National Cheeseburger Day Deals 2026

We verified deals using reputable sources; always confirm in your local app. • National Cheeseburger Day is Friday, September 18, 2026.

It’s Almost Time to Celebrate!

We rounded up the best National Cheeseburger Day deals 2026—including app-only freebies, $1 burger specials, BOGO offers, and limited-time promo codes you can grab on September 18. Check your local restaurants too, as many add last-minute specials. Prefer to DIY? Don’t miss our tried-and-true cheeseburger recipes below (and don’t forget a side of fries!).

Restaurant Cheeseburger Freebies & Specials (Confirmed for 2026)

Applebee’s

Classic Cheeseburger or Classic Burger with fries for $8.99, dine-in, to-go, or delivery on Sept. 18.

Burger King

Royal Perks members get a run of deals leading into the holiday: a free Rodeo Burger with a $3 purchase on Sept. 14, BOGO free Whopper Jr. on Sept. 15, and a free Bacon Cheeseburger with a $3 purchase on Sept. 18, all valid online or in the app. Separately, on Grubhub, get a BOGO Whopper Jr. on Sept. 18 only.

Buffalo Wild Wings

Blazin’ Rewards members can get a free burger with the purchase of another burger of equal or lesser value (BOGO) on Sept. 18, valid for dine-in, takeout, and delivery.

Carl’s Jr.

Get any burger at half price with the purchase of a shake, in the app or in-restaurant, Sept. 17–18.

Dairy Queen

DQ Rewards members can get a free single Original Cheeseburger Stackburger with any $1+ app or online order, valid Sept. 14–18 at participating Grill & Chill locations. Limit one deal per person and one redemption per deal.

Denny’s

Buy one Double Cheeseburger and get a second one 50% off, served with wavy fries, on Sept. 18.

Farmer Boys

Very Important Farmer (VIF) loyalty members can get a Big Cheese® cheeseburger for $3.99 on Sept. 18. Redeemable in-store or online (not on third-party delivery apps); limited to one Big Cheese® and can’t be applied to a combo meal. Join VIF free in the Farmer Boys app.

Five Guys

Buy any burger and get one of equal or lesser value free, Sept. 16–18, with code BOGOBURGER. Order through the Five Guys app or FiveGuys.com for pickup or first-party delivery only—not valid in-store or on third-party delivery apps. Limit one code per transaction, one redemption per account.

Hardee’s

Get a BOGO Famous Star burger in the app on Sept. 18.

Jack in the Box

Get a free Jr. Cheeseburger with any $1+ purchase in the Jack app on Sept. 18.

Krystal

Get two free Original or Cheese Krystals with an in-app purchase of $5 or more on Sept. 18.

McDonald’s

Score a free Double Cheeseburger with any $1+ in-app purchase on National Cheeseburger Day. App-exclusive, limit one per customer.

Red Robin

The Big Yummm Deal starts at $9.99 and includes a Red’s Double Tavern Burger, a bottomless side (like Steak Fries), and a bottomless drink, dine-in on Sept. 18.

Ruby Tuesday

Pick a burger or sandwich (American Smashed Burger, Ruby’s Cheeseburger, Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Grilled Chicken Sandwich, Blackened Fish Sandwich, or Impossible Burger) with fries or tots for $6.99 on Sept. 18.

Shake Shack

Get a ShackBurger or Cheeseburger for $5 on Sept. 18 with code BURGERDAY.

Smashburger

Rewards members (new and existing) can get any single burger for $1—Classic, Bacon Stack, Spicy Jalapeño, BBQ Bacon, or Truffle Mushroom—when ordering in the app.

Sonic Drive-In

Get a Jr. Double Cheeseburger for $1.99 in-app or in-store on Sept. 18.

Wayback Burgers

Single cheeseburgers are $3.50 each (limit 2 per order) in-store on Sept. 18.

Wendy’s

Wendy’s Rewards members can get a Dave’s Single for $1.99 with any purchase in the app on Sept. 18. Separately, get a free Baconator on any Grubhub order of $20 or more that same day—open to all diners, not just rewards members.

Whataburger

Rewards members get a free Bacon & Cheese Whataburger Jr. with the purchase of medium fries or onion rings. Redeeming the offer also enters you in a sweepstakes for free Whataburger for a year.

White Castle

Get a BOGO Cheese Slider online, Sept. 18–21, with code BOGOCHEESE.

Note: Offers may vary by location and time; most require a free rewards account and/or ordering in the app. Always check the app or local store page for your market.

More Confirmed National Cheeseburger Day Deals

• Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar — Dine-in guests can grab a Jalapeño Business burger with a choice of fries, sweet potato fries, tots, or homemade chips for around $10 on Sept. 18.
• Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay — Palace Classic Cheeseburger, fries, and a small fountain drink for $9.18 at select Charlotte and Utah locations, in-app or in-restaurant.
• Drake’s — Southern Comfort Burger with fries for $10 when you dine in on Sept. 18.
• Eddie Merlot’s — Prime Cheeseburger with housemade potato chips for $15, online orders for takeout or delivery on Sept. 18.
• Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers — 50% off the Triple Steakburger, Sept. 18–20.
• Friendly’s — Back to School Burger with fries and a sundae for $9.99 on Sept. 18.
• Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub — Cheeseburger and fries for $8.99, dine-in on Sept. 18.
• Outback Steakhouse — New Grubhub diners can get 20% off (up to $11) orders of $55+, Sept. 14–20.
• Sullivan’s Steakhouse — Signature Angus Burger with fries for $15, online orders for takeout or delivery.
• Tender Greens — Rewards members get a free drink with any Tender Burger or Tender Burger Plate purchase.
• Twin Peaks — Cheeseburger and fries for $7.99, available all day on Sept. 18.

Watchlist / Predicted (Verify in App on September 18)

These brands frequently participate with one-day deals, or were mentioned by only one source as of publish time. Open each app on Sept. 18 to confirm the 2026 promos and any codes needed:

• Burger 21 — Patty Perks members may see $4 Cheesys in the app.
• BurgerFi — Watch for a BOGO $1 deal on double cheeseburgers (limit 2 per person).
• Burgerville — Watch for the Original Cheeseburger around $2.99.
• Buffalo’s Cafe — Expect a free Pepsi with every cheeseburger order.
• Culver’s — Watch for a ButterBurger discount; check your local Culver’s app or Facebook page.
• Del Taco — Del Yeah! Rewards members may get a BOGO deal on Double Del Cheeseburgers, in-app or online.
• Dog Haus — Haus Rewards members may see a free cheeseburger reward toward a future visit.
• Huddle House — Rewards members may see a free Single Smashed Burger Deluxe.
• Hurricane Grill & Wings — Watch for a free Pepsi with any cheeseburger purchase.
• Irv’s Burgers — Watch for $2.50 cheeseburgers all day at the LA location.
• Logan’s Roadhouse — Rewards members may get a discount on the All American Cheeseburger, online, in-app, or dine-in.
• MOOYAH — Loyalty members may see a free or BOGO cheeseburger with an in-app burger purchase.
• Native Grill & Wings — Watch for a bacon cheeseburger deal.
• Next Level Burger / Veggie Grill by Next Level — Watch for a BOGO deal on American ChzBurgers.
• Portillo’s — Perks members may see a 50% off burger discount, in-store, online, or app.
• Savvy Sliders — Watch for BOGO Savvy Original Sliders.
• Star Burger — Watch for a possible discount (around 10% off) at the Miami location, roughly 11:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Wahlburgers — Watch for 50% off The Our Burger, possibly starting Sept. 17, with a code circulating as CHEESEBURGERDAY26.

We list Watchlist items when only a single roundup mentions them, or when reported details conflicted across sources; treat as “possible” until the brand’s own app or site shows the live banner.

Our Favorite Cheeseburger Recipes to Make at Home

• Easy Cheeseburger Sliders — Juicy, crowd-pleasing sliders.
• The Best Creamy Cheeseburger Soup — Cozy, one-pot comfort food with all the flavors of a cheeseburger.
• Air Fryer Cheeseburger Egg Rolls (Copycat) — Party-perfect in under 30 minutes.
• Air Fryer Cheeseburger Crunch Wrap — Fast, crispy, and fun.
• Air Fryer Cheeseburger Quesadilla — A cheesy, quick spin on taco night.
• Air Fryer Cheese Burger Onion Rings — Onion rings stuffed with beef and melty cheddar.

Tips to Save Even More on National Cheeseburger Day

1. Download the apps early (McDonald’s, BK, Smashburger, Sonic, Wayback, Five Guys, etc.) and enroll in rewards—most deals are app-exclusive.
2. Enable notifications—many brands drop surprise codes or activate tiles the morning of Sept. 18.
3. Check participation—offers can be regional or limited to certain locations/hours.
4. Stack smart—loyalty points + one-day discount (when terms allow) to maximize value.
5. Watch multi-day windows—several 2026 offers (like Burger King’s, Dairy Queen’s, Five Guys’, and Carl’s Jr.’s) run for several days around Sept. 18, not just the holiday itself.
6. Check Grubhub—on top of restaurant-specific deals, Grubhub is waiving delivery and service fees on restaurant orders over $50 for National Cheeseburger Day.
7. Have a promo code ready—several of this year’s best deals (Five Guys, Shake Shack, White Castle) require entering a code at checkout, so have it copied before you order.
8. Check for gift card discounts—some retailers occasionally discount restaurant gift cards (Applebee’s, Burger King, McDonald’s, Sonic, Wendy’s) around the holiday, which can stack with an in-app deal.

Save Money on Restaurant Deals in THREE Easy Steps!

1. Download our FREE app here.
2. Tap the brands you care about.
3. We’ll alert you when stuff you want costs less.

Final Thoughts

We’ll keep eyes on official brand pages and apps as September 18 hits. On the day, open the app first—most of the best National Cheeseburger Day offers are digital-only and go fast. Spot a deal we missed? Let us know using the Report a Deal link in the sidebar so we can add it here.

National Cheeseburger Day Deals 2026: FAQ

When is National Cheeseburger Day 2026?

Friday, September 18, 2026.

Which restaurants usually have the best deals?

Historically strong options include McDonald’s (free Double Cheeseburger with a $1 in-app purchase), Five Guys (BOGO burgers with code BOGOBURGER), Shake Shack ($5 burgers with code BURGERDAY), White Castle (BOGO Cheese Sliders with code BOGOCHEESE), Burger King (Royal Perks freebies running Sept. 14–18, plus a BOGO Whopper Jr. on Grubhub), Wendy’s (a $1.99 Dave’s Single, plus a free Baconator on $20+ Grubhub orders), Smashburger ($1 burgers for rewards members), and Dairy Queen (free Stackburger with a $1 order). Availability varies by location and year.

Do I need an app to get these offers?

Usually yes—most deals are app-exclusive and may require a free rewards account, a promo code, or a minimum purchase. Always check the brand’s app banner day-of.

Do National Cheeseburger Day deals only run on Sept. 18?

Not always. Several chains, including Burger King, Dairy Queen, Five Guys, and Carl’s Jr., are spreading 2026 offers across a run of days around Sept. 18, so it’s worth checking your favorite apps a few days early too. White Castle’s BOGO slider deal also runs a few extra days afterward, through Sept. 21.