A Vietnam veteran says he went to Outback Steakhouse on Veterans Day for a free meal, only to walk out over a Dine Rewards sign-up catch
I’d like to see the ad he saw before walking in.
A Vietnam veteran said he walked out of Outback Steakhouse on Veterans Day after learning the complimentary offer was a Bloomin’ Onion and a Coke. Harry Cable wrote on Facebook that he went home instead and urged others to consider his experience when choosing where to dine.
Outback’s promotion also included a free entrée for a future visit, provided eligible diners used or enrolled in Dine Rewards during their November 10 or 11 visit. The meal reward could be redeemed beginning November 16, rather than on Veterans Day itself.
In a comment beneath his post, Cable characterized the arrangement as a way to get a veteran’s spouse to pay for meals on two visits. “Sorry I’m not that Stupid,” he wrote. Though the promotion’s terms do not require a spouse to come along or buy a meal, Cable’s concern was the cost of dining as a couple.
There was more to the offer than he wanted to accept
“So the ploy is we get your spouse there two times for a full price meal,” Cable wrote of the second-visit requirement.
Veterans who wanted only the Bloomin’ Onion and qualifying beverage did not have to join Dine Rewards. Those who also wanted the Hero’s Meal needed to link an existing account to their Nov. 10 or 11 dine-in check or enroll during that visit.
The reward covered selected steak, salmon, chicken and burger meals with sides. Diners had through May 2, 2027, to use it at participating locations, a detail worth checking with Veterans Day restaurant offers. Taxes and gratuity were excluded.
That gave veterans a choice between taking the appetizer and drink alone or completing the rewards requirements for a later meal. Cable said he declined the offer and went home.
“Free” can have more strings attached than you’d think
A promotion’s biggest selling point may be the free food, while the details that determine when someone can eat it appear farther down. A customer might remember a meal pictured beside “Veterans Day” without noticing that the holiday visit only earns a reward for later.
Other offers attach different requirements to “free.” Dunkin’s September 29, 2026, National Coffee Day promotion offered a complimentary medium coffee, but customers needed rewards membership and a purchase through its app. Its announcement stated those conditions upfront. Someone casually walking in and asking for the advertised coffee would not qualify under those terms.
Including a condition does not necessarily prevent confusion over an advertised deal. The Federal Trade Commission’s guidance says businesses should clearly explain the requirements when first presenting a free offer, so customers understand what they must do to receive it.
Cable did not say which advertisement he saw, so it is unclear what he knew about the offer before arriving. But calling it a “ploy” made his objection clear. He saw the second visit as a way to get him and his spouse spending again, and chose to go home instead.
The Mary Sue was unable to independently verify Outback’s side of the story, as this account originates solely from Cable’s Facebook post.
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