Where can vets get free meals on Veterans Day? See discounts and deals near Lexington
Monday, Nov. 11 is Veterans Day, a federal holiday observed across the country to honor military veterans, and one that has its roots in the end of the first World War.
To honor veterans and their service, businesses and government agencies across Kentucky are offering discounts and deals. The American Legion has an exhaustive list, and we’ve compiled our own based on organizations that have reached out to us. There are free meals, waived fees and even steep discounts on oil changes available.
In many cases, active-duty military and veterans can enjoy these deals and offers. Just note, you may be asked to present a military or veteran’s ID, so bring that along with you.
Lexington restaurants offering Veterans Day deals
The following Lexington-area restaurants are offering Veterans Day deals to active duty and retired service members.
McDonald’s restaurants in Lexington are offering free breakfast meals to current and former military members with a valid form of ID. Options include an egg McMuffin or a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit, along with a hash brown and any size tea, drink or coffee.
These meals are only available via the drive-thru or by dining in, not through the McDonald’s app. McDonald’s serves breakfast until 10:30 a.m.
Grimaldi’s normally offers active service members and veterans 15% off every day, but for Veterans Day, the discount jumps to 25% off for all active, veteran and retired military with a valid form of ID.
Gold Star, which has a Lexington location, is offering complimentary meals of up to $12 in value to all veterans and active duty military Monday. This offer extends to Gold Star’s 60-plus locations across Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.
Guests are asked to provide one of the following forms of ID:
U.S. Uniformed Services ID card or U.S. Uniformed Services Retired ID card
Any veterans’ organization membership card (Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, etc.)
Military commendation, leave or earnings statement
Photograph in uniform
Serviceman or woman in uniform
White Castle locations are offering a free meal to veterans and active-duty military for Veterans Day.
7 Brew Coffee, which has locations in Lexington on Richmond and Harrodsburg roads, is promoting a 25% off discount for veterans on any drink they like. This is provided when they show a valid form of military or veteran ID.
Outside of Lexington, Ruler Foods is offering a 10% discount off in-store orders to veterans and active-duty military who present a valid military ID on Veterans Day. The grocery and home goods store has locations in Kentucky, with the closest to Lexington being in Cynthiana in Harrison County.
Lexington area Jiffy Lube locations advertise 50% off
At several Jiffy Lube service centers in Lexington, veterans and active military personnel can get 50% off any oil change Monday.
This offer is available at the following locations around Lexington:
- Jiffy Lube Lexington, 801 Lane Allen Road
- Jiffy Lube Lexington, 341 Meijer Way
- Jiffy Lube Nicholasville, 4085 Lexington Road
- Jiffy Lube Georgetown, 120 Osborne Way
- Jiffy Lube Frankfort, 141 Arrowhead Court
Louisville Zoo waiving admission for active, retired military
The Louisville Zoo is offering free admission to all active and retired military personnel, as well as their immediate families, on Veterans Day.
To qualify for free admission, service members must present a valid form of ID, such as:
U.S. Uniformed Service ID card
Retired ID card
Current leave and earnings statement
Veterans organization card (American Legion, VFW, etc.)
A photo in uniform
Wear your service uniform in person
Bring a DD Form 214 or a citation or commendation of service
Along with free admission, the offer also extends to 10% off purchases at the zoo’s gift shop and 50% off food and drinks.
Army Corps of Engineers and Forest Service waiving fees
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Wednesday it’s waiving day-use fees at its more than 2,800 recreation areas nationwide to celebrate Veterans Day.
The waiver applies to fees for boat launch ramps and swimming beaches, but not to camping and camping-related services or special facilities, like group picnic shelters.
If you plan to head to one of these USACE lakes, call ahead to make sure the facilities are open. Find a lake near you at corpslakes.us.
Additionally for Veterans Day, the U.S. Forest Service is waiving fees for all visitors at all of the sites it runs within Daniel Boone National Forest. The waiver does not apply to fees for concessions, reserved group-use areas or sites closed for maintenance.
Visitors will not be charged a recreation fee on Veterans Day at the following locations, according to a Forest Service news release:
Cave Run Lake boat ramps
Laurel River Lake boat ramps
Bee Rock Boat Ramp in Laurel County
Clear Creek Boat Ramp in Bath County
Billy Branch Day Use Picnic Area in Rowan County
Natural Arch Scenic Area in McCreary County
Appletree Shooting Range in McCreary County
Keno Shooting Range in Pulaski County
Whitman Branch Shooting Range in Whitley County
Redbird Crest Trail in Clay and Leslie counties
Camping fees will also be waived Monday at the following locations:
Backcountry camping in the Red River Gorge in Menifee, Powell and Wolfe counties
Bee Rock Campground in Laurel County
S-Tree Campground in Jackson County
Great Meadows Campground in McCreary County
Barren Fork Horse Camp in McCreary County
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