National Hamburger Day Deals 2026: Freebies & Burger Specials on May 28

The Best National Hamburger Day Deals in One Place

We verified deals using reputable sources; always confirm in your local app. • National Hamburger Day is Thursday, May 28, 2026. Last updated: May 27, 2026.

We’ve rounded up every confirmed National Hamburger Day deal 2026 — including app freebies, BOGO offers, and deep discounts you can grab on May 28. This is the biggest burger deal day of the year, and the list has grown a lot since we first published. May is also National Burger Month, so several deals are already live or run through the end of the month. Prefer to stay in? Don’t miss our favorite homemade burger recipes below!

And if you love a good cheeseburger specifically, don’t miss our National Cheeseburger Day Deals post — that one lands every September 18.

Restaurant Burger Freebies & Specials (Confirmed for 2026)

• Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar — BD’s All-American Burger with a classic side for $10. Valid May 28 only at participating locations.
• Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay — Signature Crunchburger (4 oz or 6 oz) for $5.28 on May 28 at participating locations.
• Buffalo Wild Wings — 50% off any burger when you order through Buffalo Wild Wings GO for takeout or delivery on May 28. Use promo code GOBURGER at checkout.
• Burger King — Royal Perks members get a FREE hamburger with any $3+ purchase through the Burger King app or website on May 28 at participating locations.
• Checkers & Rally’s — BOGO Classic Burger at participating locations. Valid May 27 and May 28 — so this one is live right now!
• Dairy Queen — DQ Rewards members get $1 off any Signature Stackburger all week long, May 25–31. Each Stackburger is made with juicy, 100% seasoned real beef patties. Options include FlameThrower, Bacon Cheese Deluxe, Backyard Bacon Ranch, Cheese Deluxe, and Original Cheeseburger. Redeem in the DQ Mobile App or online at participating DQ Grill & Chill locations.
• Eddie Merlot’s — Eddie’s Prime Cheeseburger with housemade potato chips for $15 when you order online. Dine-in guests can grab this during Happy Hour (4–6:30 p.m. local time) on May 28.
• Farmer Boys — Very Important Farmer (VIF) Rewards members get a $3.99 Big Cheese Cheeseburger when ordering in-app. Offer valid May 28 only at participating locations.
• Jack in the Box / Jack’s — $1 hamburgers from 2 p.m. to close on May 28. Limit 5 per order; available in-store and online at all locations.
• Krystal — Club Krystal members get $0.50 Krystals as an in-app exclusive on May 28. Sign up free in the app if you haven’t yet.
• Shake Shack — Score a FREE ShackBurger with any $10 purchase using code FREEBURGER in the Shack App, online, or at a kiosk in-Shack. Valid through May 31 at participating U.S. locations (excludes airports, stadiums, and drive-thru).
• Smashburger — Any single burger for $5.28 all day on May 28 at participating locations. Order in-store or online using code 528SINGLE at checkout. No app required for in-store — just mention the deal.
• Steak ‘n Shake — Show or wear any American flag item (hat, shirt, pin, etc.) in-store on May 28 and get a FREE Double Steakburger. Limit 1 per person; in-store only.
• Sullivan’s Steakhouse — Signature Angus Burger and fries for $15 when you order online on May 28. Dine-in guests can get this same deal during Happy Hour (3–6 p.m. local time).
• Sonic Drive-In — Half-price cheeseburgers after 5 p.m. through the Sonic app, nightly through the end of May. Half-price shakes are also available in the same evening window. App-exclusive; participating locations.
• The Greene Turtle — BOGO classic burgers on May 28 at participating locations.
• Wayback Burgers — Rewards members get a $5 Classic Burger on May 28. Limit two per order/rewards account. Redeem in restaurant or order online at order.waybackburgers.com using code $5CLASS at checkout. Rewards members can also apply the “National Hamburger Day” reward in the app.
• Wendy’s — Rewards members get a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger for just $0.01 with any app purchase, valid May 28 through June 1 as part of Wendy’s 100 Days of Savings. No minimum purchase beyond the initial item.
• Whataburger — Rewards members get a FREE Whataburger when they order a medium fry and medium drink online or by scanning the app in-store on May 28. Bonus: every qualifying order also enters you to win free Whataburger for a year — 50 winners will receive monthly meal offers loaded directly into their app for 12 months. Not ordering on May 28? You can still enter by emailing sweepstakes@wbhq.com.
• White Castle — Get a 10-Sack of Original Sliders for $8.99 on May 28 at participating locations.

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 before heading out.

Watchlist / Expected (Verify in App on May 28)

These brands frequently participate with one-day deals for National Hamburger Day. Open each app on May 28 to confirm the 2026 promos and any promo codes needed:

• Arby’s — Expected to offer a Better Than Burger BOGO Free sandwich deal. Watch for app confirmation day-of.
• Bar Louie — Rewards members (free to join) may get a FREE burger on their next visit plus discounted burgers through the rest of the year via a Burger Pass offer. Check the app.
• Buffalo’s Cafe — Expected deal on Canyon Burgers and Tumbleweed Potato Chips on May 28. Verify in the app or on their site.
• Epic Burger — Typically runs a burger special on May 28. Check their app for your market.
• Friendly’s — New Fan Club Rewards members who download the app may get a FREE Founder’s Burger. Verify terms day-of.
• Good Times Burgers & Frozen Custard — Look for a deal on the Big Daddy Bacon Cheeseburger on May 28 at participating locations.
• Hurricane Grill & Wings — Anticipated steak burger and fries deal. Verify in-store or online day-of.
• McDonald’s — No specific May 28 offer confirmed yet, but the McDonald’s app often drops surprise one-day offers for food holidays. Enable notifications and check the Deals tab on May 28.
• MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes — BOGO burgers widely predicted for May 28. Verify in the app or on their site.
• Native Grill & Wings — Expected discount on My Native Burgers on May 28. Check app for your location.
• Perkins American Food Co. — Potential burger, fries, and pie combo deal on May 28. Watch for official announcement.

We list Watchlist items only when multiple reputable sources have mentioned them; still, treat all of these as “possible” until the brand’s app shows a live banner.

Our Favorite Burger Recipes to Make at Home

Rather stay in and fire up the grill (or air fryer)? These tried-and-true recipes from Fabulessly Frugal are perfect for celebrating National Hamburger Day at home — and most of them are on the table in 30 minutes or less.

• The Best Juicy Burger Recipe Ever (Grill or Air Fryer) — The secret ingredient is mayonnaise! So much better than frozen patties.
• Effortless Air Fryer Hamburgers in Minutes — Juicy, family-friendly burgers in under 20 minutes, no grill required.
• Easy Air Fryer Cheeseburger Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls — Mini burgers that are instantly more fun, and perfect for a crowd.
• Air Fryer Cheeseburger Crunch Wrap — Fast, crispy, and seriously fun.
• Air Fryer Cheeseburger Egg Rolls (Cheesecake Factory Copycat) — Party-perfect in under 30 minutes.
• Cheeseburger Stuffed Shells — A freezer-friendly comfort meal the whole family will love.
• Simple Cheeseburger Quesadillas — All your favorite burger fixings inside a crispy quesadilla. Great for kids!
• Easy Cheeseburger Soup — Cozy, customizable, and budget-friendly.
• Cooking Impossible Burgers in an Air Fryer — A plant-based win with great texture.
• Cooking Beyond Meat Burgers in an Air Fryer — Meatless, quick, and surprisingly tasty.

Tips to Save Even More on National Hamburger Day

1. Download the apps tonight — Most deals are app-exclusive and require a free rewards account. Don’t wait until tomorrow morning to set these up or you may miss the window. Priority apps: Burger King, Wendy’s, Whataburger, Shake Shack, Wayback, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dairy Queen, and Sonic.
2. Enable push notifications — Many brands activate deal tiles first thing in the morning on May 28. Turning on notifications means you’ll catch these before they sell out or expire.
3. Checkers & Rally’s is live NOW — Their BOGO Classic Burger deal started today, May 27. If you have one nearby, you don’t have to wait until tomorrow!
4. Check participation before you go — Most offers are valid at participating locations only, and some are regional. Always check the app or your specific location’s page before making the trip.
5. Stack smart when you can — Some loyalty programs let you combine a one-day deal with your regular rewards points (when the offer terms allow it). It’s worth checking before you check out.

Final Thoughts

Tomorrow is going to be a great day to be a burger lover! Most of the best National Hamburger Day deals 2026 are digital-only and go live early in the morning, so open your apps first thing on May 28. If you score a great deal (or skip the line and make one of those recipes at home), we’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Looking for more ways to save on dining out all year long? Don’t miss our National Cheeseburger Day Deals post (September 18) — because really, can you ever have too many burger holidays?

National Hamburger Day Deals 2026: FAQ

When is National Hamburger Day 2026?

National Hamburger Day 2026 falls on Thursday, May 28, 2026. It’s a fixed-date observance held every year on May 28, and it falls right at the end of National Burger Month — making it the biggest single day of the year for burger deals.

Is National Hamburger Day the same as National Cheeseburger Day?

Nope — these are two separate food holidays! National Hamburger Day is May 28, and National Cheeseburger Day is September 18. Both are great excuses to score restaurant deals or fire up the grill at home.

Do I need an app to get these National Hamburger Day offers?

For most deals, yes — the majority of restaurant specials are now app-exclusive and may also require a free rewards account, a minimum purchase, or a promo code entered at checkout. Download the apps tonight and enable notifications so you don’t miss a thing tomorrow morning.

Which restaurants have the best National Hamburger Day deals in 2026?

Some of the biggest confirmed offers this year: Whataburger (free burger + sweepstakes), Burger King (free hamburger with $3+ app purchase), Wendy’s ($0.01 Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger with any app purchase), Steak ‘n Shake (free Double Steakburger with any flag item), Checkers & Rally’s (BOGO Classic Burger today and tomorrow), and Shake Shack (free ShackBurger with $10 purchase using code FREEBURGER). Always check your local app on May 28 to confirm availability in your area.

Are any National Hamburger Day deals available right now, before May 28?

Yes! Checkers & Rally’s BOGO Classic Burger deal started May 27 and runs through May 28. Dairy Queen’s $1 off Stackburger deal runs May 25–31. And Sonic’s half-price cheeseburger offer (after 5 p.m. via app) is available nightly through the end of May.

We hope you score an amazing deal — or make one of these recipes at home and skip the line entirely! Either way, May 28 is a great day to be a burger lover. 🍔

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