We're reader-supported and only partner with brands we trust. When you buy through links on our site we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn More. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date and time indicated and are subject to change.
Why pay for the most expensive part of your Thanksgiving meal? Especially when retailers like BJ’s Wholesale Club are willing to give you a whole turkey for free.
That’s right — BJ’s is just one of many grocers who will give you the main course without charging you a cent. Though you will have to jump through a couple of hoops to earn the free dish. But it’s nothing too burdensome if you already do your shopping at BJ’s. Here’s everything to know about BJ’s free turkey offer in 2023.
Download The Krazy Coupon Lady app to stay on top of all the latest grocery deals, or text HACKS to 57299.
1. Keep an eye out for BJ’s free turkey offer to pop up around Nov. 1, 2023.
In 2022, BJ’s free turkey offer was released on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. You had to make a qualifying purchase before Nov. 10, and then a coupon for a free Butterball turkey would appear in your digital BJ’s account. You could then claim your free bird between Nov. 12 – 23, 2022.
There’s zero guarantee that BJ’s will follow the same promotional schedule in 2023. But definitely keep your eye out for the free turkey offer starting Nov. 1. If it hasn’t been released by then, odds are it will launch soon after that.
2. Expect to have to spend $150 to earn your free turkey.
Traditionally, BJ’s made you buy very specific items to qualify for a free turkey. But in 2022, they switched things up and let you qualify for the free turkey simply by spending $150 on almost anything you wanted — as long as you spent that $150 on a single order between Nov. 1 and 10. If you’re a regular wholesale club shopper, you know how easy it is to spend over $100 on a single trip, since you’re buying everything in bulk.
There were a number of exceptions that couldn’t count toward that $150 minimum spend, though. In 2022, they excluded these items from the $150 minimum:
- Alcohol
- Tobacco products
- Lottery tickets
- Gift cards
- Gas and propane
- Optical purchases
- BJ’s Travel purchases
- Purchases you had fulfilled through a service like DoorDash or Instacart
- Shipping charges if you were shopping online
3. Remember to clip (and activate) your digital turkey coupon before you buy your bird.
It wasn’t enough to just spend $150 to get your free turkey last year. After you met the minimum spend, the free turkey coupon was uploaded to your digital account. And even then, it still wasn’t active.
You had to actually go into your account — whether you were doing it on a laptop or via the BJ’s app — to clip the coupon and save it to your account. Otherwise, you were going to have to pay for your bird at checkout. That’s not a situation you want to end up in, so be sure to take this extra step before banking on the savings.
4. Get your choice of a fresh or frozen turkey.
BJ’s has a habit of letting you pick between a fresh and frozen turkey for your BJ’s free turkey freebie. The earlier you claim your free turkey offer, the more likely it is you’ll want to buy frozen so it stays fresh until the actual holiday feast.
The only limitations last year were that the Butterball turkey couldn’t be priced at more than $25, and the store had to actually have turkeys in stock during the redemption period (Nov. 12 – 23 last year).
5. Sign up for a BJ’s membership to get access to the free turkey deal.
November isn’t even here yet, but you’re going to want to do the legwork to get free-turkey ready starting now. First, you’ll need a BJ’s Wholesale Club membership, which you can get online. The standard Club membership is $55/year, and the Club+ membership that gives you 2% back in rewards costs $110/year.
Sometimes, you can find a BJ’s membership discount, though. In the past, we’ve seen offers like a Club membership for $20, or a $30 Club membership with an additional $30 BJ’s gift card after signup.
If BJ’s doesn’t have a membership discount directly, be sure to check Groupon. Right now, they’re running a special where you can get a BJ’s Club membership for just $40.
TIP: You can also save money on a new BJ’s membership by using the military discount or teacher discount, which are both 25% off (plus a $10 gift card).
6. Set up your digital account before November.
Even if you’re not big on online shopping, you’ll want to set up your digital BJ’s account ASAP. Last year, if you didn’t have a digital account, there was no free turkey coupon for you.
It’s super easy to get your online portal up and running. Here’s how to do it:
- Visit the sign-in page
- Scroll down until you see the text that reads “Already a Club Member?”
- Click on the “Create Online Account” button and follow the prompts.
7. This is one offer Costco and Sam’s Club probably won’t match.
BJ’s free turkey offer is unique among wholesale clubs. While Costco and Sam’s Club will sometimes give away free turkeys or hams to their employees around the holidays, they don’t usually run a free turkey promotion that’s just for shoppers.
TIP: While Sam’s Club and Costco might not get in on the fun, but plenty of other grocers have free turkey offers during the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.
