Serving Those Who Served: How Restaurants Honor Veterans Day

Every year on Veterans Day, America’s restaurants find creative ways to honor the service of military members and their families. From free meals to fundraising efforts, many chains turn November 11th into a day of generosity and community.

And data from last year shows just how powerful that gesture can be – for both diners and the restaurants that serve them.

A Full House for Full Service

Eating out to honor those who served has become an American tradition. Leading chains from Applebee’s to Olive Garden and California Pizza Kitchen offer special deals to mark the occasion, drawing crowds nationwide. Last year, visits to these restaurants more than doubled compared to an average Monday, as Americans turned out to share a meal and show their appreciation.

An Applebee’s Tradition

For Applebee’s, November 11 wasn’t just a busy Monday – it was the busiest day of the entire year.

The brand’s all-day Veterans Day special allowed veterans and active-duty service members to enjoy a free entrée, creating steady traffic throughout the day. Eligible guests also received a $5 “Bounce Back” card to use in the following weeks – a small but effective way to say thank you and drive repeat visits. And while the all-day offer kept tables full, veterans and families hoping to avoid the lunchtime rush could still take advantage of the offer later in the day.

Dinner and a Thank You

Other chains, like Golden Corral, took a different approach. The brand’s evening-only Military Appreciation Night began after 4:00 PM, offering free meals for veterans alongside a fundraising effort for Disabled American Veterans.

That timing produced a concentrated traffic surge. Visits peaked between 5:00 and 6:00 PM – likely boosted by some websites listing that as the start time – and remained well above average through the dinner hours. The data shows how a more focused event window can create strong evening momentum and a clear sense of occasion.

Gratitude That Resonates

As November 11 approaches, full-service restaurants have another opportunity to align purpose with performance – honoring service members while strengthening ties with the communities they serve. How will this year’s Veterans Day dining trends unfold? 

Follow Placer.ai/anchor to find out. 

Placer.ai leverages a panel of tens of millions of devices and utilizes machine learning to make estimations for visits to locations across the US. The data is trusted by thousands of industry leaders who leverage Placer.ai for insights into foot traffic, demographic breakdowns, retail sale predictions, migration trends, site selection, and more.