A&W Restaurant Gives Away Free Root Beer Floats… If You Can Handle the Weight

A&W, America’s oldest franchised restaurant chain, is bulking up its annual National Root Beer Float Day promotion this August 6th with a nationwide challenge for those who think they’ve got the muscle to handle one of the heaviest drinks in fast food: Want a free float? Show off your flex.

On National Root Beer Float Day, August 6th, simply show off your 'Float Flex' - that is, flaunt your new physique with your best muscle-flexing pose - at any participating US A&W location between 2 pm - 8 pm local time for a free, small Root Beer Float. 

The 'Float Flex' campaign, produced in partnership with A&W’s long time agency Cornett, encourages Americans to prepare their bodies for the roughly three pounds five ounces of Made Fresh Root Beer and creamy vanilla soft serve in a frosty glass mug that make up the massive A&W Root Beer Float known around the world for over 100 years.

The brand tapped social influencers like Keith Habersberger of The Try Guys to get the word out, and even created a home exercise kit featuring weighted Root Beer Float replicas, headbands, wristbands, and more to help float fans pack on muscle before the big day. A&W will be promoting 'Float Flex' content on their own social media channels, as well as with paid social ads targeting existing customers and other fast food fans.

No purchase is necessary. Just a suggested donation to DAV (Disabled American Veterans), a non-profit with which A&W has a longstanding partnership.

“A&W’s iconic Root Beer Float is without a doubt one of the heaviest drinks in the quick service restaurant industry,” said Liz Bazner, VP of marketing and innovation at A&W. “It’s so heavy that we worried we might be missing out on a whole untapped market of folks that simply can’t handle its hugeness. This National Root Beer Float Day, we wanted to get everyone pumped up and ready to enjoy their free float.”