Hooters Celebrates 43 Years with April Fools' Day Wing Deal

Other restaurants offer real discounts and freebies for the prankster holiday

Mar. 30, 2026 at 7:52pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a stack of Hooters chicken wings repeated in a tight grid pattern, capturing the celebratory and playful nature of the restaurant's April Fools' Day promotion.Hooters celebrates its 43rd anniversary with a special April Fools' Day wing deal, embracing the prankster spirit of the holiday.Clearwater Today

Hooters, the Florida-based restaurant chain, is celebrating its 43rd anniversary on April Fools' Day 2026 by offering a one-day, dine-in-only discount of 10 bone-in or boneless wings for $3.99 with the purchase of a drink. While April Fools' Day is known for pranks, several other restaurants are also running legitimate deals and discounts for the holiday, including BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse, Dairy Queen, Domino's, Dunkin' Donuts, and Dutch Bros.

Why it matters

The origins of April Fools' Day are shrouded in mystery, but the tradition of playing pranks and jokes on the first day of April has endured for centuries. As the holiday approaches, many businesses are looking to capitalize on the spirit of the day by offering special deals and promotions, blurring the line between real offers and playful deception.

The details

Hooters was founded on April 1, 1983, and to celebrate its 43rd anniversary, the restaurant is offering a special wing deal for dine-in customers on April Fools' Day 2026. Other restaurants, such as BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse, Dairy Queen, Domino's, Dunkin' Donuts, and Dutch Bros, are also running legitimate discounts and freebies for the holiday, including a unique Pizookie flavor, Blizzard deals, and free stickers.

  • Hooters was founded on April 1, 1983.
  • Hooters' 43rd anniversary is on April 1, 2026.

The players

Hooters

A Florida-based restaurant chain that was founded on April Fools' Day in 1983.

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse

A restaurant chain that is offering a special Pizookie deal for dine-in customers on April 1, 2026.

Dairy Queen

A fast-food chain that is offering a Blizzard deal for its rewards members from March 30 to April 26, 2026.

Domino's

A pizza chain that is offering a deal on pizzas with up to 7 toppings through April 6, 2026.

Dunkin' Donuts

A coffee and donut chain that gave away free coffee to 1,000,001 customers on April Fools' Day 2025 and is likely to run a similar promotion in 2026.

Dutch Bros

A coffee chain that is offering a free sticker with any drink purchase on April 1, 2026, starting at 5 a.m.

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What’s next

Customers should check with their local Hooters, BJ's, Dairy Queen, Domino's, Dunkin' Donuts, and Dutch Bros locations to confirm the availability and details of the April Fools' Day deals.

The takeaway

While April Fools' Day is known for pranks and jokes, some businesses are using the holiday to offer real discounts and freebies to their customers. This trend highlights the evolving nature of the holiday, as companies seek to capitalize on the spirit of the day while also providing genuine value to their patrons.