We all know that restaurants will give us free stuff on our birthday – but who gives the BEST free stuff? We list 101+ places that will give you something good to eat on your birthday.

We've all been there. We're sitting at a restaurant and suddenly all the servers start clapping and singing one version or another of Happy Birthday as they walk to a single table to deliver a treat. It's the ole birthday shuffle!

Most restaurants, if you tell them it's your birthday, will give you a little something just for dining with them.

Some restaurants will do a lot more. Some will give you an entire entree, a full dessert, or more — but you have to do a little extra work. Loyalty programs have been popping up all over the places as restaurants learn that loyalty cards work. Email works too. You are the beneficiary.

Your birthday comes once a year, so take advantage of it! Look at the list of 101+ restaurants below and sign up for the email newsletter or eclub of your favorites. Then, on your birthday, look for a congratulatory email for making it another year and what your present will be.

The key is signing up early. Some places, like Noodles and Company, will only send you the coupon for a free Birthday crispy (rice crispy treat) if you've been in the club for 60 days. Others take a little extra time to get to you (their systems take a while to process it seems, like 24-48 hours) so you can't sign up the day of and expect a birthday treat in some cases.

Free Food on Your Birthday

Here's our full list of goodies, with more being added as we learn of them:

A&W – Free A&W Root Beer Float (Join Mug Club)

Applebees – Free dessert (Join email)

Arby's – Free milkshake (Join email)

Au Bon Pain – Get a free salad/sandwich (Join eClub)

Auntie Anne's – Free pretzel (Download their Pretzel Perks app)

Baja Fresh – Free burrito (Join Club Baja)

Baskin Robbins – Free ice cream! (Join email)

Beef ‘O' Brady's – Free appetizer with entree purchase (Join Team ‘O' Brady's)

Ben & Jerry's – Free ice cream (Join Chunkmail)

Benihana – $30 gift certificate (Join The Chef's Table)

Bertucci's – Free dessert (Join by filling in the email at the top right)

BGR The Burger Joint – Free burger (join VIP)

Black Angus Steakhouse – Free steak dinner with the purchase of any dinner entree on your first birthday after you join the Prime Club Email program

Blimpie – Free 6″ sub (join BlimpiEClub)

Bob Evans – Free kids' meal for your kids (Join Kids' Times Birthday club)

Bojangles – Free Bo-Berry biscuit with purchase (join e-club)

Bonefish Grill – Free dessert when you join BFG Insider

Boston Market – Free dessert with meal purchase (Join VIP Club)

Bruegger's Bagels – Free bagel with any cream cheese (Join email)

Buca di Beppo – $20 gift (Join Buca E-Club)

Buffalo Wild Wings – Free snack-size wings (Join Buffalo Circle)

California Pizza Kitchen – Free kid's meal, join CPKids Birthday Club

Caribou Coffee – Free drink (Join email)

Carraba's Italian Grill – Free dessert with entree (Join Amici Club)

Carvel – Free cup/cone (Join Fudgie Fanatic)

Checkers – Free large fry on signup (Join The Flavorhood)

The Cheesecake Factory – Small cup of ice cream, just tell your server

Chili's – Free dessert (Join Chili's Rewards)

Cinnabon – Free gift (Join Club Cinnabon) – Click the Sign up button at the top right

Cold Stone Creamery – Buy 1 Get 1 Free (Join My Cold Stone Club)

Corner Baker Cafe – Free baked goodie (Join email)

Cracker Barrel – Free dessert, just tell your server!

Dairy Queen – Buy 1 Blizzard, get one free (Join Blizzard Fan Club)

Del Taco – Free shake (Join fan club)

Denny's – Free Grand Slam breakfast, just show your server and show ID

Dippin' Dots – Free Dippin' Dots (Join Dot Crazy)

Dunkin' Donuts – Free drink (Join DDPerks, but you need to fund it with at least $2 to start)

Eat'n Park – Free birthday coupons (join email)

Einstein Bros. Bagels – Free egg sandwich with purchase (Join SChmear Society)

Famous Dave's – Free food (Join P.I.G. Club)

Firehouse Subs – Free medium sub (Join Firehouse Rewards)

Friendly's – Free sundae (Join BFF Club)

Fuddruckers – Free burger with purchase (Join Fudds Club)

Gordon Biersch – Free entree with purchase (Join email)

Great American Cookies – free cookie on signup (join CookiE-mail)

Houlihan's – Free entree (join email)

IHOP – Free meal (Join MyHop)

Jamba Juice – Free juice/smoothie (Join Jamba Insider Rewards)

Jason's Deli – $5 coupon (Join email)

Jersey Mike's – Free sub & drink coupon (Join email club)

Joe's Crab Shack – Free app (Join Joe's Catch E-club)

Johnny Rockets – Free burger (Join Rocket eClub)

Krispy Kreme – free doughnut (Join Krispy Kreme Rewards)

Lone Star Steakhouse – Free appetizer on signup (Join email)

Longhorn Steakhouse – dessert on signup (join Longhorn)

la Madeleine – free pastry (join eClub)

Maggiano's – $10 off (join E-Club)

Maggie Moo's – Free ice cream (Join Slab Happy Rewards)

Marie Callender's – Free slice of pie and $5 off an entree (Join e-Club)

Melting Pot – box of 6 chocolate covered strawberries with $60 purchase (join Club Fondue)

Mimi's – Free slice of Crepe cake or free 2-pk muffins/croissants (join e-club)

Moe's Southwest Grill – Free burrito (Join Moe's Rewards), plus free queso when you sign up!

Noodles & Company – Free crispy treat (Join Noodles Rewards)

Not Your Average Joe's – Free entree & dessert (Join email)

Olive Garden – Free appetizer with 2 entrees (Join eClub)

Orange Julius – Free drink (Join Julius League)

Outback – Free dessert with entree purchase (Join email offers)

Panera Bread – Free gift (Join MyPanera, link in the top right)

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen – Free dessert, just tell the server (doesn't hurt to join eClub)

P.F. Chang's – Free dessert (Join club)

Pinkberry – Free yogurt (Join loyalty program)

Planet Smoothie – Free smoothie (Join eClub)

Ponderosa Steakhouse – Free steak dinner (Join eClub)

Pretzelmaker – FRee order of Birthday Bites (join email)

Qdoba – Free treat (Join Qdoba Rewards)

Quiznos – Birthday burrito (Join QClub)

Rita's Italian Ice – Free birthday treat! (join Birthday Club)

Red Lobster – Free gift (Join Fresh Catch Club)

Red Robin – Free burger (Join RedRobin Royalty)

Romano's Macaroni Grill – Free dessert (Join email)

Ruby Tuesday – Free burger (Join So Connected)

Roy's Hawaiian Fusion – Free dessert and photo, just tell your server

Rubo's – Free taco (Join Beach Club)

Sbarro – Free XL NY Slice (join Slice Society)

Schlotzky's – Free sandwich (Join Bun and Fun eClub)

Seasons 52 – Free dessert (Join their rewards program)

Sizzler – Free Malibu chicken or other birthday treat (Join eclub)

Smashburger – Free flavored shake (Join smashclub rewards)

Smokeybones – Free dessert (join The Bones Club)

Sonic – Free Creamslush, Tater Tots, or Drink (Join My Sonic)

Sprinkles – Free cupcake! (join Perks)

Starbucks – Free drink (Join My Starbucks Rewards)

Steak ‘n Shake – Free double steakburger (Join eClub)

Subway – Free 6″ sub & drink (join email)

TCBY – Free yogurt (Join eClub)

Texas Roadhouse – Free app (Join email)

TGI Fridays – Free dessert with entree purchase (Join Fridays Rewards)

Tony Roma's – Free entree (Join email)

Village Inn – Free slice of Pie (Join eCLUB)

Waffle House – Free waffle (Join Regulars Club)

Wendy's – $1 off a combo (Join WendyMail)

Yogurtland – Free 3 oz. treat (Join Real Rewards)

Zoës Kitchen – Free birthday entree (Join email)

There's more to food when it comes to your birthday, here are a few other places that will give you free stuff on your birthday:

Aveda – Free gift (Join email)

CVS – $3 in CVS ExtraBucks (Join ExtraCare Beauty Club)

DSW – $5 gift certificate (Join DSW Rewards)

Famous Footwear – Free gift (Join rewards program)

Redbox – Free 1-night rental (Join Redbox Play Pass)

Sephora – Free gift (Join Beauty Insider) – here are a few other ways to get cheap beauty products!

Smashbox – Free gift with $35 purchase (Join Pretty Points)

ULTA – Free gift (Join email)

World Market – $10 or 10% off coupon (join Explorer Rewards)

Zaxby's – Free Big Zax Snak (join Zax Club)

If you know someone who is celebrating a birthday soon, be sure to share this with them so they don't miss out!

(if you like free food, you might want to review our post on hotels that offer free breakfast)