Salute to the Military

Veterans Day brings deals for the military around Dallas-Fort Worth

Tarrant County Veterans Council presents Fort Worth Veterans Day Parade

Veterans Day is on November 11.

Photo by Bruce Zielsdorf

Veterans Day is a chance for all Americans to take a step back and acknowledge the sacrifices that everyone who has ever served in the military has made for our country.

That includes multiple restaurants and businesses across Dallas-Fort Worth, who will be generously showing their appreciation for veterans and their families with special deals on November 11 (or days surrounding it).

Here's our list of the deals they're offering to help military families save a few dollars. This list will be updated regularly as news of more deals comes in.

Unless otherwise stated, all deals are solely for veterans and active-duty military with valid ID.

7 Brew Coffee: The coffee chain, which has 11 locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer 50 percent off all drinks on November 11.
Andy's Frozen Custard: The frozen custard chain, which has over 20 locations throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free, regular size, one-topping sundae on November 11.
Applebee's: The casual restaurant chain, which has over 20 locations through Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free meal on November 11. They can also get a free Budweiser, Bud Light, or Budweiser Zero as part of the "Buy A Hero A Bud" program, although the free beer is dependent on the number Folds of Honor beers bought by guests for veterans prior to Veterans Day. Any unclaimed funds for pre-purchased Buds will be donated to Folds of Honor, which provides scholarships to families of America’s fallen or disabled military as well as families of America’s first responders.
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse: The casual restaurant chain, which has 11 locations throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free Chocolate Chunk Pizookie® with any dine-in purchase of $11.95 or more on November 11. Additionally, veterans will receive a bounce back coupon for a free appetizer, good anytime between November 12 and December 31. It can be used for dine in or take out and is redeemable with a purchase of $14.95 or more.
Black Sheep Coffee: The coffee chain, which has three locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free medium filter coffee on November 11.
Blaze Pizza: The pizza chain, which has eight locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free one-topping pizza on November 11.
Bombshells: The military-themed bar and breastuarant, which has locations in Dallas and Arlington, is offering a 20 percent discount on the entire menu.
Cantina Laredo: Mexican food chain, which has locations in Frisco and Addison, will offer an entrée of the guest's choice, up to a $30 value, on November 11. The deal is not good at the airport locations.
Charleys Cheesesteaks: The cheesesteak chain, which has over 20 locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free regular-sized Gourmet Fry on November 11.
Chili's: The casual restaurant chain, which has many locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, is offering a free meal from a limited menu at participating locations for dine-in only. Customers should contact their preferred location to confirm participation.
Chipotle Mexican Grill: The fast casual Mexican food chain, which has is everywhere around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a buy one, get one free deal on entrées on November 11. The deal is only good for those who order in-restaurant; app orders do not apply.
Cicis Pizza: The pizza chain, which is everywhere around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free adult buffet on November 11. The deal is good for dine-in only and does not include a drink.
Cotton Patch Cafe: Casual dining restaurant chain, which has 15 locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free Chicken Fried Steak or Chicken Fried Chicken on November 11 for dine-in only orders.
Cracker Barrel: The homestyle restaurant, which has 13 locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free Sunrise Pancake Special on November 11.
Dave & Buster's: The entertainment complex, which has four locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free entrée (up to $20 value) and a $10 Power Card on November 11. In addition to the Veterans Day offer, Dave & Buster’s provides an evergreen 15 percent discount on food and non-alcoholic beverages for veterans and active military year-round.
Dog Haus: The hot dog restaurant chain, which has four locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free Haus Dog on November 11. The deal is good for dine-in only.
El Chico: Fast casual Mexican food chain, which has three locations in Pantego, Richland Hills, and Rockwall, will offer an entrée of the guest's choice, up to a $25 value, on November 11.
Firebirds Wood Fired Grill: The casual restaurant chain, which has three locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a complimentary lunch or dinner when dining with a guest on November 11.
Firehouse Subs: The sandwich chain, which is everywhere around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer buy-one-get-one free for any size sub on November 11.
Ford's Garage: Plano restaurant with vintage Ford Motors auto theme will offer a choice of one free American Standard Burger or one entrée up to $15 on November 11.
Fort Worth Botanic Garden: The garden will offer free admission for all visitors on November 11.
Fritz's Adventure: The rock climbing/ropes course venue in The Colony will offer free admission, November 8-11.
George W. Bush Presidential Museum: The museum honoring former President George W. Bush will offer free admission to all visitors on November 11, with extended hours from 9 am-8 pm.
Golden Corral: Buffet chain, which has nine locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free “thank you” buffet and beverage on November 11 from 4 pm to close.
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill: Greek restaurant chain, which currently has three locations in Dallas-Fort Worth (with three more on the way), will offer 25 percent off all gyros and gyro combo meals on November 11.
Grimaldi's Pizzeria: The pizza chain, which has eight locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer 25 percent off on November 10 and 11. If you can't make it on Veterans Day, they offer 15 percent off for veterans every day of the year.
Hutchins BBQ: The barbecue restaurant, which has locations in McKinney and Frisco, will offer a sandwich (pulled pork, smoked turkey, house-made sausage, or sliced or chopped brisket), along with a side and a beverage.
John Wayne: An American Experience: The Fort Worth museum dedicated to the late actor, John Wayne, will offer free walk-in admission, November 8-11.
Kolache Factory: The kolache restaurant, which has four locations in the Dallas area, will offer one free kolache and any size coffee on November 11. Offer excludes croissants, Polish varieties, and espresso drinks.
Kona Grill: The upscale casual restaurant chain, which has one location in Dallas, will offer a free entree up to a $75 value on November 11.
La Madeleine: The casual French restaurant chain, which has 17 locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free entrée on November 11.
Lazy Dog Restaurants: Casual restaurant chain with six DFW locations including Addison and Euless, will offer a free Fireside Favorite on November 11. Guests can choose from one of six entrees, with each meal paired with a signature S’mores Brownie Sundae.
Logan's Roadhouse: The casual restaurant chain, which has locations in Hurst and Burleson, will offer a free lunch from 11 am to 3 pm at participating Logan’s locations on November 11. Guests can choose from a special menu of fan favorites that includes a cheeseburger, chicken tenders, a pork chop, and more. Contact the preferred location for availability of deal.
Luckys Café: Oak Lawn diner will offer an entrée of the guest's choice, up to a $25 value, on November 11.
Malibu Jack's: The entertainment park in North Richland Hills will offer a free Unlimited Attractions Pass from November 8-11, allowing guests to experience a full day of fun at the park’s go-karts, rides, and more.
Maple Street Biscuit Company: The casual Southern cafe chain, which has one location in Mansfield, will offer 10 percent off on November 11.
Mo’ Bettahs: The casual Hawaiian restaurant chain, which has 10 locations throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer $5 off in-store or on the app on November 11.
MOD Pizza: The pizza chain, which has 11 locations throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer 50 percent off a MOD-size pizza or salad on November 11.
National Medal of Honor Museum: The Arlington museum will offer free admission to veterans on November 11; the museum is free for active-duty military every day.
Ojos Locos Sports Cantina: The Mexican food chain, which has six locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer 20 percent off all food items on November 11.
Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom: The pizza restaurant, which has one location in Fort Worth, will offer a free meal from a select menu with purchase of a beverage on November 11. The deal is good for dine-in only.
Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa: The golf course, run by PGA of America, will offer two free PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) clinics on November 11. Veterans and active duty military can also receive other discounts from November 8-11, including, 25 percent off at Ice House and Lounge by Topgolf (excluding alcohol), a 20 percent discount at PGA Shop, and one free tee time on The Swing on November 11 from 9 am-3 pm.
Overeasy: The brunch restaurant inside The Statler Hotel will offer a free entrée on November 11.
Outback Steakhouse: The steak chain, which has 17 locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free Aussie 3-Course Meal on November 11. The deal is good for dine-in only.
Panther City BBQ: The Fort Worth barbecue restaurant, which is normally closed on Tuesdays, will offer 100 free bagged lunches from 11 am-12 pm on November 11.
Parry's Pizzeria & Taphouse: The pizza chain, which has four locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer free entrée options on November 11.
Perry's Steakhouse & Grille: The steakhouse chain, which has three locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free dinner-cut pork chop on November 11 from 4 pm to close when accompanied by a guest purchasing one dinner entree. If dining alone or with other veterans, veterans will receive a dinner-cut pork chop for half off original price. The deal is good for dine-in only.
PF Chang's: The fast-casual Chinese food chain, which has eight locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer free lunch on November 11 from 11 am to 3 pm. The deal is good for dine-in only.
Pluckers Wing Bar: The chicken wing chain, which has nine locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free meal, including an entrée, side, and non-alcoholic beverage (up to $16 value) on November 11. The deal is good for dine-in only.
Rusty Taco: The taco chain, which has six locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free 2-Taco Combo (two tacos, one side, and a drink) on November 11.
Salad and Go: The quick salad chain, which has 16 locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free salad or wrap on November 11. Starting November 12, veterans and active duty military will be offered a daily discount of 10 percent.
Savvy Sliders: The burger chain, which has locations in Dallas and Fort Worth, will offer one free Original or Fried Chicken Slider on November 11. The deal is good for dine-in only.
Simply Fondue: The fondue restaurant in Fort Worth will offer 25 percent off meals, November 9-12. The deal is only being offered at the Fort Worth location, not Dallas.
Sleep Number: The mattress retailer, which has eight locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer 10 percent off the entire purchase, November 4-17. The deal is stackable with other offers.
Smoothie King: The smoothie chain, which has 26 locations in the San Antonio area, is giving away free 20-ounce smoothies, no purchase necessary. The deal is available from noon-3 pm on November 11 and includes three patriotic picks: Strawberry X-Treme (red), Slim-N-Trim Vanilla (white), and Blueberry Heaven (blue).
SPCA of Texas: The animal shelter in Dallas will offer free pet adoptions on November 11. The deal is only good at their main location, not at partner PetSmart locations.
Starbucks: The coffee chain, which has locations everywhere, will offer will offer a free tall (12 fl oz) brewed coffee (hot or iced) at participating stores on November 11.
STK Steakhouse: The steakhouse chain, which has one location in Dallas, will offer a free entree up to a $75 value on November 11.
SusieCakes: The cupcake chain, which has three locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free cupcake of the customer's choice on November 11.
Teriyaki Madness: The casual Japanese chain, which has one location in Denton, will offer a free bowl of the customer's choice on November 11.
Thirsty Lion Scratch Kitchen: The gastropub chain, which has four locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer one free entree from its Veterans Day menu, including Pork Carnitas Salad Bowl, Cheeseburger, Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich, and more.
Torchy’s Tacos: The taco chain, which has 18 locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free taco and non-alcoholic beverage on November 11.
Twin Peaks: The breastaurant chain, which has 11 locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free lunch (11 am-3 pm) from a select menu on November 11.
Walgreens: The drugstore chain, which is everywhere around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a 20 percent discount on regularly priced products, November 8-11.
Whataburger: The fast food chain, which is everywhere around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free cup of coffee every day and a free taquito every Tuesday during breakfast until December 30.
Whitewater Car Wash: The car wash chain, which has 20 locations throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a free Premium car wash on November 11.
WorldSprings: The wellness destination chain, which has one local location in The Colony, will offer 50 percent off full day soaks on November 10 and 11. The deal is good for anyone booked under the same account in advance through WorldSprings' verification partner, GOVX; walk-in guests cannot get the deal.
Yogurtland: The frozen yogurt chain, which has nine locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, will offer a 15 percent discount on November 11.

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Texas will always love you

Superstar Dolly Parton dies at 80, with a legacy that includes Texas

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

Dolly Parton performed in a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders uniform for the Cowboys' 2023 Thanksgiving Day halftime show in Arlington.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Dolly Parton, the country music icon whose soaring vibrato vocals, poignant songwriting and sparkling costumes defined her rise from a log cabin in the Tennessee mountains to the height of stardom and acclaim, has died. She was 80 years old.

Parton died peacefully Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee, her publicist said in a statement. A cause of death was not disclosed.

Known for her curvy physique, massive blond wigs and skin-tight outfits that served her self-deprecating wit, she was among the most beloved personalities in music and beyond — the rare celebrity whose appeal transcended generations, geography and politics.

She wrote hundreds of songs, including classics like “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You,” that totaled more than 100 million worldwide sales and more than 1 billion online streams. Parton, who plucked bejeweled banjos, guitar and dulcimers with her long fingernails during performances, was a generous philanthropist and successful businesswoman whose projects included a theme park in the Smoky Mountain foothills near her birthplace.

Her career was forever influenced by her upbringing as one of 12 children born into what she called a “dirt poor” Tennessee family. She started her education nonprofit, Imagination Library, to send free books to children in Tennessee because her father, who quit school to work on the farm, struggled to learn to read.

Parton's first musical performances were in church, where her grandfather was a preacher. By age 10, she was learning guitar and singing on local television shows. At 13, she appeared on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, where Johnny Cash introduced her as “a little girl here from up in East Tennessee.”

With a suitcase of songs, she followed her uncle, Bill Owens, also a songwriter, to Nashville after graduating high school in 1964. Fred Foster, who produced Roy Orbison, Willie Nelson and more, saw her potential and got her songs cut by other artists, as well as recording and releasing Parton singing her own material. By the mid-1970s, Parton was a Nashville queen.

Parton's partnership with Porter Wagoner, a pencil-thin pompadoured star with flashy rhinestone outfits, was key to her career. She honed her acting skills on his syndicated TV show and he advocated for her to get a record deal at RCA. Their first duet, “The Last Thing On My Mind,” was released in 1967, the same year she started her own publishing company.

She got her first No. 1 solo single with “Joshua,” and reached the Top 5 with the ballad “Coat of Many Colors,” about how her mother sewed together scraps of clothes to make a coat Parton wore “so proudly” even as her peers mocked her for being poor. The song, with its Biblical references and ode to maternal love, was later made into a children’s book and a TV movie.

In 1973, she had the hit that made her career — “Jolene,” a country music standard with its steady, churning rhythm and Parton's repeated delivery of the title as she pleads for the woman not to steal her man.

A pop crossover star
She followed “Jolene” with a huge hit in 1974, “I Will Always Love You,” an ode and farewell to Wagoner that helped her win the Country Music Association’s female vocalist of the year back-to-back in 1975 and 1976. She famously turned down Elvis Presley, who wanted to record it, because she would not share publishing rights.

Decades later, Whitney Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You” became a smash for the soundtrack of her 1992 film “The Bodyguard,” and broke sales records. Houston won a Grammy for her performance in 1994, presented to her by Parton.

“Here You Come Again,” a pop crossover hit and one of the few she didn’t write, further established Parton as a multi-genre entertainer and brought her first Grammy Award in 1979.

“A lot of people thought I had totally lost my mind,” she told The Associated Press in 1979 of changing her singing style. “But I had no fear of change. I expected success, but I was braced for failure. I didn’t care if people thought I was wrong. In my own heart, I knew I was doing the right thing.”

Parton's other crossover hits included the title song from “9 to 5,” the 1980 comedy starring Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin; and her duet with longtime friend Kenny Rogers, “Islands in the Stream,” written by brothers Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees. In 1987, she collaborated with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris on the million-selling “Trio” album.

Down home charm
For millions of fans, she was simply “Dolly,” a mixture of Southern charm, humor and glamour. But she was also considered a feminist role model for holding the reins of her own career, writing her own songs, owning her content and looking after her finances in an entertainment world dominated by men.

Parton was open to making fun of herself; when she hosted “Saturday Night Live” in 1989 she told the writers that her only restrictions were she wouldn’t curse and she wouldn’t make fun of Jesus. She regularly joked about her breasts or her dumb blonde appearance, but with a wink that she was the one controlling the laughs.

Throughout her career, she embraced her glamorous style, often wearing custom curve-hugging rhinestone dresses and bodysuits even if they drew tsk-tsks from others in the industry. Her look was always a part of her larger musical business plan.

“I knew my songs were good even if I had been ugly as sin,” she told the AP in 2014. “So I thought, ‘Well, I would have probably chose to look this way even if I had been a waitress.’ I mean, this is my look. I mean, I like a lot of makeup. I like a lot of hair. I like flashy clothes. I like to show it off. But that’s just who I am.”

She married Carl Dean, an asphalt paving contractor, in the mid-1960s; they were together until his death in 2025 at the age of 82. Though rarely seen in public, he was an influence on her career. She told NPR that she wrote “Jolene” about a flirty bank teller who seemed to take an interest in Dean.

‘9 to 5’ to Hollywood and Broadway
In her first major film role, Parton played alongside Fonda and Tomlin as office workers who rebel against their tyrannical boss in “9 to 5.” Critic Roger Ebert called her a “natural-born movie star” and the title song earned her two Grammy Awards and a ranking of 78 on the American Film Institute's list of top 100 movie songs. Starring roles in “The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas” and “Steel Magnolias” followed.

Her love affair with TV and film continued for decades, with appearances alongside her goddaughter Miley Cyrus on “Hannah Montana” and adaptations of her music for Christmas specials, films and streaming series. She also became an author, her books ranging from the memoir “Dolly” to a bestselling novel co-authored by James Patterson, “Run, Rose, Run."

The stage adaptation “9 to 5: The Musical” debuted in 2009, and “DOLLY: A True Original Musical” is set to open Jan. 19, 2027, on what would have been her 81st birthday.

United States of Dolly
Beyond her music, Parton’s most lasting legacy might be her generosity and broad appeal.

When a deadly wildfire swept through the Smokies in 2016, she held an all-star telethon and set up a foundation that sent monthly checks to residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed.

She opened up her Dollywood theme park in East Tennessee, a major economic driver in Appalachia that draws tourists from around the country, and established the Dollywood Foundation. She wrote books and memoirs, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and was given a lifetime achievement award by the Recording Academy. She was selected for the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2025.

With 55 Grammy nominations and 10 wins, Parton is the third-most nominated woman in Grammy history, only behind Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.

Parton spanned social and political divides, through multiple generations of fans, urban and rural and in between. In tumultuous election years, it wasn't uncommon to see “Dolly for President” shirts. But she was strict in not voicing her own political beliefs.

When the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation sent out a ballot in 2022 with her name on it, though she said she felt she hadn't earned it, the voters answered with a “Hello, Dolly." Parton showed up to the induction ceremony, performed and then put out a rock album.

Ties to Texas
Though Parton didn't live in Texas, it was more than her Southern charm that tied her to the Lone Star State. Her campy persona and many ties to the state endeared her to Texans. The most famous was her lead appearance in the 1982 musical comedy film, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, which took place in a fictional town but was filmed on location around Austin.

But with such a long career — in which she was active until her death — there are plenty more Texas connections to look back on.

She co-wrote and filmed the 1991 TV movie Wild Texas Wind at the historic Broken Spoke in Austin. In 2016, she looked back fondly on "[all] the wonderful people in Austin and what a good time we had living there during that period."

"It was just a wonderful time," Parton said. "It was a sad ass story as you know. Gary Busey played an abusive husband. But we really had a lot of fun, and I was proud to be part of that.”

Parton also had a close relationship with Texas country music icon Willie Nelson. The two met in Nashville, and the two country singers later collaborated on some tunes, including their first duet, "From Here to the Moon and Back," in 1982. More than 50 years after their time in Nashville, Parton spoke on the relationship after winning the prestigious Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2016 CMA Awards Show.

"Well, I love Willie as much as I love anybody outside of my own family, and he feels like family to me," said Parton. "... We used to sit out in the same building and write songs for the same publishing company and record for the same record label, and we've known each other for a long time."

The pair collaborated on a 1977 tour.

Parton had many appearances in Dallas-Fort Worth, including as co-host (with Garth Brooks) of the ACM Awards in Frisco in 2023. During the broadcast, Parton sang rock 'n' roll, wheeled a goat on stage, and Facetime'd with Willie Nelson.

In one of her last and most memorable Texas appearances, Parton headlined the 2023 halftime show between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Her performance became as buzzed-about for her wardrobe choice - the iconic, skimpy Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders uniform - as it did for her musical delivery. "Well, hello, Dallas! Dolly does Dallas. You like my outfit?" she asked the adoring crowd from the stage.

Her appearance even got its own segment, appropriately titled "9 to 5," in the hit Netflix docu-series America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

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Stephanie Allmon Merry contributed to this report.

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