Every holiday season, sit-down chains run the same kind of deal. You buy a gift card, and they hand you a smaller bonus card for yourself. If you were going to give that gift card anyway, the bonus is extra. But the bonus card has its own rules, and they're stricter than a normal gift card.
The 2026 offers I could confirm
| Restaurant | Buy | Get | Buy by | Use the bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chili's | $50 gift card | $10 bonus card | Dec 31 | Jan 1 to Feb 13, in the restaurant only |
| Applebee's | $50 in gift cards | $10 bonus card | Jan 3, 2027 | By Feb 28, 2027 |
| Lou Malnati's (Chicago area) | $50 or $100 in gift cards | $10 or $25 bonus card | Nov 16 to Dec 31, 2026 | Jan 2 to Feb 28, 2027 |
- Chili's: bonus cards aren't valid in Hawaii.
- Applebee's: participating US restaurants only. The offer started Oct 12, 2026.
- Lou Malnati's: one bonus card per order. You can't use it on its shipping site, and you don't earn rewards points on gift card purchases.
Other chains like Denny's, Outback, Red Robin, Olive Garden, Texas Roadhouse and Starbucks have run bonus deals before. I couldn't confirm a 2026 holiday offer for them yet, so they're not in the table. I'll add them to the calendar once their own sites post the terms.
The catch with bonus cards
A bonus card is not the same as the gift card you bought. Real gift cards usually don't expire. Bonus cards do. Here are the rules I keep seeing in the fine print:
- A short window. Most only work for a few weeks after the holidays, like January to February. Use it a day late and it's worth nothing.
- A wait before you can use it. Chili's bonus cards don't work until Jan 1. Buffalo Wild Wings made people wait four days on its summer bonus.
- In the restaurant only. Many don't work on delivery apps, catering or online orders. Chili's says in-restaurant only.
- No gift cards, no cash. You can't use a bonus card to buy more gift cards, and you can't cash it out. Lou Malnati's, Red Robin and Buffalo Wild Wings all say this.
- One visit. Red Robin's Bonus Bucks have to be used in one visit, so any leftover is lost.
- Limits. Buffalo Wild Wings capped its last bonus at four per person and didn't cover alcohol.
Don't buy gift cards just for the bonus. A $10 bonus on $50 only helps if you were going to spend that $50 there anyway, and if you'll go back during the bonus window.
How I'd do it
- Make your gift list first. Only buy cards for places people already like.
- Buy from the restaurant itself, online or in person. Cards from other stores usually don't get the bonus.
- Keep the bonus card for yourself, not with the gift.
- Put the start and end dates in your phone calendar the day you buy. My own tip, because these are easy to forget.
- Plan one dinner inside the window and bring the card.
My tip: treat the bonus like a coupon with a date on it, not like money. If you're not sure you'll go back in time, skip it. For free food with no purchase, check the free food page and the birthday list.