Free Food Freebies For Dad's

A few popular restaurant chains such as, Buca di Beppo, Hooters, Shoney's, Spaghetti Warehoue and TCBY are dishing out free food in honor of Father's Day, with hopes that no-cost or low-cost meals in a rough economy will lure in guests who might not otherwise walk through the door.

Unlike other annual celebrations, most notably, Mother's Day, when free food offers have become like annual rituals, Father's Day is just recently beginning to emerge as an excuse by food purveyors to induce frugal consumers to spend their holiday with them.

The problem is that Father's Day isn't typically a big day for the restaurant business because more times than not many dads would rather be flipping burgers on the grill.

According to marketing consultant Tracey Riese, "Mother's Day is often positioned as a splurge day, but, for some reason, children are not expected to treat their fathers on Father's Day,"

The Answer?

Marketers are sweetening the deal with free food.

"Any traffic on a non-restaurant day - in their minds - is a good marketing strategy," said Warren Sackler, assistant professor of hospitality management at Rochester Institute of Technology.

Retailers generally begin the offerings on Father's Day itself, but some are extending it to a day before or after.

Below are some freebies available this Father's Day.

. Yogurt cup. Dads get free, six-ounce cups -- and at some stores, cones -- of TCBY frozen yogurt.

"Many associate frozen yogurt more with female customers, so TCBY is reaching out to dads on Father's Day," said Dustin Finkel, senior director at Famous Brands, which owns TCBY.

. Fudge cake. Shoney's is giving dads its best-selling dessert, Hot Fudge Cake, with entrée purchases.

 "This day is about dads, not us," said CEO David Davoudpour. "We'd either sell thousands of giveaway thousands. We decided to do the right thing for dads on their special day."

. Spaghetti. For the third year in row, Spaghetti Warehouse offers free spaghetti or lasagna entrees (with soup and salad) to dads who bring in downloaded coupons from the chain's website on Father's Day.

" Last year, the 16-unit chain handed out 6,000 free entrees," said  marketing director Kathy Wan.

. Chicken wings. Dads who purchase 10 chicken wings at Hooters on Father's Day will get 10 free.

"Last year, some 20,000 dads came in for the Father's Day deal,"  Dave Henninger, marketing chief said. "It gives infrequent guests a reason to come back and join us."

. Cannoli. For dads who savor cannoli -- the pastry dessert filled with sweet cream --Buca di Beppo, the Italian restaurant chain, will be handing them out, free, to dads with special, downloaded coupons.

The promo's name?  Holy Free Cannoli.