Whole Foods is throwing a party.

Whole Foods Market in Pembroke Pines has been open less than two months, but it's already embedded itself into the community.

The purveyors of clean foods (and the best cheap wine this side of Trader Joe's Two-Buck Chuck) is throwing a Memorial Day-themed block party on Saturday, May 26, just in time to coincide with holiday barbecue shopping.

The event will feature free tastings, entertainment, and a friendly little interdepartmental cooking competition. 
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Rocco's Tacos wins two spots onn OpenTable's Top 100 list.

OpenTable, an online restaurant reservation and rating site, has named its Top 100 restaurants in the United States, with Florida taking an impressive third place for number of state winners (first and second place were California and New York, respectively).

Restaurants were chosen based on nearly 5 million restaurant reviews of more than 12,000 restaurants in the United States and Washington, D.C. The reviews, written by OpenTable users between March 1, 2011, and February 29, 2012, were tabulated and the winners announced last week. 

Rocco's Tacos & Tequila Bar was a two-time winner in the restaurant competition, with two of its four South Florida locations getting a nod for their guacamole, margaritas, and mariachis. Both Rocco's Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale locations made the top 100 list. As a celebratory thank you, diners at all Rocco's Tacos locations can receive a free order of chips and salsa for the table (a $6 value) just by mentioning the OpenTable awards now through April 30. And yes -- the offer is good at the bar too.

Here's a complete list of the Florida restaurants named in OpenTable's Top 100:
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jessaax via Flickr Creative Commons

Chocolate-chip cookie dough is one of the freebie flavors on today's menu.

​Free deep-fried onions and free (possibly pink-slime-laced) burgers won't necessarily appeal to every consumer, but it seems there's one national chain promotion with practically universal allure. Ben & Jerry's is celebrating "free cone day" today from noon to 8 p.m. at stores around the country, including here in South Florida, and long lines can be expected.

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karendotcom127 via Flickr Creative Commons

What better way to say spring than eating a deep-fried veggie?

​You can celebrate the start of spring -- the vernal equinox, if you're feeling fancy -- on Tuesday by spending the day tending your garden or doing some sort of get-close-to-Mother-Earth ritual. Or, you could head to an Outback Steakhouse for a free bloomin' onion as part of the restaurant's "Bloom into Spring" promotion.

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dno1967b

Home of the super cheap St. Patrick's Day dinner.

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If all of the corned beef and cabbage at all of the St. Patrick's Day parades, festivals, and parties isn't enough to satiate your appetite for beef, you can always make it an Arby's night. The fast food beef emporium is celebrating St. Patrick's Day weekend with an only mildly offensive "Buy One, Get One" campaign. (Sample text from ads featuring a green bedecked man: "Mmmmmmm, me Reuben!" and "Read me tweets!")

Through Sunday, stores will offer customers a chance to buy one Reuben deli-style fresh sandwich and get a second one free. Head to Arby's Facebook page to print out a PDF coupon for the free sandwich offer - you'll have to enter your name to get the printing link. Or, if you really like engaging with your fast food purveyors, "like" the page and play the "St. Patty's Quiz" (or, as the, errr, Irish mascot says, "Play me quiz...").

Bear in mind that while all stores are reportedly honoring this deal, it's not unheard of for individual stores to stray from the flock. Your best bet is to call ahead to your local Broward or Palm Beach Arby's location to ensure they're taking the coupon.

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Follow Clean Plate Charlie on Facebook and on Twitter: @CleanPlateBPB.
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Burger King

Free fries and green ketchup -- goes great with green beer.

​Here's a deal for all you broke-ass cheapskate Leprechauns out there. Legendary Irish pub cheap burger joint Burger King is giving away free fries and green ketchup this weekend to all lads and lassies who wish to partake.



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Panda Express

Free shrimp today.

​Panda Express wants you to try its new peppercorn shrimp so badly, it's giving it away. The Chinese fast-food chain with the panda (wait? They all have pandas?) is launching its new entrée with a free-meal deal.

Wok-tossed shrimp is sautéed with asparagus, red peppers, and onions in a spicy Thai-inspired peppercorn sauce, then served over rice. According to the Panda Express website, this dish weighs in at a mere 170 calories and 5g fat but contains 800 mg of sodium.


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Lime Fresh Mexican Grill is having a weekly family night where kids eat free.

​Lime Fresh Mexican Grill is making it a little easier for families to enjoy a meal without breaking the bank.

Starting Tuesday, February 28, Lime will introduce Family Night to all of its Florida locations.
Every Tuesday from 5 to 9 p.m., kids under 6 can eat for free from the Lil' Jumping Beans menu with the purchase of one adult entrée. Tykes can choose either a kid-sized taco, burrito, or quesadilla.


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Ben & Jerry's

Free Americone Dreams for all!

​Ben & Jerry's is getting all indignant about campaign contributions by big businesses.  The Vermont-based ice cream maker, known for their pop-culture-referenced products (anyone for a Late Night Snack or some delicious Schweddy Balls?), is asking fans of their treats to sign a petition designed to overturn the 2010 Supreme Court Citizens United decision, which allows corporations to spend unlimited money to support or oppose candidates for political office.

Get The Dough Out.org, was formed by Ben & Jerry's, Free Speech for People.org, and Business for Democracy to overturn the Citizens United decision, and get big money out of political campaigns.



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From February 6-16, customers can download the Starbucks Cup Magic App, that allows them to send customized valentines and Starbucks e-gifts when a smart phone is positioned over the Starbucks Valentines Day cup.

The valentine on here is too hearts and flowers for me (I share an office mate's sentiments that the music makes her want to punch someone) --but the twitterverse under #everylove is strangely ecstatic. Perhaps because it's the company's first fore into augmented reality since the December holidays. The tech-friendly company also introduced the mobile payment app early last year.

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