Dressing up like a cow has some special perks on Chick-fil-A's Cow Appreciation Day.
Nationwide, Chick-fil-A restaurants celebrate Cow Appreciation Day by offering free meals to customers who dress up like a cow "head to hoof," according to the restaurant's website.
However, even partial costumes are rewarded.
"Partial costumes get a free entree," said Brittney Dobbs, marketing director at Auburn's Chick-fil-A.
"But, most of the time people dress head-to-toe so they get a free Chick-fil-A meal."
Auburn's restaurant doesn't just offer free food. The employees also decorate the dining area with balloons and cow-printed tablecloths.
Throughout the day, an employee is dressed in a full cow mascot uniform. The cow is available to take pictures with customers, usually dressed in cow attire, and also roams the dining room.
Amy Thorington, senior in math education, heard about Cow Appreciation Day via social media.
"I saw it [Cow Appreciation Day] on Twitter," Thorington said. "I saw it earlier this week. It made me think about when I made this [cow] costume with a friend."
Thorington was wearing a white sweatshirt with black spots and a headband with ears attached.
"There are more pieces to it," Thorington said.
Chick-fil-As nationwide see up to one million cow costumes, according to Bob McFadden, one of the general managers at Auburn's Chick-fil-A.
Locally, Auburn's restaurant sees 200 to 300 customers dressed in some sort of cow costume.
"We've been super busy," Dobbs said. "It kind of ranks up there with football."
Tiffany Sorrells, Auburn Chick-fil-A employee, echoed these sentiments.
"Between [today] and football season, it will be our busy," Sorrells said. "Cow Appreciation Day is hectic. It's when all of our employees have to work."
The employees said, even with the business, they still enjoy the day.
"This is my eighth [Cow Appreciation Day]," Sorrells said. "I love it. I love all the kids. The little kids are my favorite. They all get creative, and it's fun for them."
Dobbs agreed.
"I'm having such a good time with it," Dobbs said. "The little kids are loving the cow being here. They come up to you and show you [and say], 'Look what I made!' and they show you the spots. It's so cute."
However, the restaurant's website offers a printable cow costume as well.
Meghan Dooley, Auburn alumna, took advantage of the website's costume.
"I just went online and downloaded it and printed it," Dooley said. "That's why everyone has the same spots as me."
The download has black spots, a nose and a tail.
"I wasn't man enough to wear the tail and the face, just the spots," Dooley said.
The spots were still enough to receive a free entree though.
"I got chicken nuggets and lemonade," Dooley said. "I had to pay for the lemonade, but it was totally worth it."
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