National Cheeseburger Day is Friday, September 18, and some of the country’s biggest burger chains are marking the occasion with $1 burgers, freebies and buy-one-get-one deals.
Some of the strongest offers come from Smashburger, McDonald’s, Five Guys, Dairy Queen and Burger King, but don’t head to the drive-thru without checking the fine print first. Many of this year’s deals require a restaurant rewards account, mobile app or minimum purchase, and participation can vary by location.
If you’re trying to score lunch or dinner without blowing the week’s dining-out budget, here are some of the best National Cheeseburger Day deals we’ve found for 2026.
$1 and $1.99 Cheeseburger Deals
Smashburger: SmashRewards members can get an eligible single Smash for $1 at participating U.S. locations on September 18. The Smoked Brisket Bacon Smash is excluded from the promotion.
Sonic: Get a Jr. Double Cheeseburger for $1.99 on September 18 when ordering in-store or through the Sonic app.
Wendy’s: Wendy’s Rewards members can get a Dave’s Single for $1.99 with any purchase on National Cheeseburger Day.
Jack’s: If you live near one of the regional chain’s locations, $1 cheeseburgers are available after 2 p.m. on September 18.
Those are among the easiest offers to compare because you know almost exactly what the burger will cost before placing your order.
Free Burgers With a Purchase
McDonald’s: MyMcDonald’s Rewards members can get a free Double Cheeseburger with a purchase of at least $1 through the McDonald’s app at participating restaurants.
Dairy Queen: DQ Rewards members can get a free single Original Cheeseburger Signature Stackburger with an app order of $1 or more. The promotion has been available since September 14 and ends September 18.
Burger King: Royal Perks members can get a free Bacon Cheeseburger with a purchase of $3 or more through the Burger King app or website.
Jack in the Box: Rewards members can get a free Jr. Cheeseburger with a $1 minimum purchase on September 18.
Whataburger: Rewards members can receive a free Bacon & Cheese Whataburger Jr. when purchasing a medium fry and medium drink. Members who redeem the offer are also entered for a chance to win Whataburger for a year.
The word “free” deserves an asterisk here because most offers require another purchase, so compare the total checkout price rather than choosing a restaurant solely because its burger costs $0.
Buy-One-Get-One Burger Deals
Five Guys: Through September 18, customers can buy one burger and receive another burger of equal or lesser value free when ordering through the Five Guys app or website with promo code BOGOBURGER.
Buffalo Wild Wings: Buy one regular-priced cheeseburger and receive a second burger of equal or lesser value free at participating locations on September 18. Use promo code BURGERDAY.
MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes: MOOYAH Rewards members can claim a buy-one-get-one burger offer through the chain’s app on September 18.
White Castle: The celebration lasts longer here. From September 18 through September 21, customers can buy one Cheese Slider and receive a second free using the restaurant’s coupon in-store or code BOGOCHEESE online.
BOGO offers can provide some of the day’s largest dollar savings if you’re already feeding two people, but they’re much less useful if buying the first full-price burger wasn’t in your budget.
More National Cheeseburger Day Discounts
Applebee’s: Get a Classic Burger or Classic Cheeseburger with fries for $8.99 on September 18. Applebee’s says the promotion is available for dine-in and To Go at participating restaurants, but not through third-party delivery services.
Ruby Tuesday: Participating locations are offering a burger with fries for $6.99.
Wayback Burgers: Get a Single Cheeseburger for $3.50, with a limit of two per order.
Checkers and Rally’s: Participating restaurants are offering a Big Buford for $3 through September 18.
Shake Shack: Get a single ShackBurger or Cheeseburger for $5 with a purchase using promo code BURGERDAY through the Shack app, website or participating in-restaurant kiosks.
BurgerFi: Buy a BurgerFi Double Cheeseburger and get a second for $1 at participating restaurants, with up to two redemptions per customer.
Carl’s Jr.: My Rewards members can get an eligible burger for 50% off with the purchase of a Hand-Scooped Ice Cream Shake through September 18.
Denny’s: Buy one qualifying burger and receive a second for 50% off on September 18.
Availability and participation can vary, particularly with franchise-operated restaurants, so check the restaurant’s app or your nearest location before making a special trip.
Don’t Spend $8 to Get a “Free” $3 Burger
National Cheeseburger Day can save you money, but only if you compare the total required purchase instead of focusing on the word “free.”
McDonald’s and Jack in the Box require only a $1 purchase for their freebies, while Burger King’s minimum is $3 and Whataburger requires both medium fries and a medium drink. A BOGO offer such as Five Guys can make more sense for two people already planning to eat there, while Smashburger’s $1 burger may be a better fit for someone buying lunch alone.
It’s also worth opening the restaurant app before leaving home because many of these promotions require rewards membership, digital ordering or a specific promo code.
And resist turning a $1 burger into a $12 meal with sides, drinks and extras you weren’t planning to buy. The best National Cheeseburger Day deal is ultimately the one that actually lowers what you would have spent anyway.
Which National Cheeseburger Day deal are you grabbing this year? Tell us in the comments.
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