{
  "id": 640494,
  "title": "The best free food deals this week: Save on McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Krispy Kreme, and more",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/the-best-free-food-deals-this-week-save-on-mcdonalds-taco-bell-krispy",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-12T07:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mashable",
    "slug": "mashable",
    "url": "https://mashable.com/life/best-free-food-deals-august-2026"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "This week offers numerous free food deals from popular restaurant chains. To take advantage of these offers, one must download the respective app and make a purchase.\n\nAuntie Anne's provides a free Original or Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel after the download and first purchase. Burger King's Royal Perks app offers daily or weekly BOGO deals, such as the Chicken Sandwich. Cinnabon's Rewards app gives a free 4-Count BonBites upon joining and a purchase.\n\nDel Taco is offering two free Del Tacos with any small purchase for those who join the Del Yeah! Rewards. El Pollo Loco gives a $5 reward/point multiplier on the first order by signing up for Loco Rewards. Hardee's customers can claim a free Famous Star or Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich for a $1 purchase when they use the My Rewards app.\n\nInsomnia Cookies offers a free Warm Chocolate Chunk Cookie with no purchase required for those who download the Insomnia Rewards app. Krispy Kreme is providing a free doughnut of choice upon rewards signup. McDonald's new app users can get a free 10-piece Chicken McNuggets with any purchase above $1.\n\nMoe's Southwest Grill provides free Queso & Chips to app users immediately upon download. Taco Bell users can have a free Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco, Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, or Soft Taco by downloading the app. Wendy's new app users get a free 10-Piece Nuggets plus 150 bonus rewards points with any $1 purchase. Lastly, Whataburger automatically gives a coupon for a free Whataburger when a new account is created in the Whataburger app.",
  "summary": "How to eat for free this week. Score free food deals from McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Burger King, Krispy Kreme, and more.",
  "key_points": [
    "Auntie Anne's offers free pretzel with first purchase after app download",
    "McDonald's gives free Chicken McNuggets with app user purchases over $1",
    "Taco Bell provides free Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco with app sign-up"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Downloading restaurant apps can yield free food deals, such as pretzels, sandwiches, tacos, and doughnuts, often requiring a small purchase or no purchase at all, from various popular chains.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}