Spring (or Autumn, if you live in the Southern Hemisphere) arrives midday today, go get an ice!

Happy Spring! Rita’s is giving away ices is a post from: The Inquisitr

When Conan O’Brien tweeted last week that Sarah Killen’s life was “about to change,” despite all the Team Coco fervor, I was a bit skeptical.

But change it certainly did. To catch you up, Conan got into a bit of a real life flame war with NBC over their Indian giving of his lifelong dream gig as host of “The Tonight Show.” Coco quit with full support of the internet, and Jay Leno looked kind of like an overflowing bag of douche forever more. (Especially given that Leno is about as funny as testicular cancer. Which is to say, not at all funny.) Conan, a New Yorker lost in the wilds of Los Angeles (a fate worse than death for real New Yorkers), has picked up a Twitter account since and a sizeable following, documenting his experience since joining the ranks of the unemployed.

On the 5th, Coco tweeted:

I’ve decided to follow someone at random. She likes peanut butter and gummy dinosaurs. Sarah Killen, your life is about to change.

He followed up with:

Sarah likes Twizzlers and craves cantaloupe. I like Raisinets, but melon feels creepy in my mouth. Twitter pals 4 eva!

In the days since Conan friended Killen (@lovelybutton), she’s amassed over 18,000 followers (up from three) and gotten a whole boatload of swag for her trouble. Popeater interviewed the lucky Twit, and here’s a snippet:

How has this affected your life?
It has really helped out. I haven’t had anything negative happen so far. I’m getting married on September 25, and we didn’t know if we would be able to afford it. Now I’m getting custom made shoes and a dress from Kelima in New York. They offered a gown in exchange for promoting their favorite charity, the Children’s Hunger Fund. We’re getting a limo, Classic Creations is giving us wedding bands and there’s a vineyard in California sending us wine. We’ve got it all covered now…

Is Conan invited to your wedding?
Absolutely. My fiance wants Conan to be his best man. That would be really cool. And hey, if he wants us to come on his show, we’d get married on there. That would be fantastic.

Sarah says she’s not ready for the hype to die down yet, and is considering starting a charity. You can follow Sarah too, she’s @lovelybutton.

[via Gawker]

The Coco Effect: The surprising (or not) experience of being a celebrity’s sole Twitter follow is a post from: The Inquisitr

Usually the “become a fan” button does little on Facebook besides get your friends to make lewd or derisive comments.

However, in a style of promotion that is doubtlessly becoming more common, Nabisco is giving away cookies on their Facebook fan page. First barrier of entry is that you must become a fan of Nabisco Cookies on Facebook- an easy task that can be accomplished by following this link.

There’s a catch, though- coupons are only accessible if you have a working printer. As we all know printers only work when they absolutely must, this will keep a lot of people from accessing the promotion. I am a person who cannot seem to come into possession of a working printer, and have given up. Companies like Nabisco really should come around to the mobile coupon concept sooner rather than later, because nothing makes me more annoyed with a promotion or transaction as when printing at home becomes a necessary part of participating. I feel left out. No cookies for me. (The acceptance of mobile coupons varies from retail location to retail location, too, with some stores gamely trying to interpret these newfangled smartphones and others basically calling security on you. But I digress, print this or no cookie.)

Furthermore, only 500,000 may claim the cookie deal before it expires. 500,000 clicks? 500,000 downloads? 500,000 print dialogs? 500,000 redemptions? This is unclear from the caveat, which simply states:

March maximum 500,000 coupons while supplies last. Limit one per household. Coupon only available for 24 hours to download on March 1, 2010 and must be redeemed by March 4, 2010.

Also? You only have 24 hours to find and download the coupon, and only three days to redeem it. Oh, and you have to buy a gallon of milk or no cookies either. (In my region, a gallon of milk is considerably more expensive than a box of Chips Ahoy cookies.) All in all, a lot of hoops for a very minor reward. Considering the relative cost of printer ink, Nabisco’s free cookie push over social media may be a wash.

It would be very cool if companies began rewarding the types of people who embrace technology (and in turn, often evangelize their favorite products) rather than unleashing half-baked (har!) promotions that don’t utilize the awesome technologies present to their best capacity.

[Facebook]

Nabisco gives out free cookies on Facebook, with a catch is a post from: The Inquisitr

Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Pancake Tuesday, National Pancake Day, Packzi Day or Fastnacht Day?

Depending on your cultural flavor, all are names for the day before Ash Wednesday, when Catholics make motions in the direction of fasting or giving up something for Lent but never actually get around to that part. Google searches are way up for pancakes and packzi, a polish donut of some sort. (In fact, one of the most prolific searches today is for packzi calorie counts, which is totally doing it wrong.) Catholic school alumni like myself may recall today being the only day sweets were allowed in Sister Anthony Therese’s classroom.

New Orleans, a traditionally Catholic city, without argument owns this holiday. What started as a day preparing one for a fast and reflection somehow morphed into the exchange of beads for boobies, and street parties of epic proportions. (New Orleanians are also associated with King Cakes, a tradition wherein the person whose slice contains a trinket has to provide the next cake, which kind of sucks.)

While a lot of the internet seems to be under the impression IHOP is giving out free pancakes today, that doesn’t actually occur until February 23rd. IHOP has full details of the pancake giveaway on their website, but a week from today (February 23rd is also a Tuesday) the pancake chain is giving away a free short stack of pancakes to all customers from 7am until 10pm.

If you’re missing the party down in New Orleans and sad about your pancake jones, you can watch live streaming video of Mardi Gras here. (There might be boobs.) Still not feeling authentically debauched? It’s not too early in the afternoon to whip up a batch of Emeril Lagasse’s Hurricanes. (Somewhat surprised they haven’t renamed those, considering.)

Ingredients

12 ounces light rum
12 ounces dark rum
10 ounces grenadine, or passion fruit syrup
10 ounces fresh orange juice
10 ounces sour mix, or fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons superfine sugar, or more to taste
1 large orange, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

Directions

Mix all the ingredients in a tall pitcher or large pot and stir to dissolve the sugar. Pour into a punch bowl and add the ice cubes and orange segments. Serve in tall glasses over ice with straws.

Watch a live stream of the Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans is a post from: The Inquisitr

““We are leveraging the power of Super Bowl once again to connect with our customers to keep Denny’s in their hearts and minds by communicating our O riginal Grand Slam® offer,” said Nelson Marchioli, CEO and President of Denny’s. “We know that times are still tough and a free hot breakfast helps a lot of folks and their families… we heard from thousands last year who thanked us. This year Denny’s will even go beyond just one day of free meals by offering a number of everyday affordable programs all year.””

More details of Denny’s Free Grand Slam promotion can be found on their website. “

Free Grand Slam breakfasts Tuesday at Denny’s is a post from: The Inquisitr

Judging by the fact that the site’s not loading, SparkFun’s free day has kicked off.

I managed to pull up a cached version of their main page detailing the promotion. It seems that every customer today gets $100 towards their order, shipping not included. The promotion will go on until the number of claims reaches $100,000. The caveats are fair and thorough, and after the shipping thing and a no cheating rule, include:

Rainchecks for popular items will be allowed

There is no special code to type in. But you get only one order on Free Day, so spend it well!

Only one $100 credit per household. We ask that you respect this limit and don’t try to abuse this gift.

There is no minimum or maximum order. You can spend more than $100, the balance of which will be charged to your method of payment.

Only Credit Card and Paypal orders will be eligible for the $100 credit. We don’t want to have people tying up inventory with POs, wire transfers, checks in the mail, or lost faxes.

Also, gift cards aren’t eligible and (duh) Free Day purchases can’t be returned for cash, merely exchanged. The rules are actually encouraging, because normally when a deal or incentive is as generous as this one is, you get the distinct impression that the retailer doesn’t actually want you to use it and it kind of feels like a shell game. SparkFun seems to be having fun with it, though, and even if you can’t get on to the site, the company’s Twitter feed is updated with the sale’s status.

UPDATE: As I was writing this, the sales shot from $35K to $100,587.80, ending the promotion. So it looks like if you’re just getting in, you’ll have to pay full price for your red rotary cell phone.

Updated: SparkFun is giving away $100 in stuff, if you can get on is a post from: The Inquisitr

Sweet, free iPhone games!

My kids have to make do with teensy, miserly chocolates in festive shapes, but I can get a free iPhone game every day thanks to the Appvent calendar. (Suck it, kids!) An iPhone developer (Blacksmith games) is giving away a free game for the iPhone each day leading up to Christmas, with each download available for 24 hours after release. (So no deluge of free games when you forget to open your calendar for a few days, which is a relatively minor bummer. It was always cool to remember you’d forgotten a few days and get a bonus couple of chocolates, even if you could ride your bike to the shops and buy more chocolate than the calendars held for 50 cents.)

There are no downloads for the 23rd and 24th, but Blacksmith Games promises other cool surprises on those days, too. Today’s game, which I have not yet downloaded, is something called “Polyhedra,” and it sounds a bit like Tetris. Snorkeling, Totemo and something that sounds super-awesome called Smackbots are previous appvent offerings. Since we can’t cheat and peek behind the wee windows to see what awaits, the yet-to-be released games are anyone’s guess.

[Thanks, Mashable!]

Appvent calendar for iPhone lends tech twist to Christmas countdown is a post from: The Inquisitr

Chipotle is doing their yearly “wrap your head in tinfoil and get a free burrito” promotion.

Expect crowds at the burrito mecca, as hours of participation are limited and the guacamole is prostitute-yourself fantastic. The official promotion, detailed on a poster below, requires you to dress up as anything on the menu to participate.In exchange for your dignity, you get a free burrito.

The Boo-rito offer is only valid today.

[Image]

PSA: Free Chipotle today! (6pm-close) is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Inquisitr has teamed up with the eXpansys-USA team to give away 3 different iFrogz iPhone 3G/3GS cases. These are high quality cases that provide ultimate protection for your iPhone devices.

The cases provide a hard shell plastic casing that’s still very sleek with it’s metallic facade, yet they offer a “velvety soft touch.”

With the iFrogz iPhone 3G Soft Touch Crystal Case Luxe you’ll still have access to all of your phones buttons, ports and sensors, while having the piece of mind you want when protecting your device. The case also comes with a screen protector for added protection.

We have one of each color to give away: Blue, Red And Green (as pictured).

How To Enter The Contest: (Sorry but only U.S. visitors for this contest)

Just leave us a comment on this page telling us why you want the case and what color you want. We’ll announce the winners in one week (November 4th). Please don’t comment as “Guest” as we have no way to contact you.

Again, a special thanks to eXpansys-USA for providing the free wares.

Inquisitr Giveaway: Win A Free iPhone 3G/3GS iFrogz Case is a post from: The Inquisitr

Are you one of the many people affected by the economic downturn?

Michael Moore, who you may know for his films Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling For Columbine or current film Capitalism: A Love Story, wants to take you out tonight. Moore is screening Capitalism: A Love Story tonight in ten cities with the highest unemployment rates and highest foreclosure rates nationally, free for people who have been affected by the crisis. There’s no proof required (Moore says it’s the honor system) so you can just go on and show up if you’re interested.

You can find a list of the participating venues here, and below is the e-mail invite sent by Moore:

Free Screenings Tonight of “Capitalism” for the Jobless and Homeless in America’s Hardest Hit Cities (plus local benefit premieres all across the country)

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

Friends,

We’re just one day away from the widest opening I’ve ever had for any of my movies. Tomorrow, Friday, October 2nd, “Capitalism: A Love Story” opens on over a thousand screens across the United States, a record for an independent documentary.

This follows last weekend’s limited opening in New York and L.A. where “Capitalism” set the box office record for the highest per screen average of ANY movie released so far this year. Not just any documentary — any MOVIE! It was, as the studio said, a good indicator of just how well the movie may do when it goes wide this weekend. I sincerely hope they’re right because I believe deeply in this film.

To kick off the national release of “Capitalism: A Love Story,” I’ve asked the studio to offer a number of screenings in the nation’s hardest hit cities — the ones with the highest unemployment rates and highest foreclosure rates — where those who’ve lost their jobs or who are in foreclosure (or have already been evicted) may attend my film free of charge. They’ve agreed, and so tonight (Thursday), the night before our opening day, ten cities will grant you free admission if you have fallen on hard times. The list of theaters and cities is below. You don’t need to bring any “proof” of your situation — just show up — it’s the honor system, no questions asked.

Of course, a free movie ain’t much when what you really need is a job or a place to live. And that’s not going to change until the party that controls both the Congress and the White House wakes up and realizes the American people put them in charge to fix the mess created by the previous administration. For that to happen requires the active involvement of each of us. And, as I show in this movie, it’s going to also require us to challenge some fundamental assumptions about an economic system that currently allows the wealthiest ONE PERCENT in this country to have more financial wealth than the bottom 95% combined. That concentration of money and power in the hands of so few people is, I believe, at the core of so many of our problems.

So, if you’re going through tough times and you live in one of the areas below, please be my guest tonight, on the eve of my new film’s opening. Seating will be on a first come, first served basis.

Also, in another five cities tonight, I have made the film available to local groups to hold benefit screenings to raise money for their local organizations — organizations which are working toward a day when a filmmaker doesn’t have to offer free screenings to people who’ve been put through the wringer. If you live in any of these areas (see below for the list of benefit premieres tonight), please come out and support the good work of these grassroots groups.

So, until tomorrow, thanks for your support, and I’ll see ya at the movies!

Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com
Twitter.com/MMFlint
Facebook.com/MMFlint
MySpace.com/MMFlint

Michael Moore screening Capitalism: A Love Story free tonight in ten cities is a post from: The Inquisitr

Public service announcement!

Tomorrow, July 7th- also known as 7/11- is Free Slurpee Day at more than 6,000 US and Canadian 7/11 stores. In celebration of its 82nd birthday, the company projects giving away around 5 million of the slushy beverages, dispensed in 7.11 ounce servings. A Hollywood, CA outlet is even giving away a free year of Slurpees to the first “die hard slurpers” on the scene.

7/11 is also tying in a promotion for Live Nation concerts. Some customers will get codes to purchase “lawn seats” at Live Nation venues across the country for $7.11. The codes are only good through the 12th, though. And the lineup includes Nickelback, Kenny Chesney and Coldplay, so… meh.

Anyway, free slurpees, everyone!

Free Slurpees tomorrow! is a post from: The Inquisitr