Chains Sizzle with Deals on National Cheeseburger Day

Restaurants nationwide marked National Cheeseburger Day on Thursday, September 18, by rolling out steep discounts and freebies on classic cheeseburgers, spotlighting digital loyalty programs and rewarding app users.

The annual food holiday tapped into consumer appetite for value amid ongoing inflation, as chains leveraged limited‐time offers to drive mobile orders and bolster loyalty engagement.

Major Promotions

McDonald’s App Exclusive McDonald’s served Double Cheeseburgers for just 50¢ via its mobile app, limiting one per customer to manage surges and reinforce its digital‐first strategy.

Burger King Royal Perks Burger King rewarded Royal Perks members with a free Bacon Cheeseburger on any purchase of $1 or more, part of a week-long sequence of app-driven deals culminating on National Cheeseburger Day.

Whataburger Free Sides Whataburger treated customers who ordered the #5 Bacon & Cheese Whataburger to complimentary fries or onion rings, redeemable online or through its app.

White Castle BOGO Sliders White Castle offered buy-one-get-one-free Cheese Sliders from September 18 through 21 using code “SAYCHEESE,” drawing fans of its signature sliders to its locations nationally.

App-Driven Engagement

By tying deep discounts to a cultural food celebration, fast-food chains captured customer data and encouraged app downloads. McDonald’s and Burger King both cited past success of app-only promotions in boosting repeat business and streamlining order flow.

Regional and Sit-Down Specials

Beyond quick-service chains, sit-down and upscale venues joined the fray:

  • Dairy Queen gave Rewards members a free Double Original Cheeseburger Stackburger with any $1 purchase through September 19.
  • Shake Shack & DoorDash delivered $9 off orders of $25 or more to celebrate via DoorDash.
  • STK Steakhouse rolled out a 7-ounce cheeseburger for $9.99 in its lounges.

Restaurants structured offers to ensure operational readiness, staggering deals across apps and in-store service windows to maintain quality amid heightened traffic-underscoring the strategic value of food holidays in modern marketing.