Best Teacher Appreciation Week Freebies & Deals
Celebrate your favorite educators with the best deals and freebies for teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week!
Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week with these freebies & deals for educators! 🏫🚸📚
National Teacher Appreciation Week runs from May 4th through May 8th, 2026.
Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week with amazing freebies and special deals just for educators!
Many restaurants and retailers are showing their gratitude with exclusive offers. Below, we’re sharing all the best National Teacher Appreciation Week offers that were available in 2025.
Thank a teacher with a creative gift idea paired with one of our free teacher appreciation printables!
THANK YOU, teachers, for all you do! 💖
Free appetizer from Applebee’s
Applebee’s offered a free appetizer to all teachersin 2025. This offer was valid for any appetizer up to $12 with your adult entrée purchase (dine-in only). Just visit a participating location, mention this offer, and present your school ID to your server!
FREE drink from Aroma Joe’s
On May 6th, 2025, Aroma Joe’s gifted teachers a FREE 24oz beverage at participating locations! Just show them your work ID – limit 1 per person.
FREE Atomic Wings’ Chicken Sandwich
Teachers could stop by an Atomic Wings location on May 6th, 2025 and show their school ID to receive any one of their yummy chicken sandwiches for FREE!
Possibe Free Chicken Sandwich or 8-Count Nugget from Chick-fil-A
Select Chick-fil-A locations celebrated Teacher Appreciation Day by offering free chicken sandwiches and nuggets! The availability of this offer did vary by location.
Teachers could enter to win free Chipotle.
Through May 12th, 2025, teachers could enter to win a free entrée e-card from Chipotle. At the end of Teacher Appreciation Week, 100,000 teachers were randomly selected to receive an email to verify their employment status via ID.me.
Teachers who verified their employment status within 48 hours received a free entrée e-card. Winners were notified starting the week of May 13.
Tasty BOGO deal from Insomnia Cookies
Through May 11th, 2025, Insomnia Cookies offered teachers (and nurses!) a buy one, get one free deal on their classic cookies in-store only with a valid teacher ID at the register before checkout. Limited-time flavors were excluded, and you could snag one offer per person.
FREE Krispy Kreme Doughnut
On May 7th, 2025, Krispy Kreme gave ALL guests one free Original Glazed doughnut in shop or via drive-thru at participating shops – limit one per person with no purchase necessary!
BOGO pastries at la Madeleine
On May 6th, 2025, teachers could enjoy BOGO bakery items from la Madeleine. No ID was required to redeem this offer, but it was only available through the Bonjour Rewards app.
Free iced tea from McAlister’s Deli
Through May 12th, 2025, teachers got a free Big Tea at participating McAlister’s Deli locations by showing their badge or ID. This offer was valid in-store for dine-in or takeout orders only – no purchase was necessary to claim your free Big Tea.
BOGO Pizza or Salad from Mod Pizza
Through May 8th, 2025, teachers could score buy one get one free Mod-Size Pizza or salad with their school ID from Mod Pizza.
Free Cookie or Fountain Drink w/ any Entree at Potbelly
Through May 11th, 2025, teachers could score a free cookie or regular-sized fountain drink with the purchase of any entree from Potbelly with their school ID.
Free half-dozen from Shipley Do-Nuts
Through May 6, 2025, teachers could receive a free half dozen doughnuts from Shipley Do-Nuts – no purchase necessary; however, a Do-Happy Rewards membership was needed (free to join)!
Three exclusive deals from Sonic
Through May 9th, Sonic offered their Sonic Teachers’ Circle rewards members (free to join) three exclusive deals: a free Sonic snack or side with purchase, BOGO free Sonic Blasts, and a $1.99 Quarter Pound Double Cheeseburger.
40% off Stanley
In 2025, Stanley gave all teachers and students 40% off select Stanley products when you verified your employment through SheerID!
Teachers got 20% off and a FREE pack of pens at Staples.
Through May 10th, 2025, teachers could score 20% off an in-store Staples purchase with their teacher ID at checkout.
Plus, teachers could also score a FREE 12-pack of True Red Stick Pens with their teacher ID and the coupon available in theStaples app at the store. Note that there was a limit of one free pack per customer, while supplies last. Valid in-store only.
Free combo from Taco John’s
On May 7th, 2025, teachers could score a free small beef Crispy or Soft Shell Taco combo at Taco John’s with their school ID.
10% off one Target purchase.
Through May 10th, 2025, Target offered a one-time 10% off Circle offer on one storewide purchase as a verified teacher or homeschooler! Note that you had to have a Target Circle account to score this exclusive discount (FREE to join).
40% off Tarte Cosmetics.
For Teacher Appreciation Week 2025, Tarte Cosmetics gave all K-12 teachers 40% off their purchase and free shipping when you verified your employment through SheerID!
Free Entree at TGI Friday’s
On May 6th, 2025, TGI Friday’s served teachers a free meal from 11 am – 8 pm at participating locations. You could choose from a cheeseburger and fries, chicken fingers with fries or coleslaw, caesar salad with grilled chicken, half-rack of ribs with fries, or cajun shrimp and chicken pasta.
Free Breakfast Entree from Whataburger
Through May 9th, 2025, teachers got a free breakfast entree from Whataburger with their school ID.
Kindergarten Mom here so new to all this, Do we get a gift for Teacher appreciation Day or do we need to do something for the whole week??? I am LOST
Hi,
Usually I send in one appreciation gift sometime during the week.
Teacher here, parents often do something small each day during the week (fav candy bar, fav drink, handwritten note/picture, new pens/post it’s and then at the end of the week a gift/gift card). Each family handles it differently but at my school that was the most common!
Anything is appreciated I’m sure! Just the fact that you acknowledge them is wonderful! And please don’t forget your school nurse! It’s also nurses week! They are forgotten most of the time.
I’m a middle school teacher, and the biggest thing is the thought! One gift would be lovely, but a drawing from the student or a little note from the parent would be just as sweet! I definitely would not feel pressure to get them something every day of the week.
I have been reading a lot about this on Pinterest and the number one teacher requested item out of all of the articles I’ve read are gift cards. Even if it’s just $5, something just for them. I do come from an area where they ask for something specific each day, however, where we are now they ask for nothing for teacher appreciation week. So, because I love my kids teachers and they are by far the best they’ve ever had, we are sending in something each day. It’s always the thought that counts, but specifically the articles say 70% of teachers would like gift cards. I’m not a teacher, just a caring parent so I had to research a bit. There are a ton of diy projects to do on Pinterest for teacher appreciation week as well and they are adorable. A lot of free printables too.
We do a little something each day, example favorite candy, drink, a sweet note. On Friday we send a card with a message inside from our family and a gift card to their favorite place.
As a K teacher :), one gift is plenty! I think it’s sweet to do something everyday but it feels like a lot to ask parents to do, and for me, a simple gift card or Starbucks card (even $5) is much more appreciated than all the other “stuff” that cost the parents money but I really can’t use. If not a gift card, I just love the sweet notes!
One day
2nd grade teacher here in Idaho. It’s rare and not expected here to get gifts from students during teacher appreciation week. I have only had a few over the years. I feel like teacher appreciation week is the week your district celebrates you. We have a luncheon from our superintendent and school board and gifts/treats from the PTO all week. Definitely don’t feel like you have to send gifts during teacher appreciation week but if you decide to we do of course super appreciate them!
Teacher of 30 years here. Last year was the first time that a parent gave me a gift every day of the week (and she is a teacher!) At my school most parents/children do nothing. A few send in a plant or candy or a nice card–and anything is loved! Some help contribute to whatever the PTO has put together. This and last year they set up a Sign Up Genius to help stock our fridge with a variety of drinks and provide snacks for us to munch on all week.
There isn’t anything that is EXPECTED for families to do–just do whatever is in your heart! 🙂
As a teacher, the PTO/PTA usually does something every day and parents usually give one gift (If they give anything at all). Stay away from mugs, school supplies, and “Best Teacher” items. Stick with gift cards or something personal if you know their favorite food/treat etc. It really is the thought that counts.
Mugs, school supplies and best teacher gifts are what I would love. NOT gift cards!!!!
Are these deals for substitute teachers too or permanent teachers. Thanks
Great question, AS! You could always double check with your locations to be sure on how they will honor it for you. ❤️
I’m hoping they’re for home schooling teachers too! 🙂
No
I used to homeschool my kids and now teach at their school, and I can say that I got these deals both when homeschooling and now when working at a school.
I always asked first and never was told no.
I work at a preschool. Most don’t do teachers week gift because end of the year is coming. But they do help send in stuff for a breakfast for us to enjoy at the beginning of the week. Of course there is left overs. I agree $5 gift cards are great. Remember not everyone loves plants, not everyone drinks coffee and not everyone needs another mug
I always send in one gift for the week. Typically a gift card. Now that I am a teacher at the school I thought it would be interesting to see what most people give. So far I’ve received all items for the classroom. While a gift card would be nice those classroom items are a blessing as well.
I’ve worked for over a decade as an Algebra cyber school teacher. Never got a gift from a single student even though I’m just as qualified (have 2 masters degrees). Cyber school teachers are not recognized for their hard work. Maybe I’ll buy myself a teachers apple mug that in-person teachers complain about.
It’s less common for teachers to get gifts in middle/high school, since kids have so many teachers compared to elementary school. It’s not just the cyber teachers. 🙂 I love the idea of treating yourself! After all, no one gets into teaching (or they shouldn’t at least) for the recognition! Signed, A fellow upper-grades teacher who has sent all kinds of gifts for my kid’s elementary teachers but has never received any
Don’t forget about your paras please!!! They work so hard too!
100% and school secretary and custodian!
And Librarians