Travel Food Savings Tips: Gift Card Bonuses From Chain Restaurants

by Ryan Vagabundo

In the past I've talked about ways to maximize your money at chain restaurants while on the road, such as using receipt bonuses and working signup and loyalty program bonuses. Economizing on food is really important when you can't cook as that money REALLY starts to add up.

Today's article is in that vein, but it's a simpler heads-up that some people might not have noticed in all the hustle and bustle.

If you know you're going to be eating at a particular chain frequently, look at investing in their gift cards ahead of time. Reason being, each purchase of a gift card in "X" amount often gets you some free food with it. If you were expecting to spend that amount over time at that particular chain anyway, then you're just getting some bonus food on top of your expected expenses.

Some examples from chains you'll find all over the place include:

• Del Taco: $15 gift card purchase for two free grilled chicken tacos, or four free for $25

• McDonalds: Was offering one free Big Mac per month for a year with each $50 gift card purchase in 2019, not sure if this is still going in 2020

• Blimpie: $15 gift card bonus for each $50 purchased

• Carls Jr / Hardees: Offers a rotating variety of free premium burgers with a $25 gift card purchase

• Dunkin Donuts: $10 gift card bonus for each $50 purchased

• Taco Bell: One free combo meal for each $25 purchased

• Panera Bread: $10 gift card bonus for each $50 purchased

• Subway: $5 gift card bonus for each $25 purchased

Be sure to check the latest terms, as some chains do vary these offers up from year to year.

It's only worth committing to these if you're absolutely sure you'll spend that amount at each chain within a year or so of purchase, but if you are it's essentially free added value for what you were going to spend anyway.

A couple of final tips:

Special offers of this nature sometimes pop up during the holiday shopping season (Thanksgiving to Xmas), so keep an eye out for new temporary deals then.

Also, the official apps for each restaurant often yield quite a bit of free food ... however, the catch there is that you're usually paying for it with some privacy. Carefully review the permissions of any app to determine exactly what you're giving away in return for that free burger.