For merrymakers in Ann Arbor, it’s relatively easy to find birthday freebies at restaurants, like the free desserts at Zingerman’s Roadhouse and Knight’s Steakhouse. There’s even a searchable database in the Restaurants section of AnnArborObserver.com (choose “restaurant search,” then click on the birthday discount symbol).
But Ruth’s Chris Steak House on S. Fourth Ave. goes a step further. Not only do diners receive a free dessert, they get a deal on their meal: a percentage discount equal to their age. (Longtime Ann Arborites might remember that Bill Knapp’s made a similar birthday meal offer.)
General manager Keith Rossi notes that the deal is good just for the birthday celebrant, not the entire party, and does not include alcohol. The diner must present ID showing their birth date.
Rossi says the restaurant prefers that diners come in on their birthday, but they’ll honor the discount within three days before or after. And that’s on top of the free birthday dessert offered at all the chain’s 150 restaurants worldwide.
So could a centenarian actually dine free? Absolutely, says Rossi, who came on board at Ruth’s Chris this fall after working at other area restaurants. In fact, he says, they’ll comp dinner starting at age ninety-five. “If they’ve made it to that age,” he says, “we’ll take care of their bill.”
