Applebee’s lists a free birthday dessert for Club Applebee’s members, and the Club page attaches “Minimum purchase of $15 or more, exclusions may apply” to it. Membership is free, and you have to be 13 or older to join.
What Applebee’s Is
Wikipedia says “Applebee’s Restaurants LLC. is an American company that develops, franchises, and operates the Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar restaurant chain.” Because it’s a franchise system, the details a given restaurant honors can differ, and the pages read don’t list exclusions.
How To Get The Applebee’s Birthday Deal
The sign-up page promises it plainly: “Get a free dessert for your birthday when you sign up for Club Applebee’s!” The Club page lists it under “Why Join Club Applebee’s?” as “Free Birthday Treat” and “Receive a free birthday dessert**.” Joining is free: “Becoming a Club Applebee’s member is free and you are the first to know about our exclusive partnerships, offers and new menu offerings.” The form asks for first and last name, email, birthday with the year, ZIP code, a preferred Applebee’s and an optional mobile number, and it marks the birthday with “Birthday is required.”
The $15 Minimum
The Club page’s footnotes read: “*For first time Club Applebee’s subscribers only. Minimum purchase of $15 or more, exclusions may apply.” and “**Minimum purchase of $15 or more, exclusions may apply.” The two asterisks matter. The single star is on the free appetizer given to new subscribers, and the double star is on the birthday dessert, so the $15 applies to the dessert as well. The sign-up page merges both notes into one disclaimer that doesn’t say which gift it covers, so the Club page is the clearer reading.
Other Things On The Form
The age line is short: “You must be 13 years or older to join/participate. Message and data rates may apply.” The text-message number is its own opt-in, and the form’s year list starts at 2013. There’s also a checkbox, “I am a Veteran or Active Duty.” The pages don’t say what it changes. Nothing on either page says when the dessert arrives, how long it lasts or how you show it at the table.
What The Old Post Claimed
An earlier version of this post said the $15 minimum belonged only to the welcome appetizer and that the birthday dessert carried no minimum. On the Club page the double-star footnote sits on the dessert, so that doesn’t hold up. The free dessert for Club members, the 13-and-older rule and the veteran checkbox all match the pages.
What Was Actually Checked
Applebee’s sign-up page, Club page and other terms page were read on 2026-10-08, along with Wikipedia. The Applebee’s site returned an HTTP 403 block page to WebFetch and a plain page fetch, so all three pages were read through headless Chrome. The other terms page has no birthday terms, and none of the pages is dated.
Eligibility and Cost
Club Applebee’s is free to join at 13 or older. The dessert needs a purchase of $15 or more, and “exclusions may apply” is all the page says about those. The pages don’t state whether the offer is limited to the United States.
Q&A
Q: Does Applebee’s give a free birthday dessert?
A: Yes, for Club Applebee’s members, per the sign-up and Club pages.
Q: Is there a minimum purchase?
A: The Club page says “Minimum purchase of $15 or more, exclusions may apply” next to the birthday dessert.
Q: How old do I have to be?
A: 13 or older to join.
Q: Do I have to give my birthday?
A: The form says “Birthday is required.”
Q: What are the exclusions?
A: The pages don’t say.
Compare This To
Chili’s gives a free dessert with a $5 minimum, and Olive Garden says guests can receive a complimentary dessert. Red Lobster gives a choice of dessert or select starters through its free rewards program.
Applebee’s is covered in our guide to restaurant birthday deals, along with how it compares to the rest.
More Information:
Verified against Applebee’s Club page and sign-up page, read first-party 2026-10-08. Programs change their terms often, so check Applebee’s own page before you rely on the details.
