Veterans Day 2026: Which Offers Are Confirmed, and Which Lists Are Still Showing Last Year

Veterans Day 2026 is Wednesday, November 11. It is a federal holiday, observed on the day itself this year. That is settled. What is not settled is most of the free-meal list. As of October 3, 2026, two national restaurant chains have posted their 2026 offer on their own websites: Chili's and Golden Corral. Several chains that ran an offer last year have not updated their pages, and a page that still says 2025 is not an announcement for 2026. We will add each company the day its own page changes.

Confirmed for 2026 on the company's own page

Golden Corral says this is the 26th year of Military Appreciation Night, which began in 2001, and that it has served more than 6.8 million free meals through it.

Not posted for 2026 yet

These companies have a Veterans Day page, and on October 3, 2026 it did not carry 2026 details. That is normal for early October. It means wait, not that the offer is cancelled.

What to bring

Each company sets its own proof of service. As an example of what is commonly accepted, Applebee's terms last year listed a U.S. Uniformed Services ID card, a retired ID card, a current Leave and Earnings Statement and a veterans organization card, among others. Bring more than one form, and check the terms for the restaurant you choose once they are posted.

Is it a federal holiday, and what is closed

• Federal holiday: yes. The Office of Personnel Management lists Veterans Day on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Because it falls on a weekday, it is observed that day, with no Friday or Monday shift.
• Banks: November 11 is on the Federal Reserve's holiday schedule for 2026 and 2027. Individual banks decide their own branch hours.
• Schools: there is no national rule. Each state and district sets its own calendar, so check yours.
• National parks: the National Park Service lists November 11, 2026 as an entrance fee-free day for everyone. Separately, current U.S. military members and their dependents can get a free Military Annual Pass, and veterans and Gold Star Family members a free Military Lifetime Pass.
• Military pay: the mid-month payday on Friday, November 13 and the end-of-month payday on Tuesday, December 1 are not affected. The full calendar is in military pay dates.
• Next year: Veterans Day 2027 is Thursday, November 11.

The discounts that do not wait for November

A one-day free meal is worth less than a discount you can use all year. The military discounts directory lists the standing offers by category: airlines, hotels, car rental, moving trucks, retail and more, each with how to verify and a link to the company's own page. If you are moving this winter, the truck and storage discounts there matter more to a PPM budget than any single meal.

The bottom line

Veterans Day is Wednesday, November 11, 2026, a federal holiday observed that day. As of October 3, Chili's and Golden Corral have posted their 2026 free meals on their own pages. Applebee's, IHOP, Bob Evans and Texas Roadhouse have not posted 2026 details. Every offer is at participating locations and has conditions, so confirm with the restaurant before you go. We re-check the company pages and update this list as each one changes.