MILWAUKEE — Some see it as a win-win: boost your immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19 and get free food and drinks for doing it.
The Milwaukee-area businesses below are rewarding customers who get the COVID-19 vaccine with freebies or discounts:
- Black Husky Brewing: free beer to every customer who shows a completed COVID-19 vaccination card
- Dorsia: 25% off a dine-in meal when guests show their vaccination card
- Iron Horse Hotel: free shot of liquor to customers who show their vaccine sticker or card
- Shawarma House: 15 percent off your order if you show your vaccination card
- Up-Down: $5 in free tokens for up to three weeks after customers are fully vaccinated
All you need to do is show your vaccine card.
Black Husky Brewing in Riverwest is handing out a free beer or soda to non-drinkers who get their shots.
"We've given out over 500 free beers at this point," said Co-owner Tim Eichinger.
Black Husky Brewing is also setting up a vaccination clinic to encourage more people to get their COVID-19 shots.
"The Black Husky Double Your Dose Vaccination Clinic will be on Saturday, May 15 and Sunday, May 16 from 12 pm to 6 pm. We will be offering a free beer to anyone who brings in a friend to get vaccinated and a free beer to the person getting vaccinated," said Co-Owner Toni Eichinger.
"It's rewarding people for going out and getting their vaccination. But also, so they can see, that they can actually come into a place where we are still having precautions and you can do it safely," Tim said.
Peggy Williams-Smith, President and CEO of VISIT Milwaukee, says the list of restaurants and bars offering incentives to vaccinated customers is likely longer than the above list.
"Anything that they can do to play a part in giving people an incentive to want to get that vaccination, they're doing," Williams-Smith said.
"I think that the hospitality community that has been hit hardest by the pandemic and absolutely knows that the quickest way to get back to people coming to their establishments in person at the levels they used to, is to reach community immunity," she continued.
That goes for those working in the industry too. On May 7 and May 28, VISIT Milwaukee is hosting Hospitality Vaccination days at the Wisconsin Center.
Both vaccination days take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The agency is encouraging those in the hospitality field to get vaccinated.
For the first appointment, you can enter to win gift cards and for the second, you can enter to win one of two $500 cash giveaways.
"We are urging people who have not yet gotten their vaccination to come down," Williams-Smith.
Some people may need extra motivation to make an appointment and can't turn down a good deal or a freebie. Whatever the reason for the visit, these businesses welcome it.
"We just want to make it feel a little bit more normal for people," said Tim.