Greene King is giving away 30,000 free festive meals to shift workers this Christmas, and you could get a second free meal for a friend or family member.
The pub chain has brought back its Big Christmas Shift offer to thank people who work over the festive period.
But you’ll need to be quick. Applications close at 11.59pm on Monday 16 November 2026, and there are only 30,000 free meals available.
Earn a bit of extra money in your spare time with surveys, offers and other simple tasks you can do at home.
New users can currently get a bonus when they sign up.
Claim sign-up bonusThe meals can be enjoyed at participating Greene King pubs between 2 and 5 December, giving shift workers a chance to celebrate before Christmas.
Who can get a free meal?
The offer is aimed at people who work shifts, particularly those working over Christmas.
Greene King highlights workers in healthcare, emergency services, retail, hospitality and transport, although the offer isn’t limited to those jobs.
You must be aged 18 or over and live in the UK to apply.
Greene King employees, their families and anyone professionally connected with the promotion are excluded.
You don’t need a Blue Light Card to apply, although 10,000 of the free meals have been reserved specifically for Blue Light Card members.
Can you claim two free meals?
Yes. Greene King says shift workers can nominate a friend or family member to join them.
When you sign up, you can provide their details, and Greene King says two vouchers will be sent by email – one for you and one for your guest.
Each voucher covers one free main meal.
You can’t use both vouchers yourself, and they’re not transferable to somebody else.
It’s also worth knowing that the 30,000 figure refers to the total number of free meals, rather than 30,000 people each getting two.
When can you use the free meals?
The vouchers are valid from Wednesday 2 December to Saturday 5 December 2026, during participating pubs’ food service hours.
You can choose a main meal from Greene King’s normal menu or its festive walk-in menu.
That includes options such as a traditional Christmas roast or festive burgers.
However, there are a few restrictions:
- The voucher covers one main meal only. Drinks, starters, desserts and extras aren’t included.
- You must visit a participating Greene King pub.
- You need to show your voucher before paying.
- You cannot combine the free meal with other offers, deals or discounts.
- Each person can use only one voucher per transaction.
Greene King’s published terms don’t say that you need to book a table in advance. However, it’s worth checking with your chosen pub before travelling to make sure it’s taking part and serving food when you want to visit.
The vouchers cannot be used on Christmas Day itself.
Skint Dad says:
Getting two free main meals is a decent offer, especially when eating out can easily add up.
But I’d check a couple of things before making plans.
First, make sure your nearest participating pub is somewhere you can actually get to between 2 and 5 December. There’s little point getting excited about a free meal if you can’t use the voucher.
And don’t feel you need to spend money on drinks or extras just because the food is free. That’s an easy way to turn a freebie into an unexpected bill.
If you’re also looking to spend less on Christmas food at home, we’ve recently looked at Lidl’s £11.11 Christmas dinner for eight, including what’s missing from the advertised price.
How to claim your free Greene King meals
You’ll need to register online before the deadline. You can’t simply turn up at a pub and ask for a free meal.
Here’s how to apply:
- Visit the Greene King Big Christmas Shift website.
- Fill in the registration form with your details.
- Nominate a friend or family member if you’d like to claim the second meal.
- Submit your details before 11.59pm on Monday 16 November 2026.
- Check your email for your vouchers and the instructions for using them.
The number of free meals is limited, so registering before the deadline doesn’t guarantee you’ll get one.
If you’re a Blue Light Card member, check your account for the separate allocation of free meals.
You can also find more ways to save throughout the year in our Blue Light Card discounts guide.
