Is it your birthday? Celebrate with 40 freebies and discounts

There's nothing better than saving a bit of cash with a birthday freebie. As we roll into peak birthday season, knowing which perks you qualify for can make your special day a lot more rewarding. 

ONS data shows late September and early October have historically been a particularly popular time for birthdays in England and Wales.

Whether your birthday falls in the autumn or another time of year, here's a round-up of more than 40 birthday freebies and discounts you can use to help celebrate and make a saving, too.

• Free birthday sweet treats
• Free birthday meals
• Free birthday drinks
• Birthday freebies on beauty
• Birthday freebies and discounts on fashion
• Birthday freebies and discounts for kids
• Birthday treats for pets

Free birthday sweet treats

These free treats are a great way of satisfying your sweet tooth and making a saving on your birthday.

Get free Krispy Kreme doughnuts

Members of the Krispy Kreme Rewards Club can get a free glazed doughnut in the month of their birthday. To claim, you'll need to add the birthday reward to your wallet on the Krispy Kreme app.  

Get a free Greggs sweet treat

Downloading the Greggs rewards app will get you a free sweet treat to celebrate your special day.

You'll get a voucher on the app that must be shown in-store to claim a free cupcake, cream cake or doughnut. Plus, just for downloading the app, you can get a free hot or iced drink of your choice.  

Get a free slice of cake at Costa

Download the Costa Coffee app or sign in to your Costa Club account, and you can choose a free cake, pastry, muffin, tart, doughnut or cookie on your birthday.

The voucher will be emailed to you, and you'll have seven days from your birthday to claim your cake. 

Another benefit of the loyalty scheme is that you earn beans on your coffees – after you've bought 10 drinks, you get one free.

Get a free slice of cake at Caffè Nero 

Get a free slice of cake or traybake on your birthday if you sign up for the Caffè Nero loyalty app. The offer is valid for 14 days, and you'll need to use the app to unlock a voucher with a promo code. 

You can also earn stamps on the app and get a free drink when you complete a stamp card. 

Get a free sweet treat at Gail's Bakery

Sign up for the Gail's reward app and receive a voucher for a sweet treat of your choice from its 'Morning Goods' or 'Sweets & Cakes' range. This includes croissants, cinnamon buns and pain aux raisins alongside strawberry and ricotta cake, a maple and pecan scone, or a carrot cake. 

To get your freebie, you'll need to buy something else at the same time as redeeming, such as a coffee. 

You can also use the app to collect stamps on your spending and earn a free hot drink or a loaf of bread with each full stamp card.  

Get a £5 voucher at Hotel Chocolat

Sign up for Hotel Chocolat's loyalty scheme VIP.ME and get a 'surprise gift' on your birthday – usually £5 off when you spend more than £5.50. It's valid for the month of your birthday – unless you sign up during that month, in which case it will be valid from the next month.

The scheme also gets you 20% off drinks and ice lollies or ice creams in-store, and 15% off as a welcome gift.

Get a free box of Lindt chocolates

Sign up to the Lindt rewards app, MyLindtRewards, and you'll be emailed a voucher for a free box of chocolates on your birthday.

However, to get the birthday surprise, you'll need to have spent a minimum of £10 in-store, or £20 online. 

You also get 10% off your shop for signing up, and a £5 voucher for every £50 spent at its chocolate shops and online. 

Free sweet treat at Marks and Spencer

Customers who have added their date of birth to their Sparks account get a free birthday treat at the start of their birthday month. Treats can consist of cookies, bags of sweets, a cake and grapes. 

There's no spend required – all you need to do is scan the offer at the till to get the birthday treat. 

You should try to update your profile at least 35 days before your birthday, as M&S says it can take a while for its records to update. If you do it within 35 days, you may not be offered it until your next birthday. 

Get a free Lidl doughnut 

Sign up for a Lidl Plus account and get a free doughnut or cookie on your birthday from the in-store bakery. The voucher will be valid for seven days from your listed birthday.  

• Find out more: Lidl review – discover how real customers rated the supermarket

Free birthday meals

Heading to one of these restaurants could help you celebrate your birthday for less.

Get a free birthday meal at Las Iguanas

When you sign up for the Las Iguanas newsletter, you can get a two-for-one main course voucher, which can be applied when two main courses are ordered from the à la carte menu. This voucher sees the cheapest dish removed from the bill. 

The offer expires 30 days after the date it's sent to you, and will be emailed to you seven days before your birthday. You won't be able to use the voucher on February 14, and it can't be used with any other discount. 

Get a free birthday main meal at Frankie & Benny's 

You can get one free meal, priced around £9 to £15, for your birthday when at least one other main meal is bought – if you register for the Frankie & Benny's reward scheme. You can also get a free starter on your half birthday. 

You'll be sent the code 14 days before your birthday, and it's valid for 30 days from then. You show this code at the restaurant to claim. 

As with other promotions, this deal can't be used with any other offer or discount. It also excludes Frankie & Benny's or Little Frankie's restaurants at airports.

 Get a free birthday main at Zizzi

Sign up to Zizzi's Zillionaires' Club and you'll get a free main course for your birthday.

Make sure you've added your date of birth to your account. Your Birthday Perk should appear in your Perkz Wallet around two weeks before your birthday, and you'll have 28 days to use it.

Get free gyoza or bao at itsu

Sign up to the itsu loyalty app and add your date of birth to your account to get a free bao or a portion of gyoza for your birthday.

The voucher is valid for 90 days and can be redeemed at UK itsu restaurants. You can choose from selected bao or gyoza, including chicken teriyaki and hoisin duck bao, or chicken, vegetable and prawn gyoza.

Get a free dessert or pizza at Pizza Express

Sign up for the Pizza Express Club and you’ll qualify for a birthday freebie.

Bronze members can get a free dessert, and silver members get a free pizza – both of these require a minimum £10 spend. 

Pizza Express gold members can choose from a free pizza, four bottles of 330ml Peroni beer (Peroni 0.0 and gluten-free available), or four free soft drinks – again, with a minimum spend of £10. The offer is valid all week for six weeks from the first day of your birthday month. 

Free gyoza at Wagamama

If you're signed up to Wagamama's Soul Club loyalty scheme, you can get a free portion of gyoza for your birthday when you spend £12 on food and drink. 

To qualify, you'll need to have earned at least one stamp in the Soul Club app, either through Deliveroo, click & collect or when dining in during the past six months. The free gyoza must be redeemed within 30 days.

Free dessert at TGI Fridays

Join the TGI Stripes Rewards app and you'll get a free dessert on your birthday when ordering a main meal. Your voucher will be sent to your TGI Friday's app seven days before your birthday and has to be shown when dining to claim. 

Two free desserts or a bottle of Prosecco at Prezzo

For your birthday, you can get a free bottle of prosecco, house wine or a bottle/pint of Poretti, or two free desserts when you sign up to the Prezzo newsletter and spend £25 in-store. 

You'll be sent an email around two weeks before your birthday with a unique voucher code. You'll need to show this to staff to redeem the freebie. You have 60 days to claim, and you must be over 18 and purchase a main dish. You can only claim for two free desserts in Scotland due to licensing laws. 

Not got your present sorted? Take a look at our best gifts for women, best gifts for men and best gifts for kids to find something for everyone.

Get a free Subway cookie

Sign up for Subway Rewards and get a free birthday treat every year. 

You'll get either a cookie (worth 99p), a bag of crisps (worth £1.19) or a free 6-inch sandwich (worth around £5 to £6), depending on how much you spend at Subway throughout the year. 

You don't have to buy anything to claim your freebie, and you can redeem the offer by scanning your app. 

Make money make sense

Make every penny count. Get the best deals, avoid scams and grow your savings, with expert guidance for only £49 a year.

Join Which? Money

 Free birthday drinks

From super juices to a bottle of fizz, these offers can help you save on birthday drinks.

Free hot drink at Starbucks 

Download the Starbucks Rewards app to earn stars on your spending – once you earn 2,500 stars (equivalent to spending £250), you'll be considered a Gold member. This gets you a free drink on your birthday, as well as other benefits – such as extra shots of espresso, syrups and free whipped cream.  

Free juice or smoothie at Boost

If you register for the Boost Vibe loyalty card, you'll get one free drink for your birthday – usually worth around £3 to £5.

You'll need to bring your loyalty card and some ID to claim your freebie. You can pick it up three days before or within three days after your birthday.

The loyalty scheme allows you to collect one point for every drink you buy – once you collect nine points, you can claim a free drink.

Free milkshake at Kaspa's Desserts 

Bring photo ID on your birthday to any branch of Kaspa's Desserts and claim a free medium-sized milkshake or piece of cake when you spend at least £6.95.

Free glass of prosecco at Miller and Carter

Join Miller & Carter's Masters of Steak Club and you can receive a complimentary 125ml glass of sparkling wine or Prosecco to celebrate your birthday. You'll need to buy a main meal, and an alcohol-free cocktail is available as an alternative. The voucher is valid for 30 days from issue.

Free bottle of prosecco from Bill's 

Sign up for Bill's newsletter at least four weeks before your birthday and you can get a free bottle of prosecco (non-alcoholic option available) or a pancake stack. Guests must order a main meal to get the freebie. 

You can claim the freebie within five weeks of receiving the birthday email. 

Get a free cocktail at Cosy Club

Sign up to receive emails from Cosy Club and you can get a free cocktail for your birthday when dining at one of its restaurants.

You'll be sent a birthday voucher code, which is valid for four weeks. You can choose a drink from Cosy Club's birthday drinks menu.

  Birthday freebies on fashion

If getting older has made you rethink your style, these offers can help you save money on refreshing your wardrobe.

Get 25% off at H&M

If you sign up to be an H&M member, you get 25% off one item for your birthday. The discount is valid for two weeks from the date of your birthday. Once the deal is activated, it will only be valid for 15 minutes.

The membership club is free to join and also lets you earn points on your spending, which can be exchanged for money-off vouchers. 

Get 25% off at the Nike store 

Sign up to be Nike member and get you a 25% discount for your birthday using a unique code sent by email.

There's no minimum spend and your discount will be valid for a month after your birthday. To claim it, you will need to be a member before the month of your birthday. 

Your total purchase must be under £1,000 and the offer isn't valid with other offers, sale items, Apple products, NikeLab or on gift cards.

Get 15% off at New Look

Registering for the New Look newsletter will get you a 15% discount for your birthday. You can only claim it for purchases made online, and you will need to do so before the expiration date provided in your New Look email.

Get up to 25% off at Asos

Asos gives customers in its Asos World loyalty scheme a birthday discount code. 

Members in the first three tiers get 20% off, with the top ‘A-Lister’ tier — for those spending over £750 a year — getting 25%. The entry-level tier, Stylist, is free to join.

You’ll need to opt in to emails and push notifications to get the code, which is sent 16 days before your birthday. 

The offer applies to full-priced items up to £500 and can’t be used with other discounts, including student discount.

Get £5 off at Oliver Bonas

Get £5 off on your birthday if you sign up for the Oliver Bonas newsletter. You can only use the discount online, and you'll need to spend at least £20 to use the voucher. 

Your discount code will be sent to your email in time for your birthday. The code is valid for 30 days after the email is sent. 

10% off at Timberland

When signing up to Timberland's free 'community' loyalty scheme, you can get 10% off full-price items online or in-store for your birthday. 

You'll be sent an email one week before your birthday with a unique code. You can enter this at the checkout online, or show it in-store. The code will be valid for four weeks from the date you receive it. 

Which? Money Podcast

Join us on our weekly audio show for the latest money news and personal finance hacks to help make you better off.

Listen now

 Birthday freebies on beauty 

It's not just food and drink that you can get birthday savings on. Check out these beauty and pampering birthday offers.

Free £5 spend at The Body Shop

If you've signed up for The Body Shop Love Your Body loyalty card, opted in to email marketing, and made a purchase or placed an order online in the 12 months before your birthdate, you will get £5 to spend in-store or online. 

There is no minimum spend, and the discount will be valid for up to one month after your birthday.

Birthday surprise with Superdrug loyalty card

When you sign up for the Health & Beauty loyalty card, you will get an 'exclusive treat' from Superdrug. The birthday treats range from vouchers to quadruple points, and Superdrug has previously made these rewards available for seven days from the date of your birthday.

Special offers with Boots Advantage Card

Sign up for the Boots Advantage Card scheme and you will receive special offers in the month of your birthday. This can include double points. 

You can check your personalised offers in the 'MyOffers' section of your Boots app, or by logging into your account online and going to 'Offers just for me'.

• Find out more: loyalty schemes compared

Free birthday gift at Space NK

If you sign up for the Space NK Ndulge loyalty card, you can get a free trio of beauty items for your birthday, provided you've made a purchase online or in-store within the last 12 months. There's no minimum spend.

The trio of gifts change monthly and are selected based on seasonality and trending products.

To get this offer, you'll need to register for the loyalty card at least six weeks before your birthday. The freebie emails are sent out between the 1st and 8th of your birthday month.

The Ndulge loyalty card allows you to collect one point per £1 spent – when you reach 100 points, you'll get a £5 discount automatically loaded to your card.

Free Rituals item

When you sign up for the My Rituals members club, you will be sent a 'birthday gift' when you purchase another product. The free product you get can include shower oil, cleansing wipes or hand soap. 

You must also be subscribed to the newsletter and add your date of birth when you sign up. If you unsubscribe, you will no longer be eligible. 

You can redeem the offer online via the link in the email, or use it in stores when you show your 'My Rituals' card. If you choose to redeem online, delivery is £3.90 for orders under £35.

Free gift at Sephora

Members of the MY SEPHORA loyalty programme can receive birthday benefits, with rewards depending on their membership tier.

The exact benefit can vary, so check your MY SEPHORA account for the birthday reward available to you rather than assuming that all members receive the same gift.

Birthday freebies and discounts for kids

There are plenty of savings on fun and treats for your child's birthday, too.

Build a Bear – pay your age 

Sign up for the Build-A-Bear Workshop loyalty scheme, and your child can make a bear in-store on their birthday and pay their age in pounds.

The birthday bears are usually £14 – so, for example, a four-year-old would pay only £4. The offer only applies to the Make-Your-Own Birthday Treat Bear when visiting a store. 

Free £5 spend at Hobbycraft 

Members of the Hobbycraft loyalty card scheme will get a £5 voucher to spend online or in-store.

This offer will be valid for up to 14 days after your birthday and there's no minimum spend.

Birthday treat from John Lewis

Sign up to the free My John Lewis loyalty scheme and its Perks for Parents programme to get a birthday treat for your child.

The reward can vary, but previous treats have included a £5 voucher to spend with John Lewis or a free drink and sweet treat for you and your child at a John Lewis café.

You'll need to add your child's details and update your contact preferences to be eligible. Check your My John Lewis account to see which birthday reward you've received. 

Birthday treats for pets

There is even a freebie for your pet's birthday.

Free treat at Pets at Home

Registering to be a member of the Pets at Home VIP Club loyalty card will get your pet a free treat on their birthday.

All you have to do is bring your card and show a copy of your email with the barcode in-store to collect your pet's treat.

• Find out more: best pet insurance

Warning

Watch out for birthday scams

'Last year on my birthday, I was sadly targeted by a scam. My data must have been compromised, as the fraudsters knew it was my birthday,' says Grace Witherden, Which? Money editor.

'I received a phishing email impersonating a brand I regularly use, offering what looked like a generous birthday treat. It seemed tempting — but as the saying goes, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

'Since then, I’ve been much more cautious about birthday-related emails, always checking the original sender before opening links or offers.'

Here are some tips to help you stay safe from similar scams.

• Use official websites or apps: only claim offers directly through a retailer’s own website, app or verified links.
• Be wary of requests for personal details: avoid deals that ask for unnecessary information or payment details.
• Check reviews if you’re unsure: look at Trustpilot or other review sites to see what other customers say.
• Consider a separate email for freebies: this can help avoid spam and unwanted marketing messages.

The story has been updated since it was first published in 2024. Its latest update was 24 August 2026.