Particularly as you get older and the charms of bubble wands and bouncy castles have worn away, birthday commemorations start to take a more economical bend. With in-store discounts at various retailers and probable gift cards to spend, you can not only enjoy your day of birth on the day itself, but extend your small-scale celebrations throughout the month. Many national quick-service restaurant chains are keen to lure you into stores, or into their loyalty programs, with the promise of free birthday treats. At Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts, it’s a free beverage of choice; at Baskin Robbins, a free scoop; and at Krispy Kreme, a free donut of course. Still, it’s important to note that most places won’t immediately reward you when you walk in and announce that it’s your birthday. Instead, depending on the vendor, you’ll need to have joined a mailing list or rewards program somewhat in advance. Plus, there are often some onerous terms of service to follow.
But what about Shake Shack, the burger chain famous for its smash burgers and superb milkshakes? The short answer is yes — Shake Shack will gladly send you a code for a free birthday milkshake. However, there are quite a few caveats and a few more rules and regulations to follow. So read on to discover how you can most readily acquire that iconic cookies and cream shake.
How to get your hands on a free birthday shake from Shake Shack
First and foremost, you’ll need to download the Shake Shack app and create a profile. You’ll then need to add your birthday to your profile and opt in to marketing emails. Once that’s in place, Shake Shack will send you an email on your birthday with a one-time-use code for one of its classic shakes (think vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, etc.). After that, you’ll have 30 days to avail yourself of the offer.
Here is where the caveats come in. The discount code only applies through the app or Shake Shack’s website. That means you can neither walk into a store to show your code, nor order through a third-party service like DoorDash or Uber Eats. Certain Shake Shack locations, like those in airports and stadiums, are also excluded. Next, you unfortunately can’t just order your free shake. You’ll need to place an order for at least $5 worth of food and drink (or even dog treats), but specialty limited-time-only shakes are excluded. You also can’t throw in a few paid add ons, like whipped cream, to reach the $5 threshold.
Ultimately, Shake Shack’s birthday treat is perfect for any time during your birthday month when you’re genuinely craving a Shake Shack burger, sandwich, or fries (or your dog is craving a pooch-ini) in addition to a milkshake. If you’re exclusively interested in its specialty shakes, it might not be worth the email marketing spam.
