“There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” or so the saying goes. Maybe. But for senior citizens, there’s certainly such a thing as a discounted lunch.
In fact, if you look around, you can find senior discounts on a lot more than food.
Seniors can get discounts on clothing, travel, entertainment, even government services. You just need to know where to look. That’s because while some businesses loudly advertise their senior discounts, other deals just take more digging to find.
Or, you could just keep reading.
Today, I’m going to highlight some of the best senior discounts offered up by some of the nation’s best-known companies. Chances are, you frequent at least a couple of these businesses without realizing you could be saving money.
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Take Advantage of These Senior Discounts
If you’re wondering whether there’s a set age where you qualify for a senior discount—there isn’t. Some stores consider seniors to be anyone 55 and older, but some have a higher minimum age requirement, and one business on this list will let you start saving as early as age 50. (Don’t worry; I’ve included the age requirements for every senior discount listed.)
Also worth noting: These are discounts for simply being a senior citizen—you don’t need to be a member of AARP or any other organization to qualify. But you might need to shop on specific days, enter a code online, or request the discount and present an ID.
With all that said: Let’s get started!
1. Kohl’s
Discount department store Kohl’s has more than 1,100 stores across 49 states. These stores mainly sell clothing, kitchen products, bedding, home decor, and toys. The variety makes it an excellent place for holiday shopping.
In addition to its regular series of massive discounts (and Kohl’s cash!), the retailer offers a 15% senior discount on Wednesdays. The discount, which is offered to those age 60 or older (verified by ID), applies to in-store purchases of Kohl’s-only brands and other select brands. (Specific conditions apply.)
2. Michaels
Do you love crafts and whimsical home decor? Well, chances are you’ve at least wandered into one of Michaels’ nearly 1,300 stores across 49 states and Canada.
Michaels offers a 10% anytime senior discount. A customer must be 55 years or older to qualify, and either show a valid ID as proof of age or complete a verification process through the Michaels Rewards program. Unlike many stores, which exclude sale items from senior citizens discounts, Michaels includes sales items. However, certain other exclusions apply, including on custom framing, gift cards, and other items.
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3. Ross Dress for Less
Ross Dress for Less, which touts itself as the “largest off-price apparel and home fashion chain” in the U.S., boasts 1,764 locations in 43 states, Guam, and the District of Columbia. The brand already is geared toward bargain-hunting consumers, so tacking on a senior discount can make its clothes and other wares extremely affordable for seniors on a fixed budget.
Ross’s senior discount program is the 55+ Tuesday Discount, where customers age 55 years or older can receive an additional 10% off purchases. The cashier may ask you for ID to verify your age at the time of purchase.
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4. Goodwill
Goodwill, which has more than 3,200 locations in North America, is a thrift store that primarily sells donated used items. The brand is known for its mission to help people with disabilities gain employment.
Goodwill doesn’t have a company-wide senior citizen discount—many locations do offer a discount, but the discount varies by store or region. For instance, Goodwills in southern California give adults 55 and older a 15% discount on Tuesdays when a valid ID is shown. Goodwills in south-central Wisconsin also have senior sales on the same day of the week, with the same minimum age, but their discount is 10%.
Your best bet: Call your local Goodwill to find out when it offers senior discounts, what the discount amount is, and the age requirement to qualify before you shop.
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5. IHOP
The International House of Pancakes—better known to most as IHOP—has nearly 1,800 locations around the globe. You can find it in all 50 states and two U.S. territories, as well as in 13 other countries. These family-friendly restaurants are best known for their breakfasts … and, as you can imagine, their pancakes in specific.
Senior discounts work a bit differently at IHOP. Rather than a set percentage off one’s meal, there is a menu reserved for people age 55 and older. The menu offers lower prices; sometimes the portions are also smaller, but not always.
For example, the standard menu has a “Thick ‘N Fluffy French Toast Combo” that includes a slice of French toast, two eggs, a choice of two bacon strips or pork sausage links, and golden hash browns. As of this writing, it costs $12.49. Meanwhile, the same French toast option on the senior menu just comes with a slice of french toast and the choice of meat, but it only costs $6.69. Those with a small appetite appreciate not paying for food that will go to waste, but anyone feeling ravenous that day might want to opt for the regular menu.
But again: Not all senior menu meals are smaller. The Fresh Berry Salad listed on both menus has the same calorie count, but it’s currently $4.30 cheaper for people age 55 and older.
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6. Publix
Publix Super Markets is the largest employee-owned company in the U.S. It’s a massive southeast U.S. grocery chain with 1,368 store locations spanning Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Select locations offer grocery store senior discounts. At participating locations, adults age 60 and older can receive 5% off their purchase on Wednesdays.
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7. Walgreens
Walgreens is a massive pharmacy chain with 9,000 stores across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. According to Walgreens’ website, about 78% of Americans have a Walgreens store within five miles of them.
Walgreens offers a 20% senior discount on eligible regular-price items to customers ages 55 and older. This Senior Day discount is offered in-store on the first Tuesday of every month (though the date can change due to the holidays), as well as online the first full week of every month.
Online, you can filter for qualifying items and get the discount through a code. When shopping in person, make sure to ask for the discount at the checkout. And remember: You might be asked for proof of age.
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8. National Parks
While most National Park Service-managed parks are free to enter, some require an entrance pass. However, an America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass (or just America the Beautiful Pass for short) tackles entrance fees and standard amenity fees at lands managed by all of the following:
— National Park Service
— Bureau of Land Management
— Bureau of Reclamation
— U.S. Army of Corps of Engineers
— U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
— U.S. Forest Service
All told, the pass covers more than 2,000 recreational sites across the country.
While the standard price for an annual pass is $80, two types of senior deals are available. You can get an Annual Senior Pass for just $20, or you can get a Lifetime Senior Pass for $80. To be eligible for either of the senior discounts, you must be a U.S. citizen and age 62 or older.
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9. Hertz Car Rental
There are approximately 8,500 Hertz Car Rental locations in 146 countries around the world, including more than 2,900 in the U.S. So whether you’re taking a road trip to see some of the prettiest national parks or flying to a bucket-list country, you can get a car rental.
And if you’re a senior, you can do so at a bargain price.
Hertz offers discounts of up to 20% off base rates for seniors (when verified by government-issued ID), and the minimum age of 50 is about as low as you’ll see for a senior discount. Base rates consist of time and mileage charges and don’t include taxes, fees, and options. Exact discounts depend on the rental dates, length of retail, location, car class, and other factors.
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10. Amtrak
National rail operator Amtrak has 21,000 route miles serving 500 destinations in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and three Canadian provinces.
For travel lovers, this may be one of the best senior discounts. Amtrak offers 10% off for most rail fares. The minimum age requirement for senior discounts varies. Usually, you must be age 65, but cross-border services operated jointly by VIA Rail Canada and Amtrak give the discount to anyone age 60 or older. Note that the deal isn’t available for non-Acela business class, first class, or sleeping accommodations.
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11. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is one of the world’s largest hoteliers, boasting 9,100 hotels and resorts in roughly 95 countries. Discounts for seniors begin at age 60, and the discount rate varies depending on the hotel and date, so you need to play around when looking at pricing.
I tested this out a bit to see what types of discounts were offered. I put in the ZIP code 90210 for July 4, 2024, and sorted the results by distance. Without the senior discount, the Ramada Plaza by Wyndham West Hollywood Hotel & Suites pricing started at $246.98 per night. The Days Inn by Wyndham Santa Monica started at $307.40. I then did the same search while applying senior discounts. The Ramada Plaza rates started at $233.00 (~6% cheaper) and the Days Inn pricing started at $275.50 (~10% cheaper).
To receive the discount when booking online, you need to select the senior discount option in the booking window and the rate will be automatically applied. Alternatively, you can call 800-225-3297 and ask for the senior rate. Upon hotel check-in, you may be asked to present an ID showing your age.
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12. AMC Theaters
AMC is the largest movie theater company in the world, offering 11,000 screens across roughly 1,000 theaters—660 or so of those are located in the U.S.
If you’re looking for senior discounts on entertainment, AMC has you covered. AMC offers discounted rates to anyone age 60 or older, any time of day, any day of the week. When buying tickets online, adults simply select senior pricing at checkout.
The discount isn’t the same for every show, however. For instance, I checked how much a senior would save for a Friday matinee of a popular film. The standard adult price was $12.99, and the senior price was $11.89, meaning seniors would save $1.10. A Saturday night showing of a less popular movie had a price difference of $1.50. A Monday matinee of another movie also had a $1.10 price difference.
It’s not a huge difference overall—most of the discounts are 10% or less—but if you’re planning on seeing a film anyways, you might as well spend less.
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