September 18th turned out to be National Cheeseburger Day, and restaurants across America celebrated with some of the best burger deals we saw all year. From McDonald’s 50-cent double cheeseburgers to completely free burgers at major chains, this food holiday served up savings that made wallets happy nationwide.
If you were craving that perfect combination of juicy beef, melted cheese, and soft bun, that day was your lucky day. Dozens of restaurants fired up their grills with deals that ranged from half-price burgers to buy-one-get-one-free offers.
McDonald’s Led the Charge with an Insane Deal
The biggest news for National Cheeseburger Day was McDonald’s incredible offer. Through their mobile app, customers could snag a double cheeseburger for just 50 cents at participating locations nationwide. That wasn’t a typo – fifty cents for a full double cheeseburger.
This deal from McDonald’s was probably the best fast-food bargain anyone found in 2025. The catch? You had to order through their app, and it was limited to one per customer. But honestly, at that price, who complained?
Burger King Went All Out for National Cheeseburger Day Week
Burger King didn’t just celebrate this day – they made it a whole week of deals. Royal Perks members could score different freebies each day through September 21st, starting with a free bacon cheeseburger on September 18th with any $1+ purchase.
The National Cheeseburger Day celebrations continued with free Whopper Jr. on the 19th, free regular cheeseburger on the 20th, and even a free chicken sandwich on the 21st. It was like Burger King decided to make the entire week about giving away food.
Free Burgers Were Everywhere This National Cheeseburger Day
Dairy Queen joined the National Cheeseburger Day party with a free double cheeseburger stackburger when customers spent just $1 through their app. Jack in the Box offered a free Jr. cheeseburger with any $1+ order, making it super easy to grab a cheap lunch.
Even Sonic got in on the this day action with a buy-one-get-one-free deal on their Double Sonic Smasher burgers. That meant you and a friend could both eat for the price of one burger.
Sit-Down Restaurants Celebrated National Cheeseburger Day Too
It wasn’t just fast-food chains getting into the National Cheeseburger Day spirit. Applebee’s offered any of their handcrafted burgers plus fries for $8.99, which was a steal for a full restaurant meal.
Ruby Tuesday celebrated this day with a single burger, fries, and their famous salad bar for just $8.99. Red Robin continued their Big Yummm deal with a double burger, unlimited sides, and bottomless drinks for $9.99.
The Most Creative National Cheeseburger Day Deals
Some restaurants got really creative with their National Cheeseburger Day promotions. The Melt gave away 1,000 completely free burgers to rewards members – no purchase required. That was basically a lottery for free food.
Wahlburgers offered 50% off all burgers at participating locations, while STK Steakhouse sold their premium cheeseburger for just $9.99. Even upscale places joined the this day fun.
Apps and Delivery Services Had National Cheeseburger Day Deals Too
DoorDash celebrated National Cheeseburger Day with $9 off any Shake Shack order of $25 or more. That was a significant discount that basically covered the cost of a burger if you were ordering for the family.
Most of these deals required customers to use restaurant apps or sign up for loyalty programs, but the savings were usually worth the extra step. Plus, people got notified about future deals throughout the year.
Why National Cheeseburger Day Became Such a Big Deal
National Cheeseburger Day started as a simple food holiday, but it turned into one of the biggest promotional days for restaurants across America. Chains used it as an opportunity to drive traffic, test new menu items, and reward loyal customers.
The timing of this day in September was perfect – it came right after summer ended but before the holiday season began. People were settling back into routines, kids were back in school, and families were looking for easy dinner solutions.
How People Made the Most of National Cheeseburger Day
To maximize National Cheeseburger Day savings, smart customers downloaded apps for their favorite burger chains ahead of time. Many deals were app-exclusive, and people wanted to have everything ready before they headed out for lunch or dinner.
Those who checked the fine print on National Cheeseburger Day deals discovered some were valid only for dine-in, others worked for pickup or delivery, and most had limits on how many discounted items you could order.
Many People Missed Out on These Limited-Time National Cheeseburger Day Offers
Most National Cheeseburger Day deals were only valid on September 18th, though some chains extended their promotions through the weekend. Burger King’s week-long celebration was the exception, but even those deals had daily limits.
The best National Cheeseburger Day deals ran out of ingredients by evening, especially the heavily discounted items like McDonald’s 50-cent burgers. Those who were serious about scoring these deals planned to hit their favorite spots during lunch or early dinner.
People stocked up on those burger cravings because National Cheeseburger Day deals that good only came around once a year. Whether you were team McDonald’s, Burger King, or one of the dozens of other participating restaurants, there was never a better day to celebrate America’s favorite sandwich.
