The COVID-19 vaccination drive in the United States has been bolstered by a wide array of incentives offered by businesses, states, and other organisations. These incentives range from free food and drinks to lottery prizes and retail discounts, aimed at encouraging vaccination uptake. This article details the various freebies and promotional offers available to individuals who have received a COVID-19 vaccine, based on information from official announcements and verified sources.
Food and Beverage Offers
Several national food and beverage chains have introduced special offers for vaccinated customers. These promotions typically require the customer to show proof of vaccination, such as a vaccine card, and often have specific timeframes and conditions.
Panera Bread offered a free bagel per day to vaccinated customers from July 2 to July 4, 2021. The offer was valid for in-person orders only, with no additional purchase required. Similarly, Chipotle provided a buy-one-get-one-free entree deal on July 6, 2021, after 3 p.m. for vaccinated customers, encouraging them to bring a companion.
Shake Shack extended a free burger voucher to individuals who received their vaccine at an NYC mobile vaccine bus. The offer was available while supplies lasted and required in-person collection, as online orders or deliveries were not eligible.
For those who received their vaccine at Target, a coupon for $5 off in-store purchases was available. Appointments could be made online. Safeway, Albertsons, and several other grocery chains offered a 10% discount coupon for customers who received their vaccine in-store. A list of all participating stores was available through the White House’s vaccine incentives hub.
Meijer, a supercenter and grocery store chain located in six Midwestern states, offered a $10 coupon for any purchase to those who got vaccinated at its in-store pharmacies. For those already vaccinated, showing a completed vaccination card from any provider at a Meijer pharmacy earned a coupon for $10 off a $50 purchase.
Local restaurants also participated. In Washington, D.C., celebrity chef Jose Andres offered a $50 gift card at several of his restaurants for those vaccinated on or after May 8, 2021. Market Garden Brewery in Cleveland provided 10-cent beers to customers showing complete COVID-19 vaccination cards. Nathan’s Famous in New York City gave a free hot dog on the same day as vaccination. Oak and Reel in Detroit offered a 50% discount, and Rumbleseat Bar & Grille in Chicopee, Massachusetts, offered 20% off all food orders on Mondays for vaccinated customers. Super Duper Burgers offered free fries for sharing a vaccination selfie on social media with the hashtag #covidvaccine.
Retail and Service Discounts
Beyond food, other retailers and service providers have created incentives. Walgreens offered $25 in Walgreens Cash as an incentive for getting vaccinated in-store. If a customer did not have a myWalgreens account, they would receive a $25 Walgreens gift card instead. This offer was valid through July 3, 2021, with appointments available online.
Office Depot and OfficeMax provided free lamination for COVID-19 vaccine cards through July 25, 2021, to help keep the card in good condition.
John Hancock, a life insurance provider, offered 400 reward points to participants in its Vitality rewards program who received their COVID-19 vaccines. These points could be used for perks like discounts on travel, retail, food, and fitness wearables.
The online shopping rewards app Drop offered between $20 and $50 in points to users who shared a vaccination selfie on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook using the hashtag #DropCovid and tagging @JoinDrop. These points could be redeemed at retailers like Amazon and Starbucks.
Entertainment and Sports Incentives
Entertainment and sports organisations have also offered incentives. Up-Down, an arcade chain with locations in six Midwestern cities, gave fully vaccinated customers 20 free tokens, an offer available through the end of summer.
The NFL announced a giveaway for vaccinated fans, with 50 tickets to the Super Bowl in 2022 up for grabs. Vaccinated individuals could also receive a 25% discount at NFLShop.com. NASCAR offered Daytona 500 tickets, while Major League Soccer (MLS) offered a 30% discount on merchandise and a chance to go to the 2021 MLS All-Star Game for vaccinated fans. Some MLB teams were also offering ticket deals for vaccinated fans.
Lottery and Sweepstakes Prizes
Large-scale lotteries have been a significant incentive. The White House partnered with businesses and organisations to offer freebies, including childcare, gift cards, and chances at free flights. States have run their own campaigns, such as Ohio’s Vax-a-Million, which entered vaccinated adults into a drawing for one of five $1 million awards. For residents aged 12 to 17, the lottery offered one of five four-year scholarships to an Ohio state school, including room and board, tuition, and books. An Associated Press analysis found that vaccinations in Ohio increased by 33% after the lottery was announced.
Kroger followed a similar model with its own vaccine lottery. Individuals who received their COVID-19 vaccine at Kroger or its family of stores could register for a chance to win one of five $1 million drawings.
Instacart offered the "Get Vaxxed for Snacks Sweepstakes," providing a chance for free food delivery. Participants had to use the hashtag #DropCovid and tag the company, @JoinDrop.
Travel and Transportation
To address transportation barriers, ride-sharing companies offered free rides to vaccine appointments. Uber pledged free rides on appointment day for those getting vaccinated at Walgreens, part of a larger effort to provide up to 10 million free or reduced-rate rides. Lyft partnered with CVS, the YMCA, and others to provide free rides to vaccine appointments for those in need, coordinated through community nonprofits.
Cultural and Educational Offers
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, Illinois, offered free admission through June for visitors with proof of vaccination. When booking online, visitors needed to select the ticket option "COVID."
Conclusion
A diverse range of incentives was available to encourage COVID-19 vaccination across the United States. These included free food and drink from national chains and local restaurants, retail discounts from supermarkets and pharmacies, entertainment tickets, lottery prizes, and free transportation to appointments. The offers were typically time-bound and required proof of vaccination, such as a vaccine card. The availability and specifics of these incentives varied by state, retailer, and timeframe, and individuals were advised to check the latest information from official sources.