St. Patrick's Day 2022 deals: Save green Thursday at McDonald's, Krispy Kreme, plus find green food

Don’t get pinched this St. Patrick’s Day.

For the traditional Irish holiday Thursday, restaurants are turning everything green from doughnuts to beer and offering Irish dishes, too. 

You can also celebrate the holiday by saving some green and taking advantage of specials.

According to a consumer survey by Numerator, 56% of U.S. consumers plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with 46% of the more than 11,000 surveyed saying they will purchase alcoholic beverages.

It’s also one of the top holidays for decorating with 33% of consumers saying they intended to purchase holiday decorations. Christmas and Halloween are the two holidays that top St. Patrick’s Day, Numerator found.

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St. Patrick's Day's original meaning comes from the Christian saint who brought Christianity to Ireland and "drove the snakes" off of the island. Because of the saint's contributions, the holiday was created in his honor on the day believed to be when he died, March 17.

St. Paddy's Day green food and drinks

Here are the special items and deals available at participating locations Thursday, unless otherwise noted. To be on the safe side, always check with your closest location before heading out. Also, some will require you to have a restaurant's app or be signed up for emails.

Krispy Kreme St. Patrick's free green doughnuts

Krispy Kreme is giving away free green glazed doughnuts dubbed the O’riginal Glazed Doughnut – an Original Glazed doughnut but green – if you wear green to one of its shops Thursday. No purchase is necessary, and the treats are available in-store, for pick-up and the drive-thru while supplies last.

The chain also has a St. Patrick’s Day collection including the Luck O’ the Rainbow Doughnut and St. Patrick’s Shamrock Doughnut.

McDonald’s St. Patrick's Day deals and Shamrock Shake

McDonald's Shamrock Shake and Oreo Shamrock McFlurry are also back for a limited time.

The fast-food chain also has several ongoing deals on its app and with the MyMcDonald's Rewards program. Offers and daily deals can vary by account and region.

Don't have the app? McDonald's says on its website that you'll get a free large fries when you download the app and join MyMcDonald’s Rewards through March 31. Then after your first purchase, you get the choice of Hash Browns, Vanilla Cone, McChicken or a Cheeseburger for free.

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Dairy Queen St. Patrick’s Day treat, Free Cone Day returns Monday

Dairy Queen has a new minty treat – the Mint Brownie Blizzard Treat – for a limited time, while supplies last.

The chain is bringing back its Free Cone Day after a two-year break amid the pandemic on March 21. Get a free small vanilla soft-serve cone Monday at participating non-mall DQ locations. This offer is not valid on digital or delivery orders.

Del Taco free guac for St. Patrick’s Day

Del Taco Del Yeah! Rewards members can add guac to any order for free as long as they order in the app Thursday.

Einstein Bros. Bagels St. Patrick’s Day green shmear

Move over green bagels. Only on Thursday, Einstein Bros. Bagels will have a special green plain cream cheese called the Shamrock Shmear. The cream cheese is available for in-store orders and not for order ahead.

Taco Bell St. Patrick's Day deal: 50-cent coffee

Taco Bell has a deal on its new Cinnabon Delight Coffee Thursday on its app. Get a cup for 50 cents with a $1 or more purchase at breakfast from open until 11 a.m. The offer is “redeemable only via the Taco Bell mobile app for in-store/drive-thru pickup orders, at participating U.S. Taco Bell locations, while supplies last,” according to the fine print.

New Taco Bell  Rewards members also get a free Doritos Locos Taco for joining at Tacobell.com/rewards.

Wendy’s St. Patrick's Day, March Madness deals

Wendy’s has several deals on its mobile app for a limited time. The chain says it is the “Official Breakfast” and the “Official Hamburger” of March Madness.

Deals include:

• $1 Dave’s Single: Through April 10, Wendy’s will have singles for $1 via mobile order on the app. The deal will refresh daily.
• Half-off breakfast: Get half off your entire Wendy’s breakfast purchase when ordered in the app with mobile order through March 31.  The deal refreshes daily.
• $3 off orders of $15 or more: Get $3 off any order of $15 or more through the Wendy’s app through April 10. The deal will be refreshed daily.
• BOGO $1 premium chicken sandwich: This deal will refresh weekly. Buy one premium chicken sandwich and get a second for $1 through April 10 with a mobile offer.

Chuck E. Cheese spring deal

Chuck E. Cheese said its Spring-tastic Family Fun Pack is available through April 24 for delivery or carryout. For $34.99, get two large pizzas, Unicorn Cotton Candy, a goody bag and spring activity sheet, and 250 e-tickets for your next Chuck E. Cheese visit.

Domino's St. Patty's Day deal: $3 coupon for carryout orders

For a limited time, Domino's will give you a $3 "tip" to order your pizza online and pick it up yourself instead of choosing delivery.

Make a carryout order through May 22 and get a $3 coupon code to redeem the following week on a carryout order of $5 or more before tax and gratuity.

Also, earn points to redeem for free pizza with the chain's Piece of the Pie rewards program that you can sign up for at Dominos.com.

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Freddy’s St. Paddy’s Day green food

Through the end of spring, Freddy’s is serving its Oreo Mint Concrete, Oreo Mint Shake and the Oreo Mint Sandwich.

Hungry Howie’s March Madness deal

Hungry Howie’s is offering 40% off any pizza through March 20 with promo code FORTY. The deal is for online carryout orders at participating locations.

Insomnia Cookies St. Patrick’s Day deal

Insomnia Cookies is topping some cookies with green icing for the holiday and through Sunday. Also, buy 12 classics and get six free in-store, for local delivery and through nationwide delivery.

Noodles & Company St. Patrick’s Day BOGO

Noodles & Company has a St. Patrick’s Day deal called “Saving Greens.” Buy any entree and get any free small entrée at all locations.

Sheetz St. Patrick’s Day green mint shake

All Sheetz locations will offer the limited-edition Lucky Green Mint Milkshake for $3.99 now through April 6.

Applebee’s St. Patrick's Day $5 Saintly Sips

Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar has the Tipsy Leprechaun and Pot O’ Gold Colada Saintly Sips available for $5 each.

Chili's Grill & Bar St. Patrick's Day $5 Margarita

Chil's $5 Margarita of the Month for March is the Lucky Jameson, which is made with Jameson Irish Whiskey, Lunazul Blanco Tequila, Triple Sec and fresh sour.

Contributing: Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY

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