The OP's been a member of PPrune for 5 years, posting about such diverse things as MH370, Tacevals, and general mil stuff. I would be therefore be very surprised if this was advertising. Far more likely is promotion of the offer to others.
Not that I need charity either, but the offer of a free meal is in an entirely different league to being so far up **** creek that one needs the help of H4H, SSAFA etc. So far as I am aware, those that SSAFA etc help truly do need the help.
If a company wishes to express its thanks to the military community on Armed Forces Day by way of an offer, why is that so bad? If it generates goodwill for their business, then why shouldn't they do it? Hesco (manufacturers of the field-erected walling system for sangers etc) get paid handsomely by the MOD, yet thank the lads on the frontline by putting "goodies" into the products supplied, knowing that the lads at the sharp end will receive them when they're opening the boxes.
As for the comment re people thanking mil and ex-mil for their service, what ON EARTH is wrong with that?
I have a colleague, who is not ex-military. He often says how grateful he is that there are people who stand ready to keep him and his family safe. Not just to me (i.e. ex-mil), but to others (i.e. not ex-mil).
On 6th June this year, I happened to be on Poole Quay, one of the departure points for Overlord. There was an old boy in his blazer and medals. I asked him if he had been involved. No, he'd been a wireless op on Stirlings, been shot down and was a POW on the day. Being ex-Royal Signals, we shared the "morse bond". We chatted for a while, and it struck me that if his generation hadn't done what they did, we'd have been having the conversation in German. Kein Problem für mich, but I doubt he saw it that way. I spoke to the barman, wanting to pay his tab; he didn't have one. So I went and bought him a bottle of Scotch to express my thanks.
It grips my **** frankly that some obviously think I did wrong.