{"id":127000,"date":"2025-06-09T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-09T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/?p=127000"},"modified":"2025-07-18T15:46:26","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T15:46:26","slug":"restaurants-where-kids-eat-free-or-cheap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/restaurants-where-kids-eat-free-or-cheap\/","title":{"rendered":"Restaurants where kids eat free (or super cheap)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>After a long workday 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&rsquo;s the good news &mdash; if you know the right restaurant deals and plan accordingly, you can find many &ldquo;kids eat free&rdquo; offers when dining out. Not only will you save money, but it&rsquo;ll give the kids a chance to get out of the house and create new experiences.&nbsp;<\/p><p>We&rsquo;ve compiled a list of the best places kids eat free. Most deals for free kids meals have an age cap (sorry, parents of teenagers) and require the purchase of an adult entr&eacute;e, which is perfect for going out to eat as a family. As most of these restaurants are national chains, always be sure to double check with your local restaurant to make sure they&rsquo;re offering the deal.&nbsp;<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-restaurants-where-kids-eat-free-every-day\" data-toc-id=\"ed44c6ee\">Restaurants where kids eat free every day<\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-wahlburgers\">Wahlburgers<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide<\/p><p>Wonder about the restaurants where kids eat free everyday? Look no further than Wahlburgers, which offers one free kids meal with every adult burger, salad or bowl purchased at participating locations.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-careblocks-enrollment\" aria-live=\"polite\"><div class=\"enrollment-background\"><div class=\"enrollment-content\" id=\"enrollment-block\"><div class=\"enrollment-start\"><span>Like what you&rsquo;re reading?<\/span><h2>Join Care for free<\/h2><form name=\"enrollment\"><div class=\"enrollment-field-wrapper\"><label for=\"enrollment-block-firstname\" class=\"sr-only\">First name<\/label><input name=\"firstname\" type=\"text\" class=\"enrollment-field enrollment-firstname\" placeholder=\"First name\"><p class=\"enrollment-error enrollment-block-firstname-error hidden\">First name is required.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"enrollment-field-wrapper\"><label for=\"enrollment-block-lastname\" class=\"sr-only\">Last name<\/label><input name=\"lastname\" type=\"text\" class=\"enrollment-field enrollment-lastname\" placeholder=\"Last name\"><p class=\"enrollment-error enrollment-block-lastname-error hidden\">Last name is required.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"enrollment-field-wrapper\"><label for=\"enrollment-block-email\" class=\"sr-only\">Email<\/label><input name=\"email\" type=\"email\" class=\"enrollment-field enrollment-email\" placeholder=\"Email\"><p class=\"enrollment-error enrollment-block-email-error hidden\"><\/p><\/div><div class=\"enrollment-field-wrapper\"><label for=\"enrollment-block-zip\" class=\"sr-only\">Zip code<\/label><input name=\"zip\" type=\"text\" class=\"enrollment-field enrollment-zip\" placeholder=\"Zip\"><p class=\"enrollment-error enrollment-block-zip-error hidden\">Zip code is required.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"disclaimer\"><p>By clicking &ldquo;Join now,&rdquo; you agree to our <a href=\"\/about\/terms-of-use\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Terms of Use<\/a> and <a href=\"\/about\/privacy-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"enrollment-loading\"><div class=\"enrollment-loading-animation\"><\/div><\/div><p class=\"enrollment-error enrollment-error-message hidden\">We&rsquo;re sorry, your request could not be processed at this time. Please <a href=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/app\/vhp\/get-started\">click here<\/a> to try again.<\/p><button name=\"submit\" type=\"submit\" class=\"button button-primary button-sm enrollment-submit\" data-loading=\"Sending...\">Join now<\/button><\/form><\/div><div class=\"enrollment-already-registered hidden\"><h2>Already Registered<\/h2><p>The email you entered is already registered. Would you like to log in?<\/p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/login\" class=\"button button-primary button-sm\">Log In<\/a><\/div><div class=\"enrollment-complete hidden\"><span>Congrats!<\/span><h2>Your account has been created.<\/h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.care.com\/app\/job\/cc\" class=\"button button-primary button-sm enrollment-cta\" id=\"enrollment-block-cta\">Find care now<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-chili-s\">Chili&rsquo;s<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide<\/p><p>If you sign up for Chili&rsquo;s rewards program, Chili&rsquo;s will regularly text or email you offers to get a free kids meal with the purchase of an adult meal. Their regular &ldquo;3 for Me&rdquo; deal, which includes an entr&eacute;e, appetizer and drink for $10.99, is a great deal for adults, too!&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-denny-s\">Denny&rsquo;s<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide&nbsp;<\/p><p>Kids eat free at Denny&rsquo;s with the purchase of an adult entree. Denny&rsquo;s is the classic diner experience. Kids and adults can get something yummy for breakfast, lunch or dinner. According to their website, days and times for this offer vary by location, so call your local Denny&rsquo;s and ask first.&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-fricker-s\">Fricker&rsquo;s<\/h3><p>Location: Midwest&nbsp;<\/p><p>If you live near this Midwestern chain, you&rsquo;re in luck because they have a kids eat free all day, every day policy. All they require is the purchase of an adult meal and a kids beverage, and kids 10 and under can choose a meal off the kids menu.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ihop-nbsp\">IHOP&nbsp;<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide&nbsp;<\/p><p>IHOP kids eat free! IHOP is known for its delicious breakfasts, but take the kids between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m., and they&rsquo;ll get a free meal with the purchase of an adult meal. According to their website, this is a limited-time promotion, although it doesn&rsquo;t specify the end date, so get down to IHOP soon!&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-restaurants-where-kids-eat-free-monday-nbsp\" data-toc-id=\"c7df5e68\">Restaurants where kids eat free Monday&nbsp;<\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-i-heart-mac-and-cheese\">I Heart Mac and Cheese<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide<\/p><p>What do kids love more than mac and cheese? At I Heart Mac and Cheese, kids eat free every Monday with the purchase of an adult bowl. Don&rsquo;t worry, adults, their menu is more than just plain mac and cheese. You can order buffalo mac and cheese, chicken parmesan mac and cheese or vegan mac and cheese while the kids enjoy their mac and cheese or grilled cheese kids meal.&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-village-inn\">Village Inn<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide&nbsp;<\/p><p>On Mondays and Tuesdays at Village Inn, every adult purchase comes with a free kids meal. Their classic breakfast plates look especially delicious. If you can&rsquo;t make it on either of those days, some locations offer free pie on Wednesdays!&nbsp;<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-restaurants-where-kids-eat-free-tuesday\" data-toc-id=\"31276342\">Restaurants where kids eat free Tuesday<\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-bob-evans\">Bob Evans<\/h3><p>Location: Midwest and East Coast&nbsp;<\/p><p>Everyone will find something they like at Bob Evans, which serves nearly everything, including breakfast foods, burgers, seafood and a variety of desserts. Download the Bob Evans app and you can score a free kids meal on Tuesdays once you spend $15. The app can be used to order delivery or to pay in-person at the restaurant.&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-coco-s-restaurant-and-bakery\">Coco&rsquo;s Restaurant and Bakery<\/h3><p>Location: Southern California and Arizona&nbsp;<\/p><p>Coco&rsquo;s is a subsidiary of Shari&rsquo;s (see below) and offers a similar diner vibe for those in the Southern California area. Kids eat free Tuesdays<strong> <\/strong>with purchase of adult entr&eacute;e.&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-marie-callender-s\">Marie Callender&rsquo;s<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide&nbsp;<\/p><p>Marie Callender&rsquo;s offers free kids meals on Tuesdays (and Saturdays; see below), with the purchase of an adult entr&eacute;e. They&rsquo;re known for their delicious pies, so make sure you save room for dessert!&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ruby-tuesday\">Ruby Tuesday<\/h3><p>Location: East Coast&nbsp;<\/p><p>At Ruby Tuesday, kids eat free Tuesdays after 5 p.m. with the purchase of an adult meal. Take the kids for dinner and get yourself a salad, burger, pasta or seafood meal &mdash; their menu offers pretty much anything you could want!&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-shari-s-cafe-and-pies\">Shari&rsquo;s Cafe and Pies<\/h3><p>Location: Pacific Northwest<\/p><p>Looking for a free kids lunch on a Tuesday? Head to Shari&rsquo;s Cafe and Pies, where kids eat free 11am-10pm Tuesdays,<strong> <\/strong>with the purchase of an adult meal. Shari&rsquo;s has a classic diner vibe with a particularly yummy selection of desserts, including their famous pie shakes (yes, they blend a pie into a milkshake).&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-restaurants-where-kids-eat-free-wednesday\" data-toc-id=\"32897366\">Restaurants where kids eat free Wednesday<\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ikea\">IKEA<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide&nbsp;<\/p><p>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!&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-luby-s\">Luby&rsquo;s<\/h3><p>Location: Texas&nbsp;<\/p><p>Every Wednesday (and Saturday; see below), kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal. For more energetic days, their website features some of their signature recipes if you want to make your own Luby&rsquo;s-inspired meal at home.&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-smashburger\">Smashburger<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide&nbsp;(participating locations)<\/p><p>Craving a really delicious cheeseburger? <a href=\"https:\/\/smashburger.com\/kids-eat-free-locations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Smashburger<\/a> will give you just that, plus a free kids meal with your adult purchase every Wednesday at participating locations.&nbsp;<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-restaurants-where-kids-eat-free-saturday\" data-toc-id=\"1e8a8dfe\">Restaurants where kids eat free Saturday<\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-luby-s-0\">Luby&rsquo;s<\/h3><p>Location: Texas&nbsp;<\/p><p>This Texas chain has a weekend option for their free kids meal deal, too. In addition to every Wednesday, kids eat free on Saturdays with the purchase of an adult meal.&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-marie-callender-s-0\">Marie Callender&rsquo;s<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide&nbsp;<\/p><p>In addition to their weeknight offer on Tuesdays, Marie Callender&rsquo;s also has a weekend deal for families, offering free kids meals on Saturdays, with the purchase of an adult entr&eacute;e.&nbsp;<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-restaurants-where-kids-eat-free-sunday\" data-toc-id=\"ac509562\">Restaurants where kids eat free Sunday<\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-dickey-s-barbecue-pit\">Dickey&rsquo;s Barbecue Pit<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide&nbsp;<\/p><p>In the mood for BBQ? Spend $12 or more at Dickey&rsquo;s Barbecue Pit and get a free kids meal every Sunday.&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-freebirds-world-burrito-nbsp\">Freebirds World Burrito&nbsp;<\/h3><p>Location: Texas<\/p><p>For those in the Texas area, Freebirds World Burrito is a great option for a burrito or bowl. Go on a Sunday and get a free quesadilla or taco meal from their &ldquo;Weebirds&rdquo; menu. Or order online on a Sunday and use code &ldquo;kidseatfree&rdquo; for the same deal!&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-moe-s-southwest-grill\">Moe&rsquo;s Southwest Grill<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide&nbsp;<\/p><p>If you&rsquo;re craving Tex-Mex on a Sunday, check out Moe&rsquo;s Southwest Grill and get a free kids meal in-store with the purchase of an adult entr&eacute;e. Kids can choose from a burrito, quesadilla or taco meal, which all also include chips, salsa, a cookie and drink.&nbsp;<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-restaurants-where-kids-eat-half-price-or-practically-free-nbsp\" data-toc-id=\"d92f48c7\">Restaurants where kids eat half-price or practically free&nbsp;<\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-buffalo-wild-wings\">Buffalo Wild Wings<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide&nbsp;<\/p><p>Buffalo Wild Wings doesn&rsquo;t offer free kids meals, but kids meals are 50% on Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays with adult purchase. Their kids meals come with an entr&eacute;e, side and drink for around $8, so on a 50% off day you can feed your little one for just $4.&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-chevy-s-fresh-mex\">Chevy&rsquo;s Fresh Mex<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p><p>Don&rsquo;t miss this practically free option on Wednesdays at participating Chevy&rsquo;s locations! Add a kids meal to your order for just $1 (one kids meal per adult entr&eacute;e), making it a very budget-friendly option for feeding kids, ages 12 and under. All kids meals include an entr&eacute;e, one side, one dessert and a Sweet Corn Tamalito.&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-red-robin\">Red Robin<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide&nbsp;<\/p><p>You can get half off kids meals at Red Robin every Wednesday using code &ldquo;50KIDSMEALS&rdquo; online. Their kids menu features pizza, burgers, mini corn dogs and more, including fun lemonade flavors and cream sodas.&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Steak &lsquo;n Shake&nbsp;<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide&nbsp;<\/p><p>Looking for a cheap after-school treat for kids? Steak &lsquo;n Shake offers half off milkshakes and drinks from 2-4pm every weekday. Their speciality milkshake menu includes every candy bar you can dream of!&nbsp;<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-restaurants-with-free-treats-for-special-occasions-nbsp\" data-toc-id=\"0107d507\">Restaurants with free treats for special occasions&nbsp;<\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-culver-s\">Culver&rsquo;s<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide&nbsp;<\/p><p>Looking for a free sweet treat on a kid&rsquo;s birthday? Culver&rsquo;s offers everyone a free birthday custard if they get the Culver&rsquo;s app and join the MyCulvers rewards program for free. Pay for a fun birthday meal and finish it off with a free birthday dessert.&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-firehouse-subs\">Firehouse Subs<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide<\/p><p>Kids can get a free sub at Firehouse Subs on their birthday! As long as an adult has the app and joins the rewards program for free, they can add a kid&rsquo;s birthday and get a free kids combo with purchase of a medium or large sub, chips and drink. Adults can get a free sub on their birthday too, with a minimum $1 purchase!&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-krispy-kreme\">Krispy Kreme<\/h3><p>Location: Nationwide<\/p><p>Not necessarily a meal, but Krispy Kreme donuts offers a free donut for every A on a report card. If your kid has a report card with A&rsquo;s on it, bring it by Krispy Kreme and get up to six free donuts as a reward for their hard work.&nbsp;<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover restaurants with &#8220;kids eat free&#8221; deals and other discounts that can make dining out with children a heck of a lot more affordable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1278,"featured_media":127002,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"enable_toc":true,"care_reviewed_by":0,"care_post_updated_flag":false,"care_updated_date":"2025-06-09T04:00:00.000Z","last_update":"2025-06-09","view_count":207377,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1080,1088],"member-type":[4],"vertical":[6,17,15],"platform":[2],"class_list":["post-127000","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-school-aged-kids","tag-toddlers","member-type-all","vertical-children","vertical-child-care-advice","vertical-money-work","platform-resources"],"acf":[],"created":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127000","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1278"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=127000"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127000\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":220442,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127000\/revisions\/220442"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/127002"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=127000"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=127000"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=127000"},{"taxonomy":"member-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/member-type?post=127000"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=127000"},{"taxonomy":"platform","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/platform?post=127000"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}