Several restaurant chains and other businesses offer specials on Halloween. Participation may vary, but here's a sampling.
» Applebee's: A new $1 Zombie Cocktail, available through October, should get you into the Halloween spirit. The chain describes the spooky blue drink as a mind-blowing mix of rum, passion fruit, pineapple, cherry and lime topped with a gummy brain. Other Spooky Sips include a Dracula's Juice and Blue Lagoon.
» Baskin-Robbins: The specialty ice cream shops are offering a spooktacular lineup throughout the month, including a Fang-Tastic Monster Cake, a Trick Oreo Treat Flavor of the Month, seasonal flavors including Pumpkin Pie and discounts on the small Cappuccino Blast. On Halloween, get a regular or kid-size scoop of ice cream at participating locations. Get the scoop at www.baskinrobbins.com.
Baskin-Robbins' bright orange Fang-Tastic Monster Cake, available in October, can be customized with favorite ice cream and cake flavors.» Bass Pro Shops: The mega outdoor store's annual Great Pumpkin Celebration starts Friday with a free photo and free crafts daily through Halloween. Other events, including a pumpkin toss beanbag game, costume parade and trick-or-treating, are select days only. Plus there's cookie decorating on Halloween night. Visit www.basspro.com/halloween for more.
» Burger King: This week, the burger chain introduced a limited-time Nightmare King. It's a whopper of a creation with a quarter-pound beef patty AND a crispy chicken fillet, topped with melted cheese, thick-cut bacon, mayonnaise and onions. But what will really get your attention is the glazed green sesame seed bun. Be advised the name's not a reference to the calorie count, which was unavailable at press time. According to the BK burger meisters, clinical tests have found the Nightmare King causes eaters to have more vivid dreams. Pair it with the limited-time Frozen Fanta Scary Black Cherry drink for the full spooky effect.
» Dunkin': A number of doughnuts will get the Halloween treatment, with orange and purple icing and sprinkles, according to www.brandeating.com. But the piece de resistance is the Spider Donut, available through Halloween. The Spider starts with a ring doughnut frosted with orange icing then topped with a glazed chocolate Munchin doughnut hole decorated with icing eyes and legs. The Oreo Donut gets a Halloween twist with vanilla buttercream filling and a topping of chocolate icing, crumbled Oreo cookies and a drizzle of dark chocolate icing. You can pair it with an Oreo Hot Chocolate through November.
» IHOP: The chain's traditional Scary Face Pancake is back this month - and it's free on Halloween. Each order comes with an oversized buttermilk pancake with a smile and eyes made of whipped topping and a strawberry nose. Youngsters also receive mini Oreos and pieces of candy corn to decorate it. On Halloween, kids 12 and younger get a free Scary Face Pancake anytime between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.
» Krispy Kreme: Wear a costume to participating locations on Halloween and get a free doughnut of your choice. The chain also has released several Halloween special doughnuts including the Trick-or-Treat Doughnut, Monster Batter Doughnut and Jack-O-Lantern Doughnut.
» Wendy's: While supplies last, participating locations are selling $1 Boo Books containing five coupons for a free Jr. Frosty. Proceeds are donated to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, which helps find adoptive families for children in foster care.
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.