Martin Lewis explains how to get free food from Tesco, Greggs and McDonalds
1 September 2022, 14:40 | Updated: 20 September 2022, 16:00
You could get some free food by signing up to a few apps or becoming a mystery diner.
Martin Lewis has been a huge help for thousands of families during the cost of living crisis.
And now the Money Saving Expert has put together some tips on how you can save money on food.
A list on his website shows a list of ways to pick up free food from high-street shops and takeaways such as McDonald's and Tesco.
His hacks include making the most of complimentary snacks and special offers, as well as signing up to newsletters and apps.
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Check out a few of the best tips below:
Sign up to apps
Customers can sign up to Burger King's loyalty scheme to get a free cheeseburger and fries, as well as 200 bonus points.
Those who are a fan of McDonald's can download the app to get 20% off the first time they use it to order, while they could also get freebies such as burgers, fries, veggie wraps and iced lattes.
Greggs is another favourite offering customers signing up to the bakeries app a free hot drink first time round.
Anyone who is on O2 can bag a free coffee from Greggs once a week when signing up to the O2 Priority app, while Taco Bell also offers a free crunchy taco when you sign up to the app.
Become a mystery diner
This is actually a real job and all you have to do is sign up to a mystery-dining firm.
You don't need any previous experience, just good written English, a camera (to take a picture of receipts) and access to the internet so you can file your reports.
Chains like Giraffe, Wagamama and Leon use these mystery-shopping companies to hire members of the public to rate their restaurants.
As well as getting a free meal, some firms even pay their staff to review the food.
These are the companies hiring at the moment:
- Mystery Dining by HGEM
- Service Scan
- Market Force
Tell people it’s your birthday
Some retailers offer free food to those celebrating their birthday if you sign up to their email lists.
For example, Krispy Kreme has a 'Friends of Krispy Kreme' app which bags you a free donut of your choice on birthdays.
Hotel Chocolat also offers a 'surprise gift' for VIP card holders on their big day, while signing up to the Greggs app allows you to get a free sweet treat on your special day.
Share extra food
If you sign up to the surplus food app Olio, it allows users to share food and drinks.
It works by volunteers collecting spare food from shelves and listing it on the app.
After signing up to the app, just select what you'd like and arrange to meet the volunteer.
As well as food being offered by neighbours, many highstreet stores and independent cafes have also signed up, including:
- Pret
- Costa
- Tesco
- Sainsbury's
- Gousto
Buy free food using supermarket coupons
A lot of supermarket coupons and cashback apps provide discounts on specific products, but some are totally free.
The Money Saving Expert website has a full list of coupons and cashback currently available.
