Veterans Day Events, Freebies and Deals for Wichita

Veterans and active-duty members of the U.S. military are worthy of our respect and gratitude every day (see Military Discounts in Wichita), but on Veterans Day we can do one better and take them out for a free meal, attend an event that honors them, visit one of the Wichita attractions that offer free admission on Veterans Day, or share this list of discounts to save them a few bucks.

Here is a list of Veterans Day freebies and deals available in the Wichita area, and more will be added through the week. (Please be prepared to show proof of service if requested.)

Do note the date and times the offers are available; some are before or after Veterans Day, some are for breakfast or lunch only, etc.

Although I’ve confirmed these deals nationally, participation may vary at each location. Call ahead if you have any doubt. And thank you for your service!

Jump to: Events * Free Food *  Miscellaneous

Keep checking back, because I’ll be updating this list frequently as new deals come in…

Veterans Day Events in Wichita

Wichita Veterans Day Parade [Canceled due to predicted cold temperatures and wind chill. Rats!] Saturday, November 10, 2018 at 11 a.m. followed by a memorabilia display, family activities and more in WaterWalk Plaza until 2 p.m. Starts at Central and Main and continues south past the WaterWalk complex.

Veterans Day Program at Veterans Memorial Park [This has also been canceled because of cold weather.]Sunday, November 11 at 2 p.m. Bring lawn chairs for this public program recognizing two separate historical events: the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One and the 50th anniversary of the deadliest year in the Viet Nam War. The program will be about 45 minutes long. Veterans Memorial Park is just west of 2nd and Waco downtown.

Twister City Military Appreciation Party After the parade, head over to the military appreciation party at Twister City Harley Davidson where they’ll have a live DJ, raffle and door prizes, free food, $1 beers and $3 mixed drinks, crafts for the kids and special treats and promotions for veterans (with ID).

Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum will host a free lecture on The Great War and Wichita at 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 10. The talk, presented by Dr. Robert E. Weems, Jr., the Willard W. Garvey Distinguished Professor of Business History at Wichita State University, will explore the impact of the First World War on Wichita, and in particular the African American community. This program recognizes the centennial of the end of WWI with the signing of the Armistice on Nov. 11, 1918. Free and open to the public.

Wichita Symphony Orchestra will perform Britten’s War Requiem this weekend is in honor of Veterans Day and in memory of the 100th anniversary of the WWI Armistice. A 50% military discount is available by calling (316) 267-7658 or purchasing tickets in person at the WSO Box Office. The discount was announced in an email news blast today (Nov. 5, 2018).

Performances will be held Saturday, November 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, November 11 at 3 p.m. in the Century II Concert Hall. Tickets start at $20.

Shocker Sports Grill and Lanes will offer free cosmic bowling for veterans, active-duty military, and their families from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, November 11, 2018. You will need to show your military ID. (updated)

Sedgwick County Zoo All military personnel and their immediate families can get complimentary admission to Sedgwick County Zoo on November 11 and 12. To receive free admission, visitors must show military or veteran ID, discharge papers, or other official identification. Family members of deployed military must show an active-duty ID.

Wichita Art Museum will host a WWI Centennial and “Mess Kit Lunch” available for purchase from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, November 11. The exhibition Over Here, Over There: American Print Makers Go To War 1914-1918 will be on display, and a history talk “The Great War and No Futures for This Generation” will be held at 12:30 p.m. in Wooden Lecture Hall.

Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum will host a post-concert reception at 4:30 p.m. following Sunday’s performance by the Wichita Symphony. The reception is included in the price of museum admission ($5 for adults) and includes music and special exhibits relating to how the Great War was experienced in Wichita.

Veterans Coming Home: Salute & Awards Banquet will be hosted by KPTS on Tuesday, November 13 at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Airport. Although tickets are pricey, veterans who would like to attend but do not have the means may be able to get a seat that has been paid for by a sponsor. Rear Admiral Jeffrey Penfield (USN, Ret.) and Kate and Jim Lehrer will be keynote speakers at the event.

Wichita Veterans Day Restaurant Deals

Applebee’s Veterans and active duty U.S. military can receive a free meal at Applebee’s on November 11, Veterans Day. Choose one of seven entrees. Just show proof of military service. At participating locations; beverage and gratuity are not included, and the offer is for dine-in only.

Arby’s Veterans Day Special is being offered at select locations in several states, including Kansas. Veterans and active military with proof of U.S. Military Service or in uniform can score a free Classic Roast Beef sandwich on November 11 and 12, 2018. One per person. Be sure to ask if your nearest Arby’s restaurant is participating – not all of them are.

BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse On November 11, current and former service members can enjoy a complimentary entree up to $12.95 plus a FREE Dr. Pepper beverage by presenting a military ID or proof of service at any BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse location nationwide.

Bonefish Grill On November 11, all active and retired service members with a valid military ID will receive a complimentary Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer at all Bonefish Grill locations.

Bricktown Brewery will offer $10 off to all veterans and active duty military on Sunday, November 11 and Monday, November 12. Just show military ID or proof of service.

Chick N Max Wichita is giving a free sandwich meal to all military members with thanks for their service on Veterans Day, November 11. (Thanks, Sherry!)

Chili’s will offer veterans and active-duty military a FREE meal from the special Veterans Day menu of 7 items (including Chicken Crispers, Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadillas, Just Bacon Burger, and more) on Sunday November 11. Military ID or proof of service required.

Chipotle salutes veterans with a BOGO deal from open to close on November 11. The promotion is for active duty military, reserves, national guard, military spouses and retired military with valid ID, at all restaurants in the U.S. from open to close on Veterans Day. The offer is valid on burritos, bowls, salads and taco orders. This offer is unlike many of the others in that a purchase is required. (It’s a buy-one, get-one-free offer. Other restaurants are giving entire meals for free.)

Cracker Barrel Veterans will receive a complimentary Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake dessert on November 11. Dine-in only.

Derby Coffee House posted on Twitter that they will give a free house coffee to all military. See them for details.

Dunkin’ Donuts Dunkin’ will once again be offering veterans and active duty military a FREE donut of their choice on Sunday November 11 with no purchase necessary.

Freezing Moo in Maize will give a 50% discount to veterans on November 11. Simply show proof of service to the cashier to receive the disount.

Genesis Health Club in Wichita will honor the brave men and women who have served our country on Monday, November 12. Everyone is invited to come have a free cup of coffee bright and early between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. All veterans who attend can choose an item off the GeoMeals menu for free; the first 50 veterans who attend will also get a complimentary Genesis coffee mug. Wake Up Wichita is open to members and non-members alike. The address is 1551 N. Rock Rd., Wichita, KS 67206.

Golden Corral will once again offer a free dinner buffet and beverage to all U.S. veterans and active-duty military on Monday, November 12, 2018. Over the past 17 years, Golden Corral restaurants have served more than 5 million free ‘thank you’ meals to our heroes in the military!

Green Mill honors our military on Veterans Day, Sunday, November 11, 2018 with a free menu item for lunch or dinner at participating locations. (Check if the Wichita Green Mill restaurant is participating before you go.) The offer includes any single item from their menu; pizza is restricted to a small one-topping deep dish. Dine-in only. Beverages and tip aren’t included.

Kansas Star Casino All veterans and active duty military who show valid ID will receive a free brunch buffet from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Veterans Day, November 11. Must be 21 to dine. You will need to show your military-issued ID or DD214. 

Little Caesar’s Pizza will have free $5 Hot-n-Ready lunch combos for veterans and active military at participating locations nationwide. The free lunch combo includes a 4-slice DEEP!DEEP! Dish pizza with pepperoni and one 20 oz. PEPSI-COLA product on Sunday, November 11, 2018.

Logan’s Roadhouse is thanking all of our brave former and active-duty military members with a free American Roadhouse Meal on November 11 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Just show your proof of service and choose from one of eight Roadhouse meals.

Olive Garden may be offering a FREE meal which includes an entree from a special Veterans Day menu, plus unlimited soup or salad and garlic breadsticks on Sunday November 11.

On the Border is saying thank you with a free “Create Your Own Combo” menu for all veterans and active-duty military on Sunday November 11.

Red Lobster is giving veterans, active-duty military, and reservists with valid ID a free dessert or appetizer on November 11 and 12 this year. 

Red Robin Yum. Free Red’s Tavern Burger and Endless Steak Fries for veterans and military on Veterans Day.

Texas Roadhouse is providing lunch for active, former, and retired military. On Sunday November 11, you can choose a FREE entree from a list of ten choices that include a 6oz. sirloin steak, pulled pork dinner, country-fried chicken, grilled chicken salad, and more.

Services, Miscellaneous, and Retail Deals for Veterans Day

Charlie’s Car Wash – All veterans and active duty military who come in on Sunday November 11 will receive a FREE Ultimate Wash.

Goodyear Auto Service – Drive on in to Goodyear, where they are offering all active and retired military members and first responders FREE “Checks for Vets”, which includes FREE tire, brake, and battery checks. They are also offering 10% off tires instantly for up to $250 in savings. Plus, Goodyear will be donating $5 for every veteran or first responder who redeems this offer to Folds of Honor. This offer is valid from November 9 – 11.

Meineke Car Care Centers are offering free basic oil changes to military and veterans at participating locations on November 12. (Thanks, Stacey!) This is only at participating locations. Check to see if your nearest Meineke is participating by visiting its website, searching for a location near you, click More Information and scroll down to the bottom of the page. If yours is participating, you should see the coupon there. Here’s a tip: you may need to be on desktop to see the offer; when I viewed it on mobile only the top 3 coupons appeared.

Great Clips On Veterans Day, Nov. 11, veterans and current military members can come in on Veterans Day with proof of service for a free haircut or to pick up a free haircut card to use any day through Dec. 31. Also, customers who get a haircut at any U.S. Great Clips salon that day will receive a free haircut card to give as a thank you to an active, inactive, or retired military member of any branch, including the National Guard.

De’Ville’s Barber Shop and Shaving Parlor is holding a Free Haircut Day for veterans, active military, reservists, and National Guard. The business is not open to the public that day, but will be open only for the free haircuts for veterans on Monday, November 12.

Braeburn Square Shocker Store Veterans will also receive 20% off one WSU-imprinted item from noon to 6 p.m. that day. The discount is for both veterans and active duty military with ID and only at the Braeburn Square location.

National Parks Although many of our 408 national parks never charge an entrance fee, the 127 parks that do normally charge a fee will have free admission for everyone on Veterans Day, November 11.

Red Roof Inn Home for the Holidays promotion will give military 20% off regular room rate from November 1 through December 31, 2018 with the promo code here. (Thanks, Offers.com)