Veterans Day Free Meals
 

If any vets out there are thinking of going to Golden Corral to get the free meal voucher advertised on line.....don't bother. I just went and was turned away with several other vets who were very dissapointed. They told us that they were not participating in any Veterans Day Promotions.. I thought that I could possibly save someone a wasted trip.

They have had a tough year but its a shame the offer was out there and not accepted by them

Just received my 10% veterans discount at Publix today. You have to ask and show proof

The last thing I want to do is beg for a free meal from any restaurant especially this year when there having such a hard time and for those who are about to jump on me . I’m a combat wounded vet and more then once

free meal
 

I 100% agree. The restaurants are struggling and do not need to give away food.

Corporate offering as with any business they don’t have to participate. If you read the fine print it probably says At participating locations.

A blessed day to all Veterans, thank you for your service.

Isn’t that everyday at Lowe’s?

The lady checking us out today at Publix in Spanish Plaines asked. I had my VA ID ready. No problem!

Vet discount
 

Also at Square 1 restaurant.

same here. not sure why?

it's not begging, it's called marketing

THANK YOU for YOUR SERVICE :pray:

First off thank you for your service. I think it’s fantastic when businesses make offers such as this. I find it caring when our vets who don’t need the offers leave them for our vets that really don’t have a lot at all and are in need. Here in the bubble we really are fortunate on our needs being fulfilled most of the time. Others aren’t so lucky and could really use these freebies.

That is a shame because Golden Corral is the closest reminder of the free chow halls I endured when I was stationed at APO 96594 in the late ‘60’s.

I’m with you ! I’m a vet as well and the last thing I would want to do is to go somewhere expecting a free meal !

But hey, this is The Villages and if you see the word “free” on something, people go for it like vultures would go for roadkill !!

To each their own, I guess.....:)

Yes, sign up on their website and then you just give the cashier your phone number. Home Deport you don't to sign up, just tell the cashier and she'll ask for your ID and you get it. Walgreens has 15% with an ID and Bob Evans has 15% and they've never asked for the ID.

I went one time about 8 years ago to Applebees for the free Veterans Day meal. It was nice, but I rather pay and order what I want instead of choosing from 4 choices and sitting at one long table with everyone else.

Golden Corral I never went on Veterans Day, but I did on a regular Easter in 2011 on 466 and paid regular price and said, never again. The line was out the door, they never cut off people coming inside. There was no tables and you have a tray and drinks waiting for someone to leave, and that can be ten minutes or more. It was a real mad house, I would hate to see a free Veterans Day there.

I’ve never been in a place where vets are always looking for a Pat on the back , or more respect or discounts and of course the must have accessories , veteran hat vest T. Shirt you can’t stop talking about something most of you couldn’t wait to get out of , I came from a neighborhood in Boston a population of 38,000 we lost 25 guys we were all the sons of marines and paratroopers if that number ofdeaths had happened ins any other neighborhood with that population the dead from war would have been3 times more ,I never see a hat on any of my friends at home , I’m multi toured paratrooper in nam and spent many more years as a civilian in Laos and Cambodia I didn’t need a parade a Pat on the back or a hat I only needed the guys I worked with there and other countries to respect me . Wearing the I’m a vet hat every day , must be boring . Didn’t you do anything else in your

Went to Chiles in Ocala yesterday expecting a discount and got my meal, my margaritas and my wife's meal and was surprised when the 6 dollar bill came. Thank you Chiles. Tipped the server $10.

DUTY... HONOR... COUNTRY !!

Those are the principles taught to and embraced by every member of the U.S. military. It’s beyond disgraceful that the most senior member of the current chain of command violates every one of those principles, on an everyday basis in one way or another.

My proof of Veteran status is I can break down and reassemble an M-14 in 35 seconds.

Ha ha when I got there in 1960
 

b I was breaking down a carbine m1 and grease guns as the war progressed so did the weapons , by the time I walked up the stairs the day before the fall of Saigon the weaponry was highly advanced and we were still losing although most of us that had been around a long time knew you couldn’t ever win the war and that was in 1967

Yep
 

They told me Clermont might be doing it but I didn't want to drive there. A few other vets had also shown up as well and were turned away. I let corporate know. They probably should have put out an apology to let vets know. I do understand their position but a heads up would have been best.

If I have not said this to you before thank you for your service to our country.

Thanks for the heads up, I was thinking about going over for the certificate. Thanks for your service.

Hubby just said when I read him your post: “Can you be on the ‘wear a mask’ patrol?” (in jest)

When I went through basic in 1970 we had M-16's, but when I finished AIT later that year in preparation for going overseas we played war games for 3 days and they gave us M-14's and blanks. Everybody played Army and fired their blanks off and I gave mine to someone else. When we got done, some sergeant showed us in 30 seconds how to break down an M-14, obviously no one could pick it up that quick, they were all fumbling around for an hour, I waited 10 minutes and turned in my clean rifle in, they said, good job.

I agree. Same here. 2 tours, 2 wars. One VN, one ODS. I find many in VN wanted out big time. I could not blame them. The troopers I served with in ODS were all volunteers and were cream of the crop. Proud to have been in the 3rd AD for ODS. I don't wear any hats or T-shirts for show. But everyone is different I guess.

Please show off if you are a Vet, my cousins served in Desert Storm. All 3 came back.... :) :) :)

Didn’t know about Walgreens? Haven’t been to Golden Corral for couple years. Not big fan of anymore.

My wife maiden name Hurt.

M-14! One Of military finest weapons.

My proof, I can along with others launch 10 52’s, 5 tankers in day and do it everyday 30 plus days. Repaired/assembled thousands jet engine’s. Looked pilot’s in eye after repair before take off knowing I gave them thrust for success. The aircraft that I worked in my 40 some years. B52Ds, Gs, and H. KC, RC, EC, NKC, 135s. E4B, F111D, G, Fs. EF111’s, F14s. Jet Engines. J57 19s, 29s, 43s, Tf33 P3s, 5s, 9s, 102s. CF6-50As, TF30P3s, 5s, 7s, 109s, 111s, and 414s.

Dang, you're old.. :icon_wink:

When I was in we were flying F4's, A-6's, EA-6B's, AV-8B's and still had a few A-5's running around. Then came the F-18's..

Here is another tip , instead of begging for free stuff on Veterans Day you can do what I do every year , I buy flowers , go to a veterans cemetery or one where I can find some vets and leave them on a grave . I go the day before to get out of the way of the photo ops and I don’t have anything on that’s says I’m a vet .

And when I started jumping
 

out of planes they were C119

Not really, I was dinosaur maintainer, our computers was TOs, our brain, and test gauges. except E4Bs (747s) came in service around 1976 tail numbers and Then was only 4 of them.

Only navy aircraft engine I worked was at depot F14’s with TF30’s. They was considered dinosaurs of the fleet, last few remaining before GE engine upgrade.

The last B52H engines I assembled cost around 1.4 million to overhaul In 2014.

I was amazed at the number of Vets that showed up for the free meal at Cody's. I go there often and never saw most of those people who got their free meal and ordered water to drink. THANK YOU CODY'S AND THE OTHER VILLAGES RESTAURANTS LIKE HAVANA AND THEIR OTHER FAMILY OWNED RESTAURNTS FOR YOUR GENEROSITY on Veterans Day. It has been a tough year for all the restaurants and I just hope those people who came for the free meal come back and support the local restaurants. Semper Fi!

Cody’s offered free meals to Vets? Well then, they just became one of my fav restaurants in TV. Talk about class.

I see all your posts re: the China Flu and being proactive in protection. How do you feel about Cody's policy that these meals were not available for take out?

Have you been to Cody's on their busier nights? Wall to wall people. If the vet was in a group in the vulnerable ranges he/she could not take this meal to go and had to consume it there and putting themselves at risk.

What say you an about this?

So why endanger yourself for free meal , wanting a take out meal for free and bypassing the servers who I’m sure are getting stiffed by many is just another form of I’m entitled

Well I won’t be visiting Cody’s personally until it is safer. But I am grateful that they honored the Vets and hopefully they will be still around when this Covid thing is under more control. I will remember.

Which reminds me, the first person who brought Cody’s to my attention is Chatbrat. He seemed always careful but I have not seen him write at this forum for a while. Does anyone know if he and Admiral are ok?