After a long day at work or busy weekend, sometimes the prospect of cooking for the whole family (and especially cleaning up) just sounds exhausting. But going out to eat with kids can become expensive very quickly. Here’s the good news — if you know the right restaurant deals and plan accordingly, you can find many “kids eat free” offers when dining out with family. Not only will you save money, but it’ll give the kids a chance to get out of the house and create new experiences.
We’ve compiled a list of family friendly restaurants where kids eat free or enjoy cheap meals out. Most deals for free kids’ meals have an age cap (sorry, parents of teenagers) and require the purchase of an adult main course, which is perfect for going out to eat as a family. As most of these restaurants are chains, always be sure to double check with your local restaurant to make sure they’re offering the deal.
Restaurants where kids eat free every day
Smitty’s
Location: Nationwide except Quebec
Smitty’s offers a free meal from their kids’ menu with the purchase of an adult entrée. The kids’ menus (for breakfast, lunch and dinner) come with a selection of two specialty drinks and two desserts. They’ll keep your kids and your wallet happy while you enjoy a — hopefully — relaxing evening dining out with the family.
Humpty’s
Location: Alberta, BC, Manitoba, Saskatchewan
Humpty’s offers a free meal for kids under two with the purchase of an adult entrée. Let your little one munch away on mashed potatoes and gravy or two mini cakes or a bit of soup with crackers while you enjoy the adult menu. Although the older ones don’t eat for free, all the kids’ meals come with free soda pop or iced tea (with unlimited refills) or milk or juice. For less than a dollar, you can upgrade the drink to a Shelley Temple or Kid’s float.
Boston Pizza
Location: Nationwide
If you buy a digital Kids Card for $5, you don’t just get 5 free kids’ meals, you’re also helping to make a difference with a donation to the Boston Pizza Foundation. Register your Kids Card to get a sixth free kid’s meal. The offer of a free kids’ meal is applicable with a minimum purchase of $16.99 for a dine-in purchase at a restaurant.
Sauveurs des Continents
Location: Quebec
Kids 12 and under (one child per parent) eat free at this eat-all-you-want buffet every night except Saturday night. But don’t despair because even on Saturday nights, it’s less than half-price for kids. What’s more, when you eat here, you’re doing good because not only are you and your kids getting a wide variety of dishes prepared every day using the freshest, highest-quality ingredients, you’re also supporting the restaurant’s buy-local policy and supporting their tradition of social engagement.
The Old Spaghetti Factory
Location: BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario
No out-and-out freebies here, but children’s meals include garden salad, minestrone soup or veggies and dip, sourdough bread, whipped garlic butter, ice cream and a small drink (milk, juice or pop). Refills of milk or juice are only $0.50. What’s more, if your little one is still hungry after their first bowl of pasta, they can get another one on the house.
Zak’s Diner
Location: Ontario
Sunday to Thursday isn’t every day, but it might as well be. That’s how often kids can eat free at Zak’s Diner, from 4 pm to the close, excluding holidays. Buy one adult meal and beverage and you’ll get a free kids’ meal, including a beverage and ice cream, for kids aged 10 and under.
IKEA
Location: Nationwide
OK, it’s just for the littlest ones but besides the free diapers in their bathrooms, IKEA makes life easier for new parents by offering free bottled baby food for customers who purchase food at their restaurant. Anything helps when you’re a frazzled parent who’s just spent an hour wandering around the furniture maze with your infant, right? Just ask for the free jar at the restaurant checkout — on your way in, of course, so your day isn’t ruined if they’ve run out of stock.
Mandarin Buffet
Location: Ontario
This Asian buffet is a great option for bigger families because 2 kids aged 4 and under can eat for free per paid adult. Kids from 5 to 12 get a 50% discount on the regular buffet price. Bring along grandma and grandpa to benefit from the 20% senior discount for cheap meals out and you’re in for a budget-friendly, fun and filling day of dining out with the family.
Ripe Tomato Pizza
Location: Alberta
Get out the colouring crayons because your kid’s going to have to work for this one. Download one of the colouring pages on their website, let your child colour it in and bring it (and your child) in for a free children’s pizza. Neapolitan, with the freshest toppings. You can’t go wrong.
Restaurants where kids eat free on Mondays
Via Cibo
Location: Ontario, Alberto
It’s not quite free, but $5 per kids’ meal is nothing to sneeze at. That’s what you pay on a Monday at this Italian-style eatery when you buy an adult meal. The chicken dishes come with a house salad or fries as well.
Restaurants where kids eat free on Tuesdays
East Side Marios
Location: Nationwide
It’s not free but almost, as kids meals — pizza, pasta or chicken fingers — are $2 for kids 10 and under on Tuesdays with the purchase of any adult entrée that’s $19.99 or more. Children can even build their own pasta. The kids’ meals all include a choice of drinks and dessert. Who says eating out is only fun on weekends!
Denny’s
Location: BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario
Kids eat free at this famed diner between 4 pm and 10 pm every Tuesday. This place offers not one, but TWO free entrees from the kids’ menu for kids 10 and under with the purchase of one regular-priced adult entrée. So if you’ve got four little ones under 10, now you know what to do with your Tuesday nights. And if your little one’s a vegetarian, you’re in luck because they even have plant-based nuggets and tenders on the kids’ menu.
Restaurants where kids eat free on Wednesdays
IKEA
Location: Nationwide
IKEA can already be such a fun adventure for little ones, so make a day of your IKEA trip by grabbing a meal for the family. Every Wednesday, you can get two free kids meals for every adult meal purchase. Swedish meatballs for everyone!
Applebees
Location: Ontario, Alberto, Manitoba
Visit this restaurant with your under-13s on a Wednesday from 5 pm, order an adult meal and you’ll get a kids’ meal for $2.99. And that includes their kid double crunch shrimp, kid sirloin, kid rib-lets and a host of other delicious kids’ entrees. At that price, it’s practically free!
McSorley’s
Location: Ontario
Want to feed your kids for free AND keep them occupied on a Wednesday night? If you’re in the Toronto area, this sports saloon and restaurant is a must-visit. There’s all sorts of action for kids to do and watch, and they can also indulge in the free salted shelled peanuts while they wait for their free meal (with the purchase of an adult entrée and beverage).
Red Robin
Location: British Columbia
If you’re looking for a night out to get you and the kids over the midweek hump without breaking the bank, Red Robin’s got you covered. They offer 50% of their kids’ meal on Wednesdays, which includes the kids’ entrée, side and beverage. What’s more, if you dine in, the sides and beverage have unlimited free refills.
Restaurants where kids eat free on Sundays
Crabby Joe’s
Location: Ontario
This is one of the best bargains because on Sundays kids 12 and under eat free at this bar and grill, with one free meal per adult entrée. A great place to take the family for some yummy pub grub to finish the weekend on a high point.
Barbies
Location: Quebec
Kids 12 and under get a free meal from the kids’ menu on Sundays from 11 am to 10 pm with the purchase of one adult main course. The kids’ menu, which includes pepperoni pizza, a cheeseburger and fries, lasagna, spaghettini Bolognese or crispy chicken fingers and fries, comes with a free beverage and choice of ice cream for dessert.
La Cage
Location: Quebec
If you’re a Club Cage member, you can purchase a meal from the kids’ menu for $3 if you spend $15 in the restaurant. The kids’ meals include a beverage (with free refills) and a dessert. The bonus: you don’t have to drag your kids out of the house to do this, because you can use it on their takeout menu as well.
Fionn MacCool’s
Location: Alberta, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario
Visit this iconic Irish pub on a Sunday and your kids can eat for free when you purchase an adult meal. It offers a wide range of dishes from traditional hearty Irish pub food to fusion salads. There’s no kids’ menu but there’s enough on the regular menu to tempt even the most finicky child.
Johnny Canuck’s
Location: Ontario
There are so many gastropubs for dining out with the family on Sundays and Johnny Canuck’s, where kids eat free from 4 pm to 9 pm, is no exception. There is no kids’ menu but there’s plenty on the regular menu that any kid will love and if your child has a more sophisticated palate, this is their chance to take advantage. Antojitos, anyone? Some restrictions apply, so check with your server when ordering.
Barley Mow
Location: Ontario
Here’s another family-friendly restaurant where kids eat free on Sundays with the purchase of an adult meal. What’s more, the kids’ meals include 1 beverage and a choice of a chocolate or vanilla ice cream cup for dessert. With a range of kid-friendly pub food options, it’s a great place to take your little ones for cheap meals out on a Sunday without stretching your budget.
Restaurants with free treats for special occasions
Lone Star Texas Grill
Location: Ontario
Sign your kids up for Lil Sizzlers Kids’ Club and on their birthday they’ll get a kids’ meal with a beverage and dessert. And while they wait for the meal to arrive, they can enjoy the complimentary chips and salsa that they get every time they visit this family-friendly restaurant.
Swiss Chalet
Location: Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta
Many Swiss Chalet locations offer kids a free meal for their birthday up to the age of 10. However, this is at the discretion of the individual franchisee, so you’d need to call first to check whether this offer is available at your location.
Montana’s BBQ & Bar
Location: Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia
If you sign your kids up for Montana’s Kids Club, not only do they get a free kid’s cooler (with a purchase of any kids meal), they’re also eligible for a free birthday kids’ meal. The signup form has space for 3 children and they must be 12 and under. Don’t wait till the last minute to sign your kids up, though, because the birthday has to be at least 7 days after the subscription date.
