FastFoodSnob.com

It’s that magic time of year again when the digital calendar rolls over to 7/11: 7-Eleven Day! And why should you care? ‘Cause you get free Slurpees!!

So they’re only 7.11-ounce cups… but you can’t beat free, and it’s hard not to stumble on one of the thousands of locations that could potentially be participating. (Only once did they reject someone in my experience — a whole lotta schoolkids — but otherwise it’s been good.) Just don’t go too late or the Birthday cup supply could run out on ya. (And yes, it’s the company’s 81st B-day, and this apparently marks the 7th year of this wonderful promotion.)

I don’t know what radioactively colored frozen beverage you might be interested in this Friday, but I personally like Coke and Mountain Dew quite a bit… if they’re available (and the machine’s working).

It used to be that finding coupons for McDonald’s was a rare instance in the Sunday paper or a local ad insert. Now the McMarketers seem to be taking a more proactive approach to discounts by mailing promo coupons straight to its desired demographics, and I couldn’t be happier.

I’ve already encountered no fewer than three mailings to Korean Americans — mostly in Korean — including coupons for free Southern Style Chicken Sandwiches and Biscuits, no purchase necessary. While I’ve personally been left out of the biscuit bonanza myself, it would make sense to assume that other ethnic groups were targeted by McDonald’s for their latest product offerings as well. It’s also good to know that friends and family are perfectly willing to donate their mailing-list prizes, even if the food items aren’t exactly best in class. (Free food is still free food.)

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If you don’t have enough places to go this Thursday, add Dunkin’ Donuts to your list, ’cause it’s Free Iced Coffee Day ‘08 — and you’re invited.

The official web site runs down this deal pretty well, so as long as you hit a participating shop between 10 A.M. and 10 P.M. on the 15th, you should be all right. Oh, and I prefer my iced coffee with lots of sugar.

Here’s the rest ah’ the fine print: “Cannot be combined with any other offer. One free small 16 oz. Iced Coffee per person, per visit.” Found the link courtesy o’ CAG.

Stop by any participating McDonald’s this Thursday from 7 to 7 for some “Southern Style” Chicken free when you buy a medium or large drink. No coupons — whoo!

The details: from 7 A.M. to 10:30 A.M., the breakfast choice is the Southern Style Chicken Biscuit, while from 10:30 A.M. to 7 P.M., the chicken of choice is a sandwich. All white meat all the way. I know what I’m eating on the 15th.

And the fine print: “Price and participation may vary, while supplies last. Limit one per customer/per drink order. Not valid with any other offer, discount, coupon or Extra Value Meal. Price of required purchase posted on menu board. Hours may vary by restaurant.” Promoting new products with price cuts always works in my book.

Price: $0.99(+?); paid - $0.00

Promotion: Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day

Location: 1634 Orrington Ave., Evanston, IL, 60202 (map); phone: (847) 869-2640

Rating: 4 out of 5 - good

Eaten: 1 block away

After random tastings of Ben & Jerry’s socially aware fare over the years, it just felt right to swoop in to a Scoop Shop and begin to more systematically sample its sweets. The cone, at least, came free. (As well as the ice cream, though it was hard to tell exactly how much my scoops usually cost, if they cost anything in addition to the cone; the waffle cone was clearly listed as regularly selling for 99 cents). Not encumbered by the restrictions of price, I had come to check out the simple charm of a Chunky Monkey, as B&J’s concoction of “Banana Ice Cream with Fudge Chunks & Walnuts” is known. After making the Chunk my first priority, I had come to learn that it was apparently a favorite flavor of a friend of mine, so the urgency with which I waited ten minutes in line — out the door in downtown Evanston — became all the more acute as the metered minutes ran down for my publically parked car. Thankfully, the Monkey pulled through, oddly pleasing in a way… much like eating banana nut bread even.

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