Dining events: Your costume gets you custard
Shake Shack's free custard
Wear your Halloween costume to Shake Shack and get a free scoop of custard now through Sunday. Try the Shackenstein frozen custard made with marshmallow crème custard and frosted chocolate pieces in various forms - as a shake for $5.50; cups and cones, $3.50 for a single dip or $4.50 double dip; or $6 pints to go. Shake Shack is at 4999 Old Orchard Shopping Center, Skokie. (847) 380-1240 or shakeshack.com.
Free pizza Friday
Did we say free? Yes. Blaze Fast Fire'd Pizza is celebrating the opening of its eighth Chicago-area location, this one in Oakbrook Terrace, with free build-your-own artisanal pizzas from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, to anyone who follows Blaze Pizza on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. Besides the thin-crust custom-built pizzas that are flash-fired and ready to eat in 180 seconds, the joint also serves salads, blood orange lemonade and s'more pies. Blaze Fast Fire'd Pizza is in Oakbrook Terrace Square, 17W639 W. Roosevelt Road, Oakbrook Terrace. blazepizza.com.
IHOP's free pancakes
IHOP celebrates Halloween with free scary face pancakes for kids 12 and younger from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. One per child, dine-in only. IHOP has locations throughout the suburbs. ihop.com.
Wildfire's gluten-free dinner
Wildfire celebrates a week of gluten-free eating with a five-course dinner one night at each of its Chicago-area locations. In Schaumburg, it begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, with passed appetizers. The menu includes smoked chicken and wild mushrooms on polenta crisps; braised short ribs with butternut squash risotto; and molten nutella chocolate cake. $60 without wine pairings and $80 with wine pairings, plus tax and gratuity. Wildfire is at 1250 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg. (847) 995-0100 or wildfirerestaurant.com.
- Sara Hooker