Almost Famous is dishing out free burgers in Manchester next week… but it’s only to the people with the rarest birthday of them all.
Leap Day babies, here’s another one for you.
It’s estimated that only around 4.1 million people worldwide were born on 29 February – which, of course, is also known as a Leap Day birthday – and if you just so happen to be one of those unfortunate, or in this case fortunate, people here in Manchester, then you’ll probably want to get yourself down to Almost Famous next week to celebrate.
That’s because the legendary burger joint is commemorating the special day that only comes around every four years by giving away free burger next Thursday.
The catch, however, is that you have to have been born on 29 February to claim the freebie.
Merely days after Manchester’s popular street food hall and social hub, Society, announced that it would be pouring free pints for Leap Day babies on their birthday, now Almost Famous is getting in on the action too by doing what it does best – serving up some of the heartiest burgers in the whole of the city centre.
Rallying up all Leap Day babies on its official social media platforms this morning, Almost Famous wrote: “Calling all Leap Year babies – get a free burger on 29 February with a valid ID proving it’s your birthday. Sometimes the best things only come round every four years.”
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Almost Famous’ burgers are known and loved all across the UK, especially here in Manchester, and now, Leap Day babies who’ve missed out on years of celebrating get to reap the birthday benefits.
Almost Famous is giving out free burgers to Mancs with a very rare birthday next week / Credit: Almost Famous | The Manc Group
So-called ‘leapers’ wanting to bag their bargain burger next Thursday will just need to head on down to one of Almost Famous’ two Manchester city centre restaurants – either the Northern Quarter, or the one inside Great Northern Warehouse – and show the staff a valid form of ID that proves they were, in fact, born on that day.
The deal is expected to run all day, from the moment both Almost Famous sites open right until they close, and, as far as we can tell, the free burger offer is redeemable across the whole menu, so there’s a wide choice to pick from.
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But don’t forget, like we’ve already mentioned, it’s just for one day only.
So if you want to make the most of it and be sure you don’t miss out, then get yourself down to Almost Famous next Thursday and get scranning.
Featured Image – Almost Famous
Food & Drink
Salford industrial estate bakery with incredible cinnamon rolls to open new site
Daisy Jackson
Mayya Bakery, a local ‘hidden gem’ with incredible cinnamon rolls, is set to open a brand-new bakery that will make it significantly less hidden.
Until now, Mayya has been quietly trading from an industrial estate in Salford, where it’s built a great reputation for its bakes despite an off-the-beaten-track-location and relatively little social media fanfare.
It opened its doors in 2024, operated by former primary school teacher Meli and her husband, dentist Oguz.
This is an artisan bakery with a real Turkish flare, with plenty of comfort food like freshly made gözleme (or gozzies for short) and bigger dishes if you fancy sitting in.
Their counters are stuffed with sweet bakes, like their perfect cinnamon rolls, plus loaves, babka, cookies, and homemade cheesecake.
For bigger dishes, you’ll find breakfast dishes like Turkish eggs, Simit (a traditional sesame bagel) breakfasts, and menemen.
The counters at Mayya Bakery’s current locationIncredible cheesecake at Mayya BakerySigns on Chapel Street Salford for the new Mayya Bakery
And now Mayya Bakery has revealed plans to open a new location in a much more prominent spot in town, with signs appearing in the windows of a unit on Chapel Street.
The sign reads: “Everything is homemade – including this picture.”
It also quips: “They called us hidden gem… not hidden anymore.”
Mayya will open on Chapel Street soon – keep an eye on our food and drink Instagram page The Manc Eats for the latest.
Sacha Lord set to back local hospitality again with money behind the bar of one Greater Manchester pub
Danny Jones
Local figure Sacha Lord is once again looking to help support Greater Manchester’s food and drink scene once again this spring by putting a total of £2.5k behind the bar of one lucky pub.
Well, let’s be honest, we’re about to be the real lucky ones.
It’s far from the first time that the Night Time Economy Advisor has done this, having previously put sizeable sums towards shared tabs on a few ocassions over the last few years.
Lining up his next handout for this coming early May bank holiday (perfect timing), it’s going to be a super and potentially very sloppy Sunday…
Tell me your favourite pub in Greater Manchester.
Bank Holiday Sunday 3rd May, I’ll be turning up and putting £2500 behind the bar.
Sharing the video above online earlier this week, the 54-year-old simply wrote, “Tell me your favourite pub in Greater Manchester. Bank Holiday Sunday, 3rd May, I’ll be turning up and putting £2500 behind the bar.”
The message is as straightforward as ever: “Support your local pub.”
Now obviously, the fact that people can reply with their go-to boozers and help influence the decision is one thing – something that has certainly always created an attraction each time he’s done this – but it’s also just a good way of marketing these watering holes to begin with.
Whether or not someone’s favourite public house tucked away in one of the 10 boroughs, or their bar of choice here in Manchester city centre, ends up being selected or not, it’s obviously great publicity having their names plastered on a notable social media account.
This is especially so when you see how much the post itself ends up being reshared and the overall exposure Lord ultimately lends them via creating such a big crowd discussion.
Here’s hoping we get proper beer garden weather over that long weekend.
It’s also worth noting that the further support stunts like this have helped garner support for other regional businesses – in particular, indies that are battling the cost of living crisis and so many other challenges within the sector – has proved crucial for some places to stay open to begin with.
A good example is the Thirsty Korean, who teamed up with the Altrincham-born entrepreneur to cover hundreds of bills back in 2023, and has now been able to expand into a larger venue down the road from their original Chorlton location.
The obstacles facing the hospitality industry remain varied and numerous, but gestures like this can go a long way to helping prop up those who need it.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd February 2024 
