GLENDALE, Calif. — After President Donald Trump recently announced he would rename Veterans Day to Victory Day for World War I, executives at Applebee’s expressed relief that they now only had to offer free meals to World War I veterans on November 11, 2025.

“Consistent with the directive from the Oval Office, we will now be offering one free meal to each veteran who can prove they served in World War I,” said Tim Gibbons, Applebee’s corporate counsel. “To qualify for the free meal, veterans must present a valid World War I military ID, or at least a photograph of themselves in sepia tone next to a trench."

“Honoring the troops is core to our brand,” said Lauren Trent, Applebee’s Chief Marketing Officer. “Especially when those troops are safely deceased and won’t mess up the bathrooms.” The restaurant chain also said it would place tiny plastic poppies on all cocktails, “just to show we remember, and also to make them look more festive.”