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Here Are the 9 Best Birthday Freebies to Get in San Francisco

Have your best birthday with free cake slices and pizza

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The adage “nothing in life is free” is oft repeated for a reason, but it’s worth remembering that it’s not always true — especially on birthdays. Beyond the typical gifts from family and friends, there are a number of San Francisco restaurants willing to make your special day extra celebratory with free foods like birthday cake, pizza, and more.

But while these offers might not cost any money, a number of them do ask for an email address or an app download to snap up your reward. Perhaps a small price to pay for a birthday treat.

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McCormick & Kuleto's Seafood & Steaks

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It’s perhaps one of the more complicated birthday freebies on this list, but it is also one of the most rewarding. Dig into the FAQs for all the details, but the tl;dr is that customers pay $25 for membership (there’s no annual fee), then receive both a $25 welcome reward and a $25 birthday reward for their efforts. Redeem them at any Landry’s Select Club restaurant, including Morton’s, Bubba Gump, Chart House, Skates in Berkeley, and McCormick and Kuleto’s at Ghirardelli Square.

McCormick & Kuleto’s Seafood & Steaks

SusieCakes

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Getting a freebie from SusieCakes will require a download of the bakery’s app, but partaking in the rewards program earns customers a free slice of cake on their birthday — which is nothing to sneer at given the sheer variety of cake flavors that SusieCakes makes.

Starbucks

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Sure, there has been recent news about Starbucks’s changes to its rewards program, but the fact remains that by signing up for the program you’re still eligible for a free “handcrafted beverage,” food, or a “ready-to-drink bottled beverage” on your birthday. If you’re heading to a Starbucks to collect your treat, might as well do it up big at one of the city’s more picturesque locations in the Presidio (just steps away from the Yoda statue). If you’re downtown, there’s also the Starbucks Reserve at 201 Mission Street.

Chipotle Mexican Grill

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Chipotle keeps it vague with a “Let’s just say we won’t forget you on your birthday” in the benefits description for its Chipotle Rewards, but the included image of a burrito wearing a party hat is certainly encouraging. Beyond that, this particular Chipotle location is practically in the shadow of Salesforce Park, meaning there’s a picturesque eating spot within walking distance, perfect for any birthday celebration.

Daily Life In New York Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Benihana

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If you’re a fan of Benihana’s showmanship, then it might be worth signing up for the chain’s rewards program, dubbed the Chef’s Table. After signing up, Benihana will send a complimentary $30 birthday certificate for use at the restaurant with ID during your birthday month. There are a few tricky details to note, such as the certificate must be printed and that it only discounts qualifying food items up to $30, but honestly you’ll be hard-pressed to find another spot that does an onion volcano as well as Benihana.

Benihana

Lemonade Restaurant

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The Lemonade chain is (perhaps on purpose?) vague about their birthday freebies, but the rewards page does promise free food after you sign up on the website or download the app. But if you enjoy Lemonade’s poke bar, salads, hot food, or drinks, you most likely won’t hate whatever free item comes your way. And besides the downtown location, there’s a second Lemonade out in West Portal, as well.

Lemonade Patricia Chang

Taco Bell

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If you don’t mind downloading another app, then Taco Bell has an — albeit small — offering for your birthday. Expect a regular-sized Mountain Dew Baja Blast Freeze, but you might as well get extra celebratory with it and either head to the Third Street Cantina location just steps away from Lucky Strike, or take a trip down to Pacifica and have that drink at the most beautiful Taco Bell location in the world.

New Taco Bell on Boston University’s Campus Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Ben & Jerry’s

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If you consider yourself a fan of Ben & Jerry’s flavors, perhaps it’s time you make it official and become a Flavor Fanatic — in return you’ll get a “cone-gratulatory surprise on your birthday.” There are a few Ben & Jerry’s locations in the city, but if you really want to do it right head down to one of the city’s most famous corners at Haight and Ashbury.

Ben and Jerry’s at the corner of Haight and Ashbury streets. Photo by Liz Hafalia Photo By Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

Goat Hill Pizza

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Goat Hill Pizza is perhaps the only local business on this list, and while it’s worth patronizing the other 364 days of the year that isn’t your birthday, this business does take care of customers signed up for its Goat Hill Rewards program. There is the promise of a free birthday pizza (with restrictions, natch) and in case you doubted the sincerity of the program, a convincing “No Kidding!!!” is included on the signup page as reassurance.

McCormick & Kuleto's Seafood & Steaks

It’s perhaps one of the more complicated birthday freebies on this list, but it is also one of the most rewarding. Dig into the FAQs for all the details, but the tl;dr is that customers pay $25 for membership (there’s no annual fee), then receive both a $25 welcome reward and a $25 birthday reward for their efforts. Redeem them at any Landry’s Select Club restaurant, including Morton’s, Bubba Gump, Chart House, Skates in Berkeley, and McCormick and Kuleto’s at Ghirardelli Square.

McCormick & Kuleto’s Seafood & Steaks

SusieCakes

Getting a freebie from SusieCakes will require a download of the bakery’s app, but partaking in the rewards program earns customers a free slice of cake on their birthday — which is nothing to sneer at given the sheer variety of cake flavors that SusieCakes makes.

Starbucks

Sure, there has been recent news about Starbucks’s changes to its rewards program, but the fact remains that by signing up for the program you’re still eligible for a free “handcrafted beverage,” food, or a “ready-to-drink bottled beverage” on your birthday. If you’re heading to a Starbucks to collect your treat, might as well do it up big at one of the city’s more picturesque locations in the Presidio (just steps away from the Yoda statue). If you’re downtown, there’s also the Starbucks Reserve at 201 Mission Street.

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Chipotle keeps it vague with a “Let’s just say we won’t forget you on your birthday” in the benefits description for its Chipotle Rewards, but the included image of a burrito wearing a party hat is certainly encouraging. Beyond that, this particular Chipotle location is practically in the shadow of Salesforce Park, meaning there’s a picturesque eating spot within walking distance, perfect for any birthday celebration.

Daily Life In New York Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Benihana

If you’re a fan of Benihana’s showmanship, then it might be worth signing up for the chain’s rewards program, dubbed the Chef’s Table. After signing up, Benihana will send a complimentary $30 birthday certificate for use at the restaurant with ID during your birthday month. There are a few tricky details to note, such as the certificate must be printed and that it only discounts qualifying food items up to $30, but honestly you’ll be hard-pressed to find another spot that does an onion volcano as well as Benihana.

Benihana

Lemonade Restaurant

The Lemonade chain is (perhaps on purpose?) vague about their birthday freebies, but the rewards page does promise free food after you sign up on the website or download the app. But if you enjoy Lemonade’s poke bar, salads, hot food, or drinks, you most likely won’t hate whatever free item comes your way. And besides the downtown location, there’s a second Lemonade out in West Portal, as well.

Lemonade Patricia Chang

Taco Bell

If you don’t mind downloading another app, then Taco Bell has an — albeit small — offering for your birthday. Expect a regular-sized Mountain Dew Baja Blast Freeze, but you might as well get extra celebratory with it and either head to the Third Street Cantina location just steps away from Lucky Strike, or take a trip down to Pacifica and have that drink at the most beautiful Taco Bell location in the world.

New Taco Bell on Boston University’s Campus Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Ben & Jerry’s

If you consider yourself a fan of Ben & Jerry’s flavors, perhaps it’s time you make it official and become a Flavor Fanatic — in return you’ll get a “cone-gratulatory surprise on your birthday.” There are a few Ben & Jerry’s locations in the city, but if you really want to do it right head down to one of the city’s most famous corners at Haight and Ashbury.

Ben and Jerry’s at the corner of Haight and Ashbury streets. Photo by Liz Hafalia Photo By Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

Goat Hill Pizza

Goat Hill Pizza is perhaps the only local business on this list, and while it’s worth patronizing the other 364 days of the year that isn’t your birthday, this business does take care of customers signed up for its Goat Hill Rewards program. There is the promise of a free birthday pizza (with restrictions, natch) and in case you doubted the sincerity of the program, a convincing “No Kidding!!!” is included on the signup page as reassurance.

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