8 best Veterans Day sales of 2016

Without the hype and hysteria surrounding Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Veterans Day is often overlooked as a shopping holiday.

But while Veterans Day weekend may pass without stampedes of shoppers and brawls over TV sets, the holiday does see its share of excellent sales.

During Veterans Day weekend, major retailers release some of the month's best deals on home goods, apparel and other products. Shop Veterans Day sales, and you can kick off your holiday shopping long before the malls swarm with chaotic crowds.

[See: 6 Ways to Treat Yourself on a Budget.]

To help you catch these spectacular pre-Black Friday sales, we've rounded up a guide to some of the year's best. Before you start shopping this weekend, make sure that you have this list of the eight top Veterans Day sales in hand.

Veterans Day Free Food

Remember: Retailers aren't the only businesses offering deals on Veterans Day. Restaurants and treat shops are also joining in the celebrations, offering free food and other goodies to service members. A handful of the hundreds of Veterans Day food freebies include:

• A free meal from a special Veterans Day menu at Applebee's.
• A free stack of red, white and blue pancakes at IHOP.
• A free double chocolate fudge Coca-Cola cake at Cracker Barrel.
• A free appetizer or dessert at Red Lobster.
• A free small coffee or tea from Peet's Coffee & Tea.
• A free draft beer or $5 off your check at World of Beer.
• A free haircut at Great Clips.

Copyright 2016 U.S. News & World Report